2020 Ford Mustang Engine Problems
- Complaints
- 25about this part
- Share
- 21%of 121 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 66,500miles
- Trend
- RisingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% higher than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA recorded 25 complaints about the engine of the 2020 Ford Mustang, 21% of the 121 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 66,500 miles. 1 of these say a crash was involved and 2 a fire, according to the filers.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“Vehicle has 396 miles on the odometer. While preparing to back up, with the engine idling , the engine shut off without warning and I had no control of the steering and would not restart when I attempted to do so. This could have put anyone behind me at sever risk or maybe caused an accident should I have been on the highway. The car was towed to my Ford Dealer (Varsity Ford, Ann Arbor, MI) and after inspection they informed the engine had a failure and needed to be replaced and gave me a price of $19,900. No other warning lights or messages prior to complete engine failure.”
NHTSA complaint #11763386, filed 2026-09“On 03.29.25 (Saturday) the car started rough and the check engine light came on. I took it to the mechanic 03.31.25 (Sunday) and they inspected the car and told me that it is either the head gasket or the engine block is cracked because there is coolant intrusion into the cylinders. They asked me to call FORD customer service and ask if there was any way to cover it under warranty as the car only has 64K miles. I was told no, the warranty was 5yrs or 60K whichever came first and the 5 years was October of 2024. They suggested I file a report with the NHTSA. …”
NHTSA complaint #11651865, filed 2025-03“I own a 2020 Ford Mustang EcoBoost with approximately 75,000 miles. My vehicle developed a check engine light with diagnostic codes P0300 (random misfire) and P0301 (cylinder 1 misfire). I also began experiencing white smoke from the exhaust during cold starts. An independent repair shop suspects coolant is entering cylinder 1 due to a possible head gasket failure. They have recommended removing the cylinder head to inspect for cracks, check for warping, pressure test the head, inspect the cylinder walls, and replace the head gasket and related components if no further engine damage is found. …”
NHTSA complaint #11751742, filed 2026-07“I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing to bring to your attention some serious safety issues that I have encountered with a 2020 Mustang that I purchased from CarMAX, West Valley on September 24, 2023. Soon after taking possession of the vehicle, I noticed a malfunction with the airbag system. It is disheartening to report that I had to endure a three-day wait to have the necessary repairs carried out. The delay in rectifying this crucial safety feature is highly concerning, as it exposes both the driver and passengers to unnecessary risks. …”
NHTSA complaint #11548236, filed 2023-10“The gas tank was only getting 10 gallons of gas and not 16 gallons like it was suppose to. We ended up running out of gas on a road trip with our two young daughters in the middle of the night on I-75. The gas tank said you had 100 miles to go before empty and then 3 miles later it would drop to 0 and you were running out of gas. This car was used in street racing which was late devulged to us after we found out that at 20,000 miles a whole new engine was put in without our knowledge when we purchased the vehicle . We took it to the dealer and they put a new fuel assembly unit in it. …”
NHTSA complaint #11520799, filed 2023-05Related service bulletins
- 11000294May 16, 2024Some 2020-2022 Mustang GT500 vehicles may exhibit a lack of power and/or an illuminated malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) with diagnostic trouble code (DTC) P1228. This may be due…
- 11000181May 2, 2024Some 2020-2022 Mustang GT500 vehicles may exhibit a lack of power and/or an illuminated malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) with diagnostic trouble code (DTC) P1228. This may be due…
- 10179344Aug 12, 2020Some 2020 Ford and Lincoln vehicles equipped with a TCU may exhibit incomplete user authorization, no authorization pop-up on the SYNC infotainment system, vehicle connectivity…
Engine: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 3 | 38% |
| 2025 | 3 | 16% |
| 2024 | 10 | 12% |
| 2023 | 2 | 13% |
| 2022 | 5 | 10% |
| 2021 | 8 | 15% |
| 2020 | 25 | 21% |
| 2019 | 53 | 35% |
| 2018 | 59 | 30% |
| 2017 | 27 | 10% |
| 2016 | 76 | 20% |
| 2015 | 51 | 12% |
| 2014 | 18 | 5% |
| 2013 | 22 | 8% |
| 2012 | 30 | 6% |
| 2011 | 48 | 10% |
| 2010 | 8 | 3% |
| 2009 | 3 | 2% |
| 2008 | 6 | 2% |
| 2007 | 15 | 2% |
| 2006 | 11 | 3% |
| 2005 | 19 | 3% |
| 2004 | 3 | 3% |
| 2003 | 6 | 4% |
| 2002 | 4 | 3% |
| 2001 | 2 | 1% |
| 2000 | 3 | 1% |
| 1999 | 1 | 0% |
| 1998 | 1 | 0% |
| 1997 | 2 | 1% |
| 1996 | 2 | 1% |
| 1995 | 1 | 0% |
| 1994 | 2 | 1% |
| 1989 | 1 | 1% |
| 1986 | 1 | 3% |
Other parts of the 2020 Ford Mustang
26 complaintsElectrical system
25 complaintsOther or unknown
22 complaintsBrakes
17 complaintsBack-over prevention (rear camera)
12 complaintsAir bags
8 complaintsFuel system
8 complaintsBody and structure
6 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
5 complaintsForward collision avoidance
4 complaintsVehicle speed control
4 complaintsEngine cooling
3 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2020 Ford Mustang
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology