2016 Ford Mustang: engine failure

Filed Oct 21, 2026 · Engine · NY

Coolant intrusion caused by a crack in the engine block coolant leaking into cylinder 3, engine replacement needed. 50k miles on the vehicle.

Filed Aug 5, 2026 · Engine · CA

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 mustang ecoboost in and out of mechanic shops for months now accumulating well over $7K in out of pocket expenses. I have been to multiple mechanics trying to diagnose and fix the problem but in the end it was a design flaw in the 2016 ford mustang ecoboost 4 cylinder which caused it to leak coolant, misfire, and overheat. I have been having this problem for some time now, this put my safety and the safety of others at risk because I had to slow down dramatically in order to pull over on the freeway due to the engine overheating from coolant loss. I've also experienced problems like trouble starting, rough idling, loss of coolant, and huge clouds of white smoke coming from the exhaust upon start. I have saved every single receipt and invoice breakdown since this problem began. My mechanic has also been documenting everything including taking notes and photographs of every issue. My car is currently in the shop right now being worked on. My mechanic says that he can temporarily patch the problem with a high performance head stud, copper sealant, and an ExtremeHeat metallic repair paste by JB Weld to momentarily solve the issue. He says that he does not know how long this patch will last so he is insisting I either get a new car or to see what my options are regarding the class action lawsuit filed against Ford.

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 Aug 4, 2025 · Engine · FM

The coolant over temperature warning light of my 2016 ford mustang ecoboost came on and the engine immediately went on limp mode and I stopped the vehicle and switched off the engine. The vehicle quickly lost power and this created safety concern for other drivers who would have bumped me. I towed the vehicle to the nearest ford dealership for inspection and they found that coolant went into the engine and the coolant bottle was empty. As a result the dealership has said that the engine engine needs to be replaced…. a big shock for me as I have never had any prior issue with this car which is only 59k illegal on the clock. After further research of my own, this seems to be a common issue with ford ecoboost engine before year 2020. What surprises me is that there was no other indication or warning before this incident which could have obstructed me to take precautionary action.

Filed Jan 23, 2025 · Engine · 91,000 miles · NC

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Mustang. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the message "Engine Failure - SS Repower Mode" and a message advising that the vehicle would shut off in thirty seconds was displayed. The vehicle stalled. The contact was unable to pull to the side of the road. The vehicle failed to restart. The contact who is disabled was assisted by other motorists pushing the vehicle to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was then towed to Elmer's Auto Repair & Mobile Services, where the vehicle was diagnosed and it was determined that the engine had melted internally, and there were two large holes in the engine. The mechanic replaced the engine. The vehicle was repaired. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the federal safety agency Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 91,000.

Filed Dec 23, 2024 · Suspension · 58,000 miles · TX · crash · 1 injury

The contact owned a 2016 Ford Mustang. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, a rattling sound was present and several unknown warning lights illuminated. In addition, the power steering did not function as intended and the steering seized. The contact stated that the vehicle was very difficult to steer. In addition, the contact stated that due to the failure, the vehicle veered off the road, went through the woods, and damaged 60 feet of ranch fencing. The vehicle was towed to a local tow yard. The contact sustained bumps and bruises. In addition, the contact stated that he now suffers from anxiety because of his fear of driving. A police report was filed, however the information was unavailable. The contact stated that when he visited the dealer to pick up the spare key, the dealer provided him with new suspension parts. The contact was informed by the dealer that, due to the busy shop schedule, the parts were not replaced before the vehicle was purchased. The contact stated that he was informed to either replace them himself or bring the vehicle on a later date to have the repair performed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 58,000.

Filed Oct 30, 2024 · Engine · 127,249 miles · AL

Engine Failure. In the right situation, complete loss of power of vehicle could cause several safety problems including Injury and/or Death. The problem was determined by the dealer and Extended Warranty Inspector. There were no warning lamps or any other indications of a complete engine failure. No smoke exiting the exhaust, no contaminated oil, plenty of coolant in radiator, and was not making any noise. Reason for taking the car in for service was, on Oct 1, 2024 the gauge was acting erratic. The car never ran hot. The car was taken to the dealership on Oct 2, 2024. 2 days after, received a call with results stating that I need a complete engine replacement due to overheating and coolant found in cylinder #3.

Filed Oct 11, 2024 · Engine · MD

The 2016 used car that I bought in 2017 with 20,711 miles has a defective ecoboost engine that leaks coolant on to the cylinder heads & causes engine failure. The vehicle has less than 100,000 miles & is currently in engine failure. Ford knew about this defective engine & never sent me a recall. There are class action lawsuits in CA & DE against FORD for the same ECOBOOST engine in my car. They want to charge me $12,000 for a new engine. I had a 5 year 100,000 mile warranty expire due to 5 yrs expiration & not the mileage, during covid while the car sat in front of the house & was barely driven. Once covid lifted restrictions I drove to Florida & put some miles on it locally & the engine is failing. This is absolutely absurd & Ford should be held accountable & be investigated in the state of MD for consumer fraud. This defective ecoboost engine dates back to 2012. They never should have sold me a car with a defective engine

Filed Jun 12, 2024 · Engine · 110,000 miles · NY

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power and the engine seized. The contact stated that while attempting to restart the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that chunks of the head gasket were found inside the engine. In addition, coolant and metal shavings were found in the oil pan. 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 contact was advised to report the failure to the federal safety agency Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.

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 Oct 19, 2023 · Engine · CA

My car is a single owner car, that has documentation of regular oil changes, engine upkeep, and general maintenance since its purchase in 2016. No major issues had been experienced until August, 2023. While driving the car home from work, I felt an immediate loss of power from the engine, my a/c went out, and an error flashed saying the temperature sensor for the cylinder heads showed the engine was overheating. So, in 100+ °F weather, I pulled the car over and turned it off. I let it sit for just over 15 minutes before turning it back on, only to find the car was still in failsafe mode. With less than five miles to return home, I drove, a car that refused to get up to 25 mph in the blazing heat (and no a/c), back home. I immediately called my local Ford dealership and set up an appointment to bring it in the next week, their soonest available appointment. In the meantime, I had to find people to carpool to work with. The next Monday, the car is brought in, and that day I’m informed the cylinder head cracked and I’d need a new engine. I couldn’t believe it. I’d always taken care of my car, never put it under any type of undue stress, how could the cylinder head have cracked? The dealership explained the damage was due to a well-known defect in the design of the engine. I was still flabbergasted. The engine fails, not through fault of the user, but from bad design on the part of the manufacturer, and I’m still the one responsible to pay $8,000 for a new engine? I am disappointed Ford put out a car with engines that WILL eventually fail, and then chooses to force their customers to be financially responsible for their error. My engine losing power with absolutely no notice could have resulted in a life threatening car accident had I chosen to drive the freeway that day, or could have forced me into unsafe situations had I been traveling. I will never buy a Ford again based on this experience and the business practices displayed.

Filed Aug 15, 2022 · Brakes, Engine · 78,000 miles · CA · crash · 1 injury

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Mustang. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the brake pedal was depressed but the vehicle failed to stop. The contact stated that the emergency brake was engaged however, the vehicle crashed into the curb. The brake warning light was illuminated. The contact then stated that the driver’s side seat belt failed to operate and was seized. As result, the contact sustained an injury to her neck and finger. No medical attention was needed. The air bags failed to deploy. No police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the master cylinder needed to be replaced. The vehicle cylinder was replaced but failed. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the master cylinder needed to be replaced but diagnosed that nothing was wrong with the seatbelt. The manufacturer was notified of the failure however, the contact stated that they hung up the phone. The failure mileage was approximately 78,000. The consumer stated the vehicle was sold because of the ongoing problems.