Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2019 Ford Mustang owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that a ticking sound was coming from underneath the hood of the vehicle while driving at various speeds and while the vehicle was idling. The contact stated that the RPM dropped while idling and while decelerating. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failure in the lifters inside the cam phaser. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to another dealer, Lithia Springs Ford (870 Thornton Rd, Lithia Springs, GA 30122), where it was diagnosed with the same failure. The dealer informed the contact not to repair the vehicle due to the engine's design being known to have the failure. The contact was informed that the failure was related to TSB: SSM52334, NHTSA ID Number: 10251951 (Engine and Engine Cooling). The vehicle had not been repaired. …
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that while driving 40 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated, causing the engine to overheat. The contact pulled over to the right side of the road and turned off the vehicle to allow the engine to cool down while waiting on a mechanic to arrive on the scene. An independent mechanic was contacted, and the vehicle was taken to Auto Zone to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that coolant had leaked into cylinders #2 and #3 before the failure occurred. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed, and it was determined that the head gasket needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, and the ignition coil packs and spark plugs were replaced; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated that the failure had occurred twice. …
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the spark plugs, and ignition coils needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was towed back to the independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the spark plugs, and ignition coils needed to be replaced again. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred, and the independent mechanic advised having the vehicle diagnosed by a local dealer. The vehicle was then towed to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle remained at the dealer awaiting the repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. …
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that during a routine oil change, the technician observed that the coolant level was low. The coolant reservoir was filled however, the contact reported that when another oil change was made, the coolant level was again very low and was refilled. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. However, the contact stated that he noticed a small cloud of white smoke emitted from the exhaust pipe when he started the vehicle one morning. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that coolant had intruded into cylinders #2 and #3 and that the head gasket was damaged and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was advised by the dealer that this was a known failure with the 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. …
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Mustang. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed, however the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The vehicle's speed did not accelerate above 20 MPH. In addition, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the shoulder of the road. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion and a failed engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with coolant intrusion and a failed engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. …
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that there was a misfire in cylinders #1 and #3, requiring the replacement of the spark plugs and ignition coil. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer, who determined that coolant intrusion had damaged the engine, requiring the engine to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 71,000.
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Mustang. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the vehicle briefly sputtered before returning to normal functionality. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that the coolant intrusion had damaged the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Program: 21N12. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 88,000.
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Mustang. The contact stated while driving or while the vehicle was parked, the vehicle was leaking coolant. The contact stated that while washing the vehicle, the contact became aware that coolant was leaking from the engine compartment. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the coolant pipe needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the battery was replaced, the oil was changed, and an unknown software was updated. The manufacturer was notified on the failure but offered no assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 16,600.
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that it was difficult to start the vehicle. While driving at 30 MPH, there was a significant amount of white smoke coming out of the exhaust pipes, reducing the visibility of the rear of the vehicle. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed, and it was determined that the engine was blown. The dealer determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 44,000.
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Mustang. The contact stated while operating the vehicle, the check engine warning light remained illuminated. The vehicle experienced misfiring, and a knocking sound was coming from underneath the vehicle while shifting into reverse. There were fumes coming from outside the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the driveshaft was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 25,538.
Engine complaints in other Mustang years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2019 Ford Mustang?
NHTSA has 62 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2019 Ford Mustang, 41% of the model year's 150 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2019 Ford Mustang engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 2019 Ford Mustang, though it has 6 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2019 Ford Mustang engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 66,000 miles, and 22% before 25,000 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.