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FREE VEHICLE RESEARCH

The 2016 Ford Mustang has 5 NHTSA safety recalls on file, 373 owner complaints, and gets about 25 mpg combined. Here's the full free record from NHTSA and the EPA.

FREE PUBLIC RECORD · U.S. GOVERNMENT DATA

2016 Ford Mustang

  • Engine 4-cyl 2.3L
  • Drive Rear-Wheel Drive
  • Fuel Regular
  • Body Subcompact Cars

Should you worry?

Be careful

Serious flags in the public record. Read below, and verify recall work was done.

Caution

Are there open safety recalls?

5 open

Ask the seller for proof each was fixed. Repairs are free — and there’s also an open investigation.

Serious

What do owners report?

2 deaths reported

Out of 373 owner reports. Read the Owners section before you buy.

Good

How did it score in crash tests?

5 out of 5 stars

5 is best. This model scored well in government crash tests.

Open recalls · nearby years

Same make and model. This car is the 2016.

  • 20144recalls
  • 201511recalls
  • 2016 · this car5recalls
  • 20176recalls

Based on free U.S. government safety data · checked August 28, 2026.

SAFETY

Will it protect people in a crash?

These are government crash-test scores. 5 stars is best. They rate this year and model, not your exact car.

Overall
5 / 5 stars
Frontal
5 / 5 stars
Side
5 / 5 stars
Side pole
5 / 5 stars
Rollover
5 / 5 stars

Factory safety & driver-assist equipment

Stability control
Standard
Forward collision warning
Optional
Government crash-test photo
Photo from a government crash test of this model

Tested as: 2016 Ford Mustang 2 DR RWD · 2 versions tested

Open safety recalls

5 open

A recall means the manufacturer must fix a safety problem for free at a dealer. Ask the seller for proof the work was done.

  1. Seat Belts

    26/10/2015

    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 crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbers 208, "Occupant Crash Protection," and 225, "Child restraint anchorage systems."

    How they fix it: 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. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15C13.

  2. Engine And Engine Cooling

    26/10/2016

    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.

    How they fix it: 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. Ford's number for this recall is 16S40.

  3. Back Over Prevention

    16/02/2022

    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.

    How they fix it: 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. Remedy parts are expected to become available in the 4th Quarter of 2022. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S06.

  4. Back Over Prevention

    04/09/2025

    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. The rearview camera may display a distorted, inverted, or blank image when the vehicle is in reverse.

    How they fix it: Dealers will inspect and replace the rearview camera as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 13, 2026. Ford owners will receive letters in phases, beginning January 2026 and June 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S89. This recall expands previous NHTSA recall number 25V270. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning September 8, 2025.

  5. Seat Belts

    12/09/2025

    Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Mustang vehicles. Water and road salt may corrode the front seat belt anchor pretensioner cables.

    How they fix it: 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. Dealers will also inspect the A-pillar sealing patches, and as necessary, install A-pillar body plugs, and/or inspect and replace the front outboard seat bolts. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Interim letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed October 20, 2025. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available, anticipated December 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S92. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov September 17, 2025.

The government also has an open investigation on this model. Look it up on nhtsa.gov before you buy.

From NHTSA (U.S. safety agency) · checked August 28, 2026.

OWNERS

What problems do owners report?

People file these with the government when something goes wrong. They show patterns, not a diagnosis of any one car for sale.

Owner reports · nearby years

Same make and model. This car is the 2016.

  • 2014359reports
  • 2015436reports
  • 2016 · this car373reports
  • 2017264reports

373 owner reports on file

13 crash mentions 6 fire mentions 11 injury mentions 2 death mentions

Parts mentioned most often. Longer bar = more reports. Counts are out of 373 total reports.

  • ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 68 of 373

    This complaint is a formal notification of a Recall Remedy Failure regarding NHTSA Campaign 22V082000 / 25V572000 (Rearview Camera Wiring Harness / Camera Replacement). My vehicle was brought to an authorized Ford dealership on 07/22/2026 t

  • ENGINE 56 of 373

    Nelson v. Ford Motor Company is a class action lawsuit targeting a defect in Ford's 2.3-liter EcoBoost engines. The suit highlights coolant leaks into engine cylinders, overheating, and catastrophic engine failures. I have had my 2016 ford

  • UNKNOWN OR OTHER 51 of 373

    The driver And passengers door opens while driving

  • BACK OVER PREVENTION 38 of 373

    See attached document for complaint.

  • STRUCTURE 28 of 373

    The passenger side door is periodically opening to the first catch while driving on the highway without anyone touching the handle and it does not matter that the door is locked. It is very scary for any passenger when it happens. For the

  • POWER TRAIN 28 of 373

    At about 75k miles my mustang started misfiring at about 2,500 rpm’s and higher. Turns out it was a blown head gasket. This engine model is prone to what happened to it. Ford should have a recall for these engine and a solution as they’re t

Bars are sized relative to the most-mentioned part on this list, not to 100% of all cars.

From NHTSA owner complaints · checked August 28, 2026. Anyone can file a report; they are not verified repairs.

FUEL COST

What does it cost to drive?

EPA estimates for this year and model. Your real cost depends on gas prices, how you drive, and how far you go.

Sold in 2 versions

They range from 23 to 25 mpg combined. Figures below are the base version. Pick yours to see its own numbers.

Combined MPG · nearby years

Same make and model. This car is the 2016.

  • 201423mpg
  • 201525mpg
  • 2016 · this car25mpg
  • 201724mpg

$2,450

estimated fuel cost per year if you drive about 15,000 miles

Miles per gallon. Higher is cheaper to drive.

City driving 21 mpg
Highway driving 31 mpg
Combined (typical mix) 25 mpg

Over 5 years, compared to an average new car

This model is estimated to cost about $1,250 more on fuel.

Spends more Saves more
Passenger space
82 cubic feet
Cargo space
12 cubic feet

From EPA fueleconomy.gov · checked August 28, 2026.

HOW IT WAS BUILT

Factory details

What’s on the build record for this VIN or model.

Engine

4-cyl 2.3L

Drivetrain

Rear-Wheel Drive

Transmission

Automatic (S6)

Fuel

Regular

See all factory details (7)
Engine
4-cyl 2.3L
Cylinders
4
Displacement
2.3 L
Drivetrain
Rear-Wheel Drive
Transmission
Automatic (S6)
Body
Subcompact Cars
Fuel
Regular

From EPA and NHTSA vehicle records · checked August 28, 2026.

What this free check does not include

We only show free U.S. government data: safety recalls, owner reports, crash tests, and fuel economy. We do not show prior accidents, flood or salvage titles, odometer rollback, insurance history, or a “should you buy” verdict on a specific listing. For that kind of check on one car for sale, use the VINly app.

BEFORE YOU BUY

What to check on this car

Confirm the recalls were fixed

This model has 5 open NHTSA recalls (including the seat belts). Recall repairs are free at the dealer, so ask the seller for proof the remedy was performed, or verify by VIN at nhtsa.gov before you buy.

Watch for a pending investigation

NHTSA has an open investigation covering this model. A recall can follow an investigation, so check nhtsa.gov for the latest before you commit.

  • Test-drive the basics

    Cold start, full-lock steering both ways, firm brakes with no pulsing, smooth shifts, and every electronic feature. Warning lights should come on at key-on, then go out.

  • Check the title and the VIN

    Confirm the title status in hand matches the listing, and that the VIN matches across the dash, door jamb, and title. VINly does not show ownership or accident history, for that, run a paid report like Carfax.

  • Ask the seller the right questions

    Why they are selling, any service records, accident or panel-repaint history, how many owners, and whether any open recalls were completed.

See the full used-car inspection checklist. None of this replaces a hands-on inspection by a mechanic.

FOR SALE NEAR YOU

2016 Ford Mustang listings

    Quick answers

    What is recalled on the 2016 Ford Mustang? +

    NHTSA lists 5 safety recalls for the 2016 Ford Mustang, including the seat belts. See the full list above, and confirm by VIN at nhtsa.gov.

    What gas mileage does the 2016 Ford Mustang get? +

    The EPA rates the 2016 Ford Mustang at 25 mpg combined (21 city / 31 highway), about $2,450 a year in fuel.

    How safe is the 2016 Ford Mustang? +

    NHTSA's NCAP program gives the 2016 Ford Mustang 5 out of 5 stars overall, with 5 stars for rollover resistance.

    What do owners complain about on the 2016 Ford Mustang? +

    Owners have filed 373 complaints with NHTSA for the 2016 Ford Mustang, including 13 involving a crash. The most-reported area is electrical system.

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