Showing the 2016 Mustang GT Convertible. We haven't verified this trim's engine; the numbers below cover every version of this model year. Every version
Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.
About every 2016 Mustang
The 2016 Ford Mustang has 379 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, most about the engine with 75. Its combined EPA fuel economy is 16 to 25 mpg, and its 5-year fuel cost is $12,990 to $25,150 at U.S. average prices. NHTSA gives it 5 stars overall. There are 5 recall campaigns, covering seat belts, backup camera, engine cooling, and others, that may apply to this car.
Written by AI from public EPA and NHTSA data. Not a review.
Fuel economy
16–25 mpgcombined; city 14–22, highway 21–31; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$12,990–$25,150U.S. average; Ohio $11,610–$23,700 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026
NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2016 Mustang. A trim's engine and numbers are shown as its own only where EPA names versions after the trim and no other version could be it; "seen with" means a source shows that engine on the trim, not that it was the only one. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.
Owners have filed 379 complaints with NHTSA about the 2016 Mustang. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.
Complaints by part of the car
Part
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Engine
75
1
4
4
Electrical system
73
1
3
0
Unknown or other
70
0
1
2
Back over prevention
52
1
0
0
Power train
29
0
0
0
Structure
28
0
0
0
Latches/locks/linkages
27
0
0
0
Fuel/propulsion system
20
0
1
2
Service brakes
17
2
0
2
Air bags
15
9
1
6
Steering
12
1
0
0
Seat belts
10
2
0
2
13 more parts
Seats
10
0
0
0
Vehicle speed control
10
1
0
1
Wheels
9
1
0
1
Engine and engine cooling
8
0
0
0
Suspension
8
3
0
2
Visibility/wiper
7
0
0
0
Electronic stability control (ESC)
5
1
0
0
Visibility
4
0
0
0
Exterior lighting
3
0
0
0
Lane departure
3
0
0
0
Tires
2
0
0
0
Equipment
1
0
0
0
Fuel system, gasoline
1
0
0
0
Complaints by model year
Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.
NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2016 Mustang over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Mustang vehicles. Water and road salt may corrode the front seat belt anchor pretensioner cables.
Risk: A corroded cable can break, preventing the seat belt from properly restraining an occupant, and increasing the risk of injury during a crash.
Remedy: 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.
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.
Risk: A rearview camera that displays an inverted, distorted, or blank image can reduce the driver’s view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: 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.
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.
Risk: A rearview camera that displays a blank or distorted image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: 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.
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.
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."
Risk: If the restraint components do not function as intended, the occupants may not be properly restrained in the event of a crash, increasing their risk of injury.
Remedy: 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.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 167 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2016 Mustang, the latest on Apr 20, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: equipment (61), electrical system (59), engine and engine cooling (16), power train (15), structure (14).
NHTSA defect investigations
Opening an investigation isn't a finding of a defect. Outcomes are as NHTSA's summary states them. A recall is shown as an investigation's outcome only where NHTSA's summary names it; other recalls NHTSA's file lists with it are marked as listed, not caused.
Investigation
Part
Opened
Status
Engineering analysis EA21002 Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture · covers 37 makes
The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2016 Mustang.
These are searches on those sites; we don't copy or check their listings. Your ZIP is used for these links and never kept.
Specs
EPA class: subcompact cars. EPA greenhouse gas score: 3–6 out of 10. Each version EPA tested:
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Version
Engine
Transmission
Fuel
City / hwy / comb
Mustang Rear-Wheel Drive
2.3 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Manual 6-spd
Regular Gasoline
22 / 31 / 25
Mustang Rear-Wheel Drive
2.3 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Automatic (S6)
Regular Gasoline
21 / 31 / 25
Mustang Rear-Wheel Drive
2.3 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Automatic (S6)
Regular Gasoline
20 / 29 / 23
Mustang Rear-Wheel Drive
3.7 L, 6 cyl
Automatic (S6)
Regular Gasoline
19 / 27 / 22
Mustang Rear-Wheel Drive
3.7 L, 6 cyl
Manual 6-spd
Regular Gasoline
17 / 28 / 21
Mustang Rear-Wheel Drive
5.0 L, 8 cyl
Automatic (S6)
Regular Gasoline
16 / 25 / 19
Mustang Rear-Wheel Drive
5.0 L, 8 cyl
Manual 6-spd
Regular Gasoline
15 / 25 / 19
Mustang Rear-Wheel Drive
5.0 L, 8 cyl
Automatic (S6)
Regular Gasoline
15 / 23 / 18
Shelby GT350 Mustang Rear-Wheel Drive
5.2 L, 8 cyl
Manual 6-spd
Premium Gasoline
14 / 21 / 16
Sources and dates
U.S. EPA fuel economy data, file of Sep 29, 2026
NHTSA owner complaints, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA recalls, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA manufacturer communications, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA defect investigations, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, file of Aug 7, 2026
U.S. Energy Information Administration, file of Oct 12, 2026
Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data