Reliability & 5-year cost of ownership — 2016 Ford Mustang
NHTSA data on file today
The 2016 Ford Mustang has 5 NHTSA recall campaigns and 380 owner complaints on file as of . Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.
NCAP overall rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars, for the 1 NHTSA-tested trim.
Recall campaigns on file
- NHTSA #25V614000 Seat Belt Anchor Pretensioner Cables May Corrode and Break NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #25V572000 Blank or Distorted Rearview Camera Image NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #22V082000 Blank or Distorted Rearview Camera Image NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #16V779000 Oil Leak from Engine Cooler Hose NHTSA notice
- NHTSA #15V707000 Restraint Components may be Damaged/FMVSS/209/225 NHTSA notice
Most-cited components in owner complaints
- Engine 76 complaints
- Electrical System 73 complaints
- Unknown or Other 70 complaints
- Back Over Prevention 52 complaints
- Power Train 29 complaints
- Structure 28 complaints
Of the 380 complaints on file, 13 report a crash and 7 a fire; across all 380 complaints, owners report 11 injuries and 2 deaths (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).
Average
Estimated 5-year repair + maintenance cost: $7,500–$13,000AI estimate — not from NHTSA data
The 2016 Ford Mustang receives an average rating due to several recalls related to seat belts and camera issues. Complaints are primarily focused on engine, electrical issues, and back-over prevention, suggesting moderate reliability concerns.
Most-common failures
| Part | Typical mileage (AI estimate) | Cost range (AI estimate) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| engine | 50,000–80,000 miles | $500–$3,500 | common |
| electrical system | 40,000–70,000 miles | $300–$1,200 | common |
| seat belts | 30,000–60,000 miles | $150–$400 | occasional |
| rearview camera | 35,000–65,000 miles | $200–$600 | occasional |
AI estimate — not from NHTSA data: the mileage bands and repair-cost ranges above. Get a written repair quote before you budget.
Scheduled maintenance to budget
Routine items every owner should plan for.
- Oil and filter changes every 5,000 miles
- Brake fluid replacement every 30,000 miles
- Coolant system flush every 60,000 miles
- Transmission fluid change every 60,000 miles
- Spark plug replacement every 100,000 miles
Warning signs to watch for
Symptoms that signal a major upcoming repair.
- Unusual engine noises
- Frequent electrical issues
- Seat belt malfunction
- Camera display problems
- Oil leaks from cooler hoses
Generated by gpt-4o on from the NHTSA recall campaigns and owner-complaint counts on file for the 2016 Ford Mustang at the time. The rating is an AI assessment; cost and mileage figures are AI estimates, not NHTSA data.