Ford Mustang GT Engine and Engine Cooling Problems
Owners have filed 181 complaints with NHTSA about engine and engine cooling problems on the Ford Mustang GT across 11 model years. The 1998 model year has the most (44). The words owners use most often: “intake manifold” (41% of reports).
- 181engine and engine cooling complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 2mention a crash
- 4mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $1,650typical repair cost reported by owners
- 39%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Intake manifold: mentioned in 74 of 181 complaints (41%)
- Spark plug: mentioned in 35 of 181 complaints (19%)
- Class action: mentioned in 10 of 181 complaints (6%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical engine and engine cooling repair on the Ford Mustang GT at $1,650, and half of them between $1,050 and $2,050.
Based on 19 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2004–2012), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do engine and engine cooling problems happen?
Based on 152 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 181 complaints, 2 mention a crash, 4 a fire, 4 an injury.
Ford Mustang GT engine and engine cooling complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine and Engine Cooling complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 Mustang GT | 6 | 4% | 6,000 |
| 2005 Mustang GT | 6 | 4% | 28,500 |
| 2004 Mustang GT | 3 | 21% | 75,000 |
| 2003 Mustang GT | 11 | 22% | 2,748 |
| 2002 Mustang GT | 16 | 33% | 46,383 |
| 2001 Mustang GT | 13 | 22% | 62,500 |
| 2000 Mustang GT | 21 | 33% | 93,500 |
| 1999 Mustang GT | 21 | 58% | 60,000 |
| 1998 Mustang GT | 44 | 83% | 82,995 |
| 1997 Mustang GT | 16 | 70% | 85,101 |
| 1996 Mustang GT | 24 | 75% | 89,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists engine and engine cooling for the Ford Mustang GT. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Tl* the contact owns a 2000 ford mustang gt. The contact stated that engine oil was leaking from the oil filter adapter. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who stated that the oil filter adapter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the…
I have a 2002 mustang gt bullitt that i bought in july 2013. So far i have had two different incidents where a spark plug has blown the head. The most recent was yesterday 11/23/2013. All i was doing was backing out of my driveway and heard a noise come from the spark plug. Today, i changed the…
While driving vehicle, engine began to overheat. Steam rolled from under the hood. Discovered crack in manifold where it connects to thermostat housing. Coolant dripping on the engine; i do not know if internal components are damaged. Researched it online and found that there was a recall on this…
Tl* the contact owns 2001 ford mustang gt. The contact stated that while driving 20 mph, the spark plugs shot out of the engine. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who was unable to diagnose the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure who did not offer any assistance. The vehicle…
I started the car up to drive out of the grocery parking lot and the car was sputtering. When i pulled onto the main highway it sputtered and completely stopped running. I coasted to the side of the road where it failed to restart. *kb
Frequently asked questions
Do all Ford Mustang GTs have engine and engine cooling problems?
No. NHTSA has 181 owner complaints about engine and engine cooling for the Ford Mustang GT. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Ford Mustang GT engine and engine cooling?
No recall currently lists engine and engine cooling for this vehicle.
How much does it cost to fix engine and engine cooling problems on the Ford Mustang GT?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,650 (half paid between $1,050 and $2,050), from 19 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about engine and engine cooling problems on the Ford Mustang GT?
The most frequent phrase is “intake manifold”, in 74 of 181 complaints, followed by “spark plug” (35).
Other Ford Mustang GT problems
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See all Ford Mustang GT problems.