Ford Mustang fire or smoke problems

Filed Sep 29, 2026 · Electrical · CA · fire

A new Walmart-brand EverStart Plus 96R, 590 CCA automotive battery was purchased on August 4, 2026, and installed in a 2016 Ford Mustang Convertible. On the evening of September 26, 2026, my family and I drove the Mustang and returned home at approximately 11:00 p.m. The vehicle operated normally. There were no warning signs, electrical problems, overheating, or other indications of a mechanical problem. The Mustang remained parked and untouched overnight. At approximately 2:00 p.m., 15 hours later, on September 27, my daughter came into the room and told me that the car was on fire. Riverside County Fire responded to the scene. Fire personnel specifically asked whether the Mustang had been driven or worked on that day. I told them it had not. The vehicle had remained parked since approximately 11:00 p.m. the prior evening. Fire personnel continued to suppress the fire, investigated the engine compartment, cut the battery cables, photographed the vehicle, and advised me that the battery appeared to be the possible source of ignition.

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 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 Jul 24, 2026 · Electrical, Seats · UT · fire

Was driving, all the sudden I heard a pop and a little bit of smoke and the smell of burning plastic came from under passenger seat. Pulled over, noticed it was coming from electrical harness under seat that controls the heated and cooled seats. Disconnected plug and saw that it had burnt out & caught fire. Have left it unplugged with no incident since.

Filed Jul 8, 2026 · Brakes, Electrical · 41,331 miles · VA · fire

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Mustang. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the contact noticed smoke coming from underneath the hood. The vehicle was unoccupied. The contact inspected the vehicle. The contact stated that the fire was about three inches from the back of the engine, close to the fire wall. The contact used a nearby fire extinguisher and extinguished the fire. The contact stated that upon further inspection of the vehicle, the contact noticed brake fluid on the ground underneath the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, however the diagnostic test had not been completed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact stated that the failure was a known failure with the vehicle. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 41,331.

Filed Jun 25, 2026 · Engine · 56,000 miles · FL

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the engine sputtered with the check engine warning light illuminated. There was heavy white smoke coming from the tailpipe. Upon arriving at the destination, the vehicle hesitated to restart, and the contact observed a significant loss of coolant. The vehicle stalled while driving at various speeds. Upon inspection, the dealer confirmed coolant intrusion in cylinders #2 and #3, resulting in total engine failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and stated that the VIN was not under recall, and there was no warranty associated with the vehicle. The vehicle was repaired out-of-pocket by the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 56,000.

Filed Apr 16, 2026 · Engine · 44,000 miles · IL

The contact owns a 2019 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that it was difficult to start the vehicle. While driving at 30 MPH, there was a significant amount of white smoke coming out of the exhaust pipes, reducing the visibility of the rear of the vehicle. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed, and it was determined that the engine was blown. The dealer determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 44,000.

Filed Mar 12, 2026 · Engine, Fuel system · TX · fire

I was driving down the highway with heater on and defrost. All of a sudden I hear a pop and my car started bogging down. I exited the highway to get out of danger, it then had a wrench light ( transmission) pop up and when I parked the car on the access road it started smoking a lot. I turned the vehicle off immediately and when I seen smoke coming from under the hood and into the cab of the car. I lifted the hood after seeing fire in the passenger wheel well. And then in the engine block towards the windshield in the middle of the engine. I am a fire fighter and it appeared to me that the fire was being fed by some kind of substance. Fort Worth Fire department showed up and put the fire out and took a report.

Filed Dec 18, 2025 · Engine · SC · fire

“Charge system service now” came on the dash, battery lost power after about 10 seconds, screen went black, dash went black, car locked up, opened the hood and the engine was on fire, called 911 who came quickly and put the fire out without the entire car burning, insurance later total losses the car. I don’t know if it was the battery or the engine responsible for the failure, because the flames were on the engine and not the battery, but the incident was triggered by a battery warning. I was on the interstate driving 60mph when the car shut off and everything including my headlights and even hazard lights went black. Not only could I have been struck by a car on the interstate, I could have died in a car fire. Because the car locked up, I couldn’t open the trunk or use any electronics. The door could have just as easily locked and trapped us inside a burning car. The car is on a salvage yard, no attempt to replicate has been made. Progressive insurance, and Columbia fire inspected it and found that it was undetermined. “Charge service system now” was the only warning before the infotainment screen shut down to reduce battery usage. Every light on the dash flashed right before everything on the dash went black and power was lost to the entire vehicle.

Filed Dec 5, 2025 · Fuel system · CA

With only 32,885 miles, engine light came on due to (P0456) EVAP small leak. Went to an auto shop and Ford dealer for diagnostic scan. Both technicians found that there is a bit of smoke coming out from the top of the fuel tank due to a small stress crack at the port near the canister vent hose as well as a small crack below fuel pressure sensor tube. New fuel tank replacement was recommended as the crack could not be repaired. Cost to fix is $1,400 parts and $1,200 labor. This small crack nears the fuel tank seems to be a major concern for owners as it could increase the risk of vehicle fire and should be a recall by Ford for immediate remedy.