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2016 Ford Mustang Gt350r

Buyable, but go in with open eyes: this car has specific known issues to check before money changes hands.

Recalls, complaint breakdown & inspection checklist, all in a shareable PDF

367 owner complaints · 5 recalls · data verified July 19, 2026 · source: NHTSA

Cautionwillitcar.com

Buy-rated alternatives from this era

Other 20142018 cars in the same rough price bracket with a clean, matured Buy verdict — worth cross-shopping before you commit to the 2016 Ford Mustang Gt350r.

2015
Kia Optima Hybrid
Buy99/100
2016
Audi A4
Buy99/100
2015
Lexus ES 350
Buy99/100

Why caution?

Score breakdown, by factor

Full methodology →

#235 of 431Among the 2016 models with a matured record, the 2016 Ford Mustang Gt350r ranks #235, scoring higher than 41% of them. See the 2016 ranking →

Complaint volume72
Severity60
Recall load66
Trend62

Complaints filed per year

Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.

20162026 YTD

How it crashes

NHTSA’s own crash tests, separate from the reliability score above.

5/5 overall

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Rating · 2016 Ford Mustang 2 DR RWD

Front crash
Side crash
Rollover

Rollover risk in a single-vehicle crash: 8%

Stability control: StandardForward collision warning: OptionalLane departure warning: No

1 open NHTSA defect investigation on file, separate from the recalls above.

NHTSA crash-test photo, 2016 Ford Mustang 2 DR RWD

Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings. Star ratings compare vehicles within the same class and size, not across every car on the road.

The road ahead

What breaks on a 2016 Ford Mustang Gt350r, plotted where owners report it happening.

030k mi60k mi90k mi120k miEngine~40k mi · 73 reportsElectrical system~15k mi · 71 reportsTransmission & drivetrain~5k mi · 29 reportsBody & structure~18k mi · 27 reportsLatches & locks~37k mi · 25 reports

Also reported (mileage varies): Backup camera & sensors (52)

Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint, a rough guide, not a schedule.

Engine

20%

73 complaints · typically near 40k mi · 18 in the last 2 years

The head gasket in my 2016 mustang eco boost failed. I have 126k miles and coolant is leaking into cylinder 2. I’ve always taken care of the maintenance on a timely ma…

Read the engine complaints →

Electrical system

19%

71 complaints · typically near 15k mi · 9 in the last 2 years

Display screen went out after first back up, camera recall. Camera is fixed under the recall by the dealership shortly after the display screen was intermittently goin…

Read the electrical system complaints →

Backup camera & sensors

14%

52 complaints · 9 in the last 2 years

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that while shifted into reverse(R), the rear-view camera was blank and then operated intermittently; however, …

Read the backup camera & sensors complaints →

Transmission & drivetrain

8%

29 complaints · typically near 5k mi · 1 in the last 2 years

At about 75k miles my mustang started misfiring at about 2,500 rpm’s and higher. Turns out it was a blown head gasket. This engine model is prone to what happened to i…

Read the transmission & drivetrain complaints →

Check it against this car’s mileage

Type the odometer reading on the actual car you’re looking at to see which of these problem areas owners tend to report before it, around it, or after it.

miles

We can place 2 of this model's commonly reported problem areas against a mileage. Nothing is stored.

Read all 367 owner complaints in their own words → · just the 18 crash/fire/injury reports →

Recalls (5)

Safety recall repairs are free at the brand’s franchised dealers. Before buying, run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and make the seller show the work was done.

Seat Belts · 25V614000

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.

Fix: 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.

Back Over Prevention · 25V572000

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.

Fix: 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.

Back Over Prevention · 22V082000

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.

Fix: 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.

Engine And Engine Cooling · 16V779000

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.

Fix: 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.

Seat Belts · 15V707000

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.

Fix: 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.

Questions to ask the seller

Questions worth asking the seller of this Ford before you buy, drawn from its public record:

  1. NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2016 Ford Mustang Gt350r. Can you run this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and confirm each one shows "Remedy Completed"?
  2. Owners of this model report engine problems more than anything else (owners tend to report it near 40k miles). Has this car shown any engine symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
  3. Owners of this model report electrical system problems more than anything else (owners tend to report it near 15k miles). Has this car shown any electrical system symptoms, and are there repair records for it?
  4. Has this car been in any accident or had any structural, airbag, or flood-related repair? Do you have a clean title and a recent history report (Carfax / AutoCheck)?
  5. How many owners has it had, do you have the maintenance records, and why are you selling it?
  6. Are you open to me having an independent mechanic inspect it before we settle on a price?

Before you hand over money

Verify the recall work was done

NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.

Free NHTSA VIN check

Get a pre-purchase inspection

A $150 to $250 independent inspection of this exact 2016 Ford MUSTANG GT350R beats every score on the internet, including ours.

What to ask for

Not set on the 2016? See how every Mustang Gt350r model year scores →

Cross-shopping? Compare the 2016 Ford Mustang Gt350r against another car →

What owners say

Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score. If they disagree, that’s worth knowing.

See what owners are saying about other cars →

The fine print: this verdict is computed from public NHTSA complaint and recall records for the 2016 Ford Mustang Gt350r as a model, not for any individual car. A well-maintained example of an “Avoid” can outlast a neglected “Buy”. Informational only, so always get a professional pre-purchase inspection.