NHTSA (USA)High Risk
At a glance
What can fail
Water and road salt can corrode the cables that tighten your front seat belts in a crash, potentially reducing their effectiveness.
This page covers 7 recalls, 363 owner complaints, NHTSA crash-test ratings and EPA fuel economy for the 2016 Ford Mustang.
19–25 mpg combined
9.4–12.4 L/100km
Subcompact Cars
Fuel economy data from fueleconomy.gov (EPA / U.S. Dept. of Energy). Annual cost based on 15,000 mi/yr at 55% city driving and current fuel prices. MPG is U.S. gallons; L/100km converted. Ranges reflect the 6 tested variants for this model year.
5/5 Overall
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Rating
For 2016 Mustang owners, the most concentrated complaint patterns center on the engine and the backup camera system. On the engine side, owners report a range of issues including stalling, rough running, and loss of power, with some describing failures that left the car undriveable. The backup camera draws a high volume of complaints as well, owners frequently report the display going blank, showing a blue error screen, or producing a blurry image when shifting into reverse, and many say the problem recurs even after dealer visits. The electrical system rounds out the top three, with owners describing various faults including instrument cluster glitches and power losses. A smaller but recurring thread involves steering feel, with some owners reporting looseness or unwanted movement in the steering wheel during normal driving.
363
Total Complaints
13
Crash-Related
6
Fire-Related
10
With Injuries
By System
The 2016 Ford Mustang has 7 recalls, the most serious being an engine oil cooler hose that can separate on 5.2-liter V8 models, causing sudden oil loss that can kill the engine or start a fire.
The seatbelt and restraint system has three separate concerns. Front seatbelt anchor pretensioner cables can corrode from water and road salt exposure, and if a cable breaks, the belt loses its ability to lock tight in a crash. On a narrow range of vehicles, both the front and rear seatbelts and child seat tether anchors may have been damaged before installation, meaning they can fail to hold an occupant or a child safety seat during a collision. These seatbelt and tether anchor issues overlap across two filings that describe the same damage, so owners with affected vehicles should confirm their VIN covers the specific build dates involved.
On the visibility side, the rearview camera has two related concerns. Loose or damaged wiring in the camera harness can cause the display to go blank or show a scrambled image when reversing. A broader issue, shared across multiple Ford and Lincoln vehicles from this era, can also cause the camera image to appear inverted, distorted, or completely blank. Both problems leave the driver without a reliable view of what is directly behind the vehicle.
At a glance
What can fail
Water and road salt can corrode the cables that tighten your front seat belts in a crash, potentially reducing their effectiveness.
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Driver Assistance
Ratings from NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP). Based on 2 tested variants; worst-case ratings shown.
Complaints are owner-reported and reflect individual experiences, not confirmed defects. They are distinct from recalls. Data sourced from the national vehicle safety complaint database. See trending complaints →
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect and replace the front seat belt tightening assemblies as needed, remove carpet sections that contact the cables, and inspect or repair related sealing and bolts.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The rearview camera may show a distorted, inverted, or blank image when you shift into reverse.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect and replace the rearview camera at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The rearview camera wiring may be loose or damaged, causing the camera display to show a blank or distorted image.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect and repair the decklid wiring harness and replace the rearview camera as needed.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
A hose can separate from the engine oil cooler tube assembly, causing engine oil to leak.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the engine oil cooler tube assembly at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The engine oil cooler tube assembly may have weak crimps, allowing the hose to separate. This causes an oil leak, risking sudden engine oil loss and engine failure, or fire if oil contacts an ignition source.
What the fix does
The dealer will replace the engine oil cooler tube assembly with a properly assembled one.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Front and rear seat belts may have been damaged before installation and could fail to restrain occupants properly in a crash, increasing injury risk.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace front seat belt retractors and pretensioners, and rear seat belt retractors, buckles, and tether anchors.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Front and rear seat belts and child seat tether anchors may have been damaged during shipping and could fail to properly restrain occupants in a crash.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the front and rear seat belt assemblies and child seat tether anchors at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
