Most common 2016 Ford Mustang problems
Share of the 379 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Ford Mustang complaints by model year
Best Mustang years: 2023, 2025, 2021. Years to avoid: 2012, 2011, 2015, 1995, 2005. Compare all years →
2016 Ford Mustang recalls (5)
Seat belts › Pretensioner
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Mustang vehicles. Water and road salt may corrode the front seat belt anchor pretensioner cables.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace both front seat belt anchor pretensioner assemblies, as necessary. In addition, dealers will remove sections of the carpet and underlayment that contact the cables.
Back over prevention › Sensing system › Camera
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Lincoln MKC, Mustang, F-350 SD, F-250 SD, F-450 SD, 2015-2017 Lincoln Navigator, Expedition, 2015-2018 Edge, Transit Connect, 2016-2019 F-550 SD, Transit, 2017-2019 Econoline, and 2019 Ranger vehicles.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the rearview camera as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 13, 2026.
Back over prevention › Sensing system › Camera
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Mustang vehicles. The rearview camera wiring may be loose or damaged, which can result in a blank or distorted image.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and repair the decklid wiring harness and/or replace the rearview camera, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 23, 2022 and June 26, 2023.
Engine and engine cooling › Cooling system › Hoses/lines/piping/fittings
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2015-2017 Mustang vehicles manufactured February 24, 2015, to August 30, 2016. A hose may separate from the engine oil cooler tube assembly causing an oil leak.
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the engine oil cooler tube assembly, free of charge. The recall began on March 23, 2017. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.
Child seat › Tether › Connector/clip
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2016 Ford Mustang vehicles manufactured September 26, 2015, to October 1, 2015. The front and rear seat belts and child seat tether anchors may have been damaged in shipping from the supplier to the vehicle assembly plant and may not adequately restrain the occupant in a…
Remedy: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front and rear seat belt assemblies and the child seat tether anchors, free of charge. The recall began on December 18, 2015.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2016 Ford Mustang:
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited.
What 2016 Ford Mustang owners say
Engine & cooling all 82 →
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that when purchasing the vehicle they noticed the instrument panel had failed to illuminate. Then while driving at approximately 20 MPH the red wrench displayed on the instrument panel and there was a loud noise coming from the vehicle, and the vehicle began shaking and emitting a burning oil odor. The contact lost control of the vehicle before it stalled and a spark of fire came from underneath the hood of the vehicle. The contact was able to get out of the vehicle where they watched black smoke come from underneath the hood of the vehicle. The contact noticed that there was oil all over the road. The fire department was not called. A police report was not made. The contact had received a concussion from hitting their head on the steering wheel when losing control of the vehicle. Medical attention was needed. …
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Mustang. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the brake pedal was depressed but the vehicle failed to stop. The contact stated that the emergency brake was engaged however, the vehicle crashed into the curb. The brake warning light was illuminated. The contact then stated that the driver's side seat belt failed to operate and was seized. As result, the contact sustained an injury to her neck and finger. No medical attention was needed. The air bags failed to deploy. No police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the master cylinder needed to be replaced. The vehicle cylinder was replaced but failed. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the master cylinder needed to be replaced but diagnosed that nothing was wrong with the seatbelt. …
Electrical system all 73 →
A new Walmart-brand EverStart Plus 96R, 590 CCA automotive battery was purchased on August 4, 2026, and installed in a 2016 Ford Mustang Convertible. On the evening of September 26, 2026, my family and I drove the Mustang and returned home at approximately 11:00 p.m. The vehicle operated normally. There were no warning signs, electrical problems, overheating, or other indications of a mechanical problem. The Mustang remained parked and untouched overnight. At approximately 2:00 p.m., 15 hours later, on September 27, my daughter came into the room and told me that the car was on fire. Riverside County Fire responded to the scene. Fire personnel specifically asked whether the Mustang had been driven or worked on that day. I told them it had not. The vehicle had remained parked since approximately 11:00 p.m. the prior evening. …
25 mph mild frontal collision caused a fire to start in the door panel as identified by the driver and the fire dept. The fire caused a majority of the cabin to burn and the vehicle to become a total loss in under a minute. Front airbags deployed but not side airbags. Electrical system in left door possibly malfunctioned causing a fire, evident by the fire reigniting every time the fire fighter ceased using the fire extinguisher. Driver was right next to the damaged electrical and was almost hurt by the fire, almost resulting in severe burns or death to the driver had they not escaped the cabin a few seconds before ignition. The problem has not been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center. The vehicle has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives, or others. There were no warning lamps or messages prior to the failure.
Driver assistance all 52 →
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Mustang. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number:22V082000 (Back Over Prevention) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated on 5/17/2022, his wife was using the rearview camera to reverse out of their garage and crashed into their other vehicle. The contact called the local dealer and made them aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 62,571. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact's daughter owns a 2016 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that the rearview camera was inoperable while reversing. The owner received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V572000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the contact was informed that the vehicle had passed the recall test, even though the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. Additionally, the contact stated that the rearview camera failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where the contact was informed that the rearview camera needed to be replaced. The dealer advised the contact that the VIN was not included in a related recall; however, the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V572000 (Back Over Prevention). The vehicle was not repaired. …
2016 Ford Mustang engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.3L 4-cyl turbo | 6-speed manual | RWD | 22 / 31 / 25 |
| 2.3L 4-cyl turbo | 6-speed automatic | RWD | 21 / 31 / 25 |
| 3.7L 6-cyl | 6-speed automatic | RWD | 19 / 27 / 22 |
| 3.7L 6-cyl | 6-speed manual | RWD | 17 / 28 / 21 |
| 5.0L 8-cyl | 6-speed automatic | RWD | 16 / 25 / 19 |
| 5.0L 8-cyl | 6-speed manual | RWD | 15 / 25 / 19 |
| 5.2L 8-cyl | 6-speed manual | RWD | 14 / 21 / 16 |
EPA ratings. Class: Subcompact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2016 Ford Mustang a good car?
Based on 379 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2016 Mustang rates average: 1.3× as many complaints as a typical year of the Mustang at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2016 Ford Mustang?
The engine & cooling — 82 complaints, 22% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the electrical system (73) and driver assistance (52).
How many recalls does the 2016 Ford Mustang have?
There are 5 recalls for the 2016 Ford Mustang, the most recent from September 12, 2025 (pretensioner). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Ford Mustang?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2023, 2025 and 2021. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2012, 2011, 2015, 1995 and 2005. See the full Ford Mustang years comparison.
At what mileage do 2016 Ford Mustang problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 36,000 miles; 62% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.