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2016 Ford Mustang: check engine light

27 of the 380 complaints about the 2016 Ford Mustang describe check engine light.

owner complaints
27
of this car's complaints
7%
typical mileage
59,000
recalls
1
Is there a fix? There is 1 recall and 20 service bulletins for this area of the car. See below

Check engine light by model year

What owners say

Filed Sep 17, 2026 · Fuel system · FL

On or about June 24, 2026, the CHECK ENGINE light came on. Since I was near the local Ford Dealership, I stopped there. The car was evaluated the next day. I was told the the gas tank assembly and pipe had to be replaced. The repair was almost $4000. My car only as 63,117 miles on it. Before the problem was diagnosed, I was getting lousy gas mileage and assumed it was because the government was allowing more ethanol. In fact, the problem could have been disastrous... The car could have caught on fire . The car was in the repair shop until July 2, and I had to rent a car for $300. I am unable to download a photo I have of the gas tank which shows these numbers: E-11 34RI-020135 as well as AD46319. I have attached the bills from the CERTIFIED FORD repair shop. Please note that the 2015 Mustangs were recalled for gas tank replacements. I have a 2016.... Seems like my car may have had a faulty gas tank installed as well. The mechanic said he had replaced a couple. Nite that the car had just over 63000 miles

Filed Dec 15, 2025 · Engine · TX

From what I can remember its always been an issue with cylinder 3. I was always repaired by Ford Auto Nation of Fort Worth and Auto World Repair 2021 Engine Failure: Confirmed and repaired blown head gasket 2022 Check Engine Light code P303 - Found faulty as well as ignition coil on cylinder 3 2025 Engine Failure: code P303 - Found faulty as well as ignition coil on cylinder 3 Excessive smoke during idle Cracked engine block due to coolant leak through cylinder wall

Filed Sep 6, 2025 · Engine · OH

Component/system: Engine (Coolant intrusion into cylinder 1); Inspection available: Yes; Safety risk: Sudden power loss on road; Reproducibility/Confirmation: Dealer verified coolant in cylinder 1 after engine inspection; Manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others inspections: No; Warnings/symptoms: Check Engine light turned on, error code P0301, higher than normal engine temperature, low coolant in reservoir, white smoke, rough idle at turning of engine; First appeared: Around 100,000 miles.

Filed Mar 20, 2025 · Engine · 99,000 miles · LA

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that while at a stop sign, the vehicle lost automotive power. The check engine warning light illuminated. In addition, the contact stated that the vehicle had a rough start prior to the failure. The contact stated that the vehicle was pushed into a nearby local independent service center, where it was diagnosed with a coolant leak intrusion into the engine. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer, where it was left for further investigation at the owner's expense. The vehicle was not repaired. Upon further investigation, the contact related the failure to the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 16V779000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 99,000. The VIN was not available.

Filed Dec 11, 2024 · Engine · 79,575 miles · NC

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 45 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed with a cylinder #3 misfire, and that the spark plugs, coil pack, vacuum sensor, and engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred two days later. The vehicle was taken back to the same dealer where it was diagnosed that the coolant level was low and there was coolant leaking into cylinder #3, and the engine needed to be replaced again. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 79,575.

Filed Oct 25, 2024 · Fuel system · FL

Vehicle is 2016 garage kept, just under 18,000 miles. Check engine light is on. Code scanner indicates EGR leak. EGR valve replaced, check engine light reset. No code for about 3 weeks. Started getting gas filler warnings and check engine light back on again EGR issue. Getting ready for a road trip took vehicle to Ford to troubleshoot check engine light. Identified problem as a cracked fuel tank near where the filler connects. I researched what I can on-line and others have this same issue. Wondering if this is a defect?

Filed Jun 4, 2024 · Engine · 114,000 miles · MO

The contact owns a 2016 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 diagnosed a failure with the engine. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the contact was referred to the federal safety agency Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 114,000. The VIN was not available.

Filed May 14, 2024 · Engine · 85,080 miles · AL

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine was misfiring. In addition, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact inspected the vehicle and became aware of coolant leaking into the engine cylinder. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The warranty company declined to cover the repair under warranty because the failure was a known failure with the manufacturer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and the contact was advised to report the failure to the federal safety agency Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 85,080.

Filed Apr 26, 2024 · Engine · 73,000 miles · AZ

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer to be diagnosed and the contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 73,000.

Filed Jan 11, 2024 · Engine · CA

Defective Head Gasket. Causing lack of power while on freeway. Car slowed in speed greatly. Independent service has confirmed water in cylinder #1. CEL did come on.

Filed Aug 18, 2023 · Engine · AZ

My car started to show a check engine light on around 103,000 miles. After getting a check engine light reading, the code was a misfire p0303 on cylinder 3. I took the car to a mechanic and was told the head gasket was blown and coolant was leaking into it.

Filed Aug 8, 2023 · Engine · 82,000 miles · CA

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Mustang. The contact stated while driving approximately 50 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that there was a crack in the cylinder head and the contact was informed that the repair was not covered under warranty. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 82,000.

Service bulletins that may apply

Related recalls

Engine and engine cooling: cooling system: hoses/lines/piping/fittingsReported October 26, 2016 · 6,582 vehicles affected
What is wrong
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.
Risk
A sudden loss of engine oil may cause engine failure, increasing the risk of a crash. Additionally, an oil leak, in the presence of an ignition source, increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy
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.

Recall number 16V779000 · Recall details

Questions about the 2016 Ford Mustang check engine light

Is check engine light a common problem on the 2016 Ford Mustang?

27 of 380 owner complaints about the 2016 Ford Mustang (7%) mention check engine light. The model year with the most reports is 2019.

Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2016 Ford Mustang?

There is 1 recall and 20 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.

Other symptoms on the 2016 Ford Mustang

Backup camera 54Engine failure 20Stalling 20Overheating 17Loss of power 15Misfire 14Door locks 12Fire or smoke 11No deployment 8Grinding brakes 6Harsh shifting 5Won't start 5

All model years of the Ford Mustang

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