Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2020 Ford Mustang owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that while driving at 45 MPH, the vehicle was jerking and shaking uncontrollably. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact was able to continue to drive the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure recurred increasingly while driving on the interstate. The contact veered to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. Then the vehicle was towed to the dealer who diagnosed that no issues were found. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to a second dealer; Don Rich Ford Co Inc (221 E Montgomery St, Villa Rica, GA 30180) who diagnosed the grille shutter and the sensor fuel injectors had failed and needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. …
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Mustang. The contact stated while driving 55-60 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to AutoZone, where the contact was informed that there was no coolant in the vehicle. The contact added coolant to the vehicle; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the head gasket had failed, causing coolant intrusion into the engine. The dealer determined that the entire long block and the head gasket needed to be replaced. Additionally, the dealer informed the contact that the long block and the head gasket needed to be aligned correctly. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and offered to partially cover the cost of the repair. The failure mileage was approximately 53,500.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that while driving at 15 MPH, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle was misfiring. Additionally, the vehicle was shaking, and the contact pulled over to the shoulder of the road. The contact turned the vehicle off and restarted the vehicle. The vehicle was driven to the residence. The contact stated that the failure was persistent. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with coolant leak into the cylinders and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to report the failure to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 63,000.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that the engine overheated while driving at various speeds with the temperature gauge showing that the engine was hot(H). The contact stated that the vehicle hesitated while depressing the accelerator pedal with an engine misfire alert on the Ford App. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where a pressurized test was performed; the test showed no defect with the engine. The contact then took the vehicle to an independent mechanic where the spark plugs, and cabin air filter were replaced, and the fuel system was cleaned. The check engine warning light illuminated soon after the repair. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where it remained unrepaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 59,000.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Mustang. The contact stated while driving 25 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the engine overheated while driving. The contact was able to pull over and the vehicle was towed to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that there was coolant in the combustion chamber, engine block, and cylinder head, and the low-pressure fuel pump had failed. The dealer recommended an engine replacement. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who replaced the head gasket, but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 86,000.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Mustang. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, there were several unknown warning lights illuminated. Additionally, the contact noticed smoke inside the vehicle and there was smoke coming from under the hood. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with failed pistons and a blown engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 73,300.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that while driving at 15 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that coolant had leaked into the engine, causing misfiring codes and a lack of motive power which resulted in the engine needing to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 66,500.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that after adding oil to the engine, the contact became aware that a significant amount of the engine oil had leaked out onto the ground. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or a dealer. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that they could not assist because the VIN was not under recall for the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 72,000.
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that the engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the catalytic convertor and active grill shutter assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 86,000.
The gas tank was only getting 10 gallons of gas and not 16 gallons like it was suppose to. We ended up running out of gas on a road trip with our two young daughters in the middle of the night on I-75. The gas tank said you had 100 miles to go before empty and then 3 miles later it would drop to 0 and you were running out of gas. This car was used in street racing which was late devulged to us after we found out that at 20,000 miles a whole new engine was put in without our knowledge when we purchased the vehicle . We took it to the dealer and they put a new fuel assembly unit in it. It fixed the problem a little but never fully. Now, 2 days ago my husband with my youngest daughter ran out of gas again on US-19 and I had to leave work to go get them and gas. Next on the 57 things wrong with this car... 5 days after purchase it had 22 engine warning. …
Engine complaints in other Mustang years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2020 Ford Mustang?
NHTSA has 27 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2020 Ford Mustang, 23% of the model year's 120 complaints. The component named most often is exhaust system › emission control › catalytic convertor (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2020 Ford Mustang engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 2020 Ford Mustang, though it has 8 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 2020 Ford Mustang engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 67,000 miles, and 11% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 2 fires and 1 injury to engine & cooling problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.