Home · 2016 Ford Mustang Mach-e · Complaints

What 367 owners told NHTSA about the 2016 Ford Mustang Mach-e

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (367)Crash / fire / injury (18)Engine (73)Electrical system (71)Backup camera & sensors (52)Transmission & drivetrain (29)Body & structure (27)Latches & locks (25)Fuel system (20)Brakes (16)Airbags (15)Steering (12)

15 of 367 complaints match · Airbags · clear filters

Jan 8, 2024AirbagsBrakesSpeed controlCrash1 injury

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that with the transmission in the reverse position and while reversing from a parking space, the vehicle suddenly experienced unintended acceleration, reversed, and crashed into a second vehicle. After shifting to the drive position, the vehicle immediately accelerated forward causing the driver to lose control of the steering and crash into a tree. During the incident, while pressing the brake pedal the vehicle did not stop and after crashing head-on into a tree the airbags did not deploy. The driver sustained an injured ribs which did not require medical treatment. A police report was taken at the scene and the vehicle was towed away. The contact indicated that five other parked vehicles were damaged during the incident. The cause of the failures was not determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 43,000.

NHTSA ODI 11564092

Feb 15, 2022Electrical systemAirbagsCrashFire

25 mph mild frontal collision caused a fire to start in the door panel as identified by the driver and the fire dept. The fire caused a majority of the cabin to burn and the vehicle to become a total loss in under a minute. Front airbags deployed but not side airbags. Electrical system in left door possibly malfunctioned causing a fire, evident by the fire reigniting every time the fire fighter ceased using the fire extinguisher. Driver was right next to the damaged electrical and was almost hurt by the fire, almost resulting in severe burns or death to the driver had they not escaped the cabin a few seconds before ignition. The problem has not been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center. The vehicle has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives, or others. There were no warning lamps or messages prior to the failure.

NHTSA ODI 11452167

Dec 13, 2021AirbagsCrash

Steering wheel airbag did not deploy in a high speed crash. The knee airbag DID deploy. My daughter was in an accident with another vehicle. The other vehicle was traveling about 40 mph. It was a very high impact crash that launched by daughters car about 30 feet. The steering wheel airbag did not deploy. As a result my daughter hit her and and received a severe concussion. She was wearing a seat belt. The vehicle is in the process of being classified as "totaled" by insurance company but they have not inspected the specific airbag issue. There were no warning lamps or messages indicating the airbag was non-functional.

NHTSA ODI 11443691

Jul 12, 2020AirbagsCrash

CAR MOTION AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. CAR WAS TOAD FROM THE FREEWAY TO DRIVERS HOUSE. CAR LANDED SIDE OF THE FREEWAY AT A DITCH.

NHTSA ODI 11338839

Feb 28, 2020AirbagsCrash1 injury

I WAS IN A CAR ACCIDENT 8/28/2020. THE CAR WAS PUSHED OFF THE ROAD BY A TRACTOR TRAILER AND HIT A GUARDRAIL HEAD ON. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. NOTICED A RECALL FOR THE TAKATA AIRBAG THAT I NEVER RECEIVED. HOW MANY OTHER CARS ARE OUT THERE. THE CAR WAS A MUSTANG BOUGHT IN 2016 AND WAS TOTALED.

NHTSA ODI 11312008

Jun 6, 2019Airbags

WHEN VEHICLE SITS IN HOT SUN WHILE PARKED NOT IN OPERATION THE AIRBAG LIGHT WILL STAY ON WHEN CAR IS STARTED. IT STAYS ON UNTIL CAR IS DRIVEN FOR ABOUT 10 MINS OR SO AND THE CAR IS TURNED OFF AND BACK ON. THIS ONLY HAPPENS ON HOT SUNNY DAYS.

NHTSA ODI 11218383

Jul 18, 2018SuspensionAirbagsWheelsCrash1 injury

I HAVE HAD TWO COLLISION IN MY VEHICLE AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY EITHER TIME. BOTH WERE AT A RATE OF SPEED APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH. ONE WAS A REAR END COLLISION THAT WAS ON THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR. THE OTHER WAS TO THE DRIVER SIDE WHEEL AND LIGHT AREA. THE REAR COLLISION I WAS IN MOTION ABOUT 10 MPH AND WAS STRUCK AT APPROX. 50 MPH. THE FRONTAL COLLISION I WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 40 MPH AND WAS STRUCK MOVING AT APPROX. 40-50 MPH. THIS COMPLAINT IS IN REGARDS TO THE FRONTAL COLLISION. I HAVE PHOTOS BUT CANNOT GET THEM TO UPLOAD BUT PROVIDE THEM FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION.

NHTSA ODI 11112208

Apr 10, 2018Airbags

I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE IN DECEMBER 2015. I RECEIVED A NOTICE IN THE MAIL FROM FORD SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE TELLING ME ABOUT THE DEFECTIVE AIR BAGS. I SHOULD HAVE BEEN ADVISED AT PURCHASE OF THIS DEFECT. I HAVE WAITED PATIENTLY FOR OVER TWO YEARS FOR A NOTICE TO TAKE MY CAR IN TO REPLACE THE AIR BAGS. I ASK AT EACH SERVICE AT THE DEALER AND RECEIVE THE SAME ANSWER: I MUST WAIT UNTIL FORD CONTACTS ME. THIS CAR IS MY WIFE'S PRIMARY WORK VEHICLE. I AM GUESSING THAT FORD WILL NEVER MAKE GOOD ON THEIR PROMISE TO REPLACE THESE DEFECTIVE AIR BAGS.

NHTSA ODI 11084463

Nov 21, 2017Airbags

FORD LINCOLN IN EL PASO, TX TELLS ME PARTS FOR MY DEFECTIVE AIR BAG IS NOT READY AFTER I GOT A NOTICE THAT SAYS THEY ARE.

NHTSA ODI 11047781

Jun 4, 2017AirbagsCrash1 injury

I WAS IN A WRECK THAT TOTALED MY VEHICLE. ALL AIRBAGS DEPLOYED EXCEPT DRIVER SIDE STEERING WHEEL. CAUSING EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO MY NOSE. HAD STITCHES, BROKEN NOSE. ALREADY HAVE HAD ONE SURGERY AND STILL HAVE TO HAVE ONE MORE. I WAS ON A A REGULAR STREET AND SWERVED A DEER AND HIT AN EMBANKMENT.

NHTSA ODI 10993082

Apr 9, 2017AirbagsCrash1 injury

I BOUGHT A 2016 FORD MUSTANG IN APRIL 2016 ITS A GREAT CAR. I HAD AN ACCIDENT AND THE AIR BAGS GOT DEPLOYED LUCKILY NOTHING HAPPENED TO ME. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT RUSSELL AND SMITH COLLISION CENTER IN HOUSTON,TX FOR 51 DAYS AT A COST OF 18000$ (CAR COST 34000$). ON THE 26TH OF MARCH 2017 A GUY SKIPPED A RED SIGNAL AND CAME INTO THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION SO I HAD TO CRASH INTO HIM AT A SPEED OF 50 MPH. THIS TIME NO AIRBAGS GOT DEPLOYED . ITS ONLY BY GODS GRACE THAT I AM NOT HARMED. I TRIED COMPLAINING TO PEOPLE AT FORD BUT ALL I AM GETTING IS A RUN AROUND FROM THEIR CUSTOMER CARE REPRESENTATIVES. ALL I WANT TO KNOW WHY MY DRIVER AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY EVEN AT THAT SPEED.

NHTSA ODI 10971517

Feb 13, 2017Airbags

I HAVE SOME SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT THE SAFETY RATINGS, SPECIFICALLY THE 2 STAR RATING AFTER THE CRASH TESTS CONDUCTED BY THE EUROPEAN NCAP AND THE AUSTRALIAN ANCAP. THESE CRASH TESTS SHOW THAT THE FRONT AIRBAGS DID NOT INFLATE SUFFICIENTLY TO AVOID HEAD INJURIES. WHEN I WAS FIRST TEST DRIVING THE 2016 MUSTANG, THE WINDOW STICKER HAD A 5 STAR SAFETY RATING BY THE NHTSA.

NHTSA ODI 10954386

Nov 30, 2016Airbags

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 FORD MUSTANG. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V319000 (AIR BAGS). THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

NHTSA ODI 10928863

Mar 19, 2016Airbags

STEERING WHEEL AIR BAG LIGHT ON AND APPARENTLY NO REPLACEMENT BAGS AVAILABLE

NHTSA ODI 10850540

Jan 27, 2016AirbagsSeat beltsCrash1 injury

I WAS INVOLVED IN AN INCIDENT WHERE A DEER JUMPED OUT IN FRONT OF ME. I SWERVED AND MY CAR WENT THROUGH A BRICK MAILBOX. MY AIRBAGS TOOK A WHILE TO COME OUT, BUT WHEN THEY DID I WAS BURNED AND BLISTERED.

NHTSA ODI 10822563

Working with the data? Download all 367 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 15, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2016 Ford Mustang Mach-e verdict →