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2017 Ford Mustang problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls

NO ELEVATED SIGNAL
22%
53 of 238 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

No elevated drivetrain complaint concentration in the available NHTSA records for the 2017 Ford Mustang. Engine, transmission and fuel system account for 22% of relevant complaints.

Better than 84% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 27 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 20%).

NHTSA data checked October 3, 2026

The VIN is on the listing, the driver’s door jamb, and the bottom of the windshield on the driver’s side.

Does the 2017 Ford Mustang have engine or transmission problems?

Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 53 of 238 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2017 Ford Mustang concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (22%). For comparison, the 2016 scores 33% and the 2018 scores 56%. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.

Drivetrain complaints
53
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
265
this model year
Fires reported
8
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
6
14 crashes · 11 injuries

Complaints by component

BACK OVER PREVENTION64 · 24%
STRUCTURE39 · 15%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER36 · 14%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM34 · 13%
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES29 · 11%
ENGINE26 · 10%

The years either side

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

How the 2017 compares with other Ford Mustang years

Of the 13 Ford Mustang years with enough complaints to score, the 2017 is the best on engine and transmission share (22%). The worst is the 2011 (74%). By volume, the 2017 drew 265 complaints (53 drivetrain), against 378 for the 2016 and 193 for the 2018.

Ford Mustang years to avoid and best years →

In the full report

The rest of the picture on the 2017 Ford Mustang

  • The mileage where it happens. When owners of the 2017 Ford Mustang said the problem showed up, and the range most of them fell in.
  • Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
  • What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive, for this car.
  • Two cars side by side, if you are deciding between them.

What one owner reported

ENGINE07/11/20232 INJURED
Car leaking Freon for years causing black mold throughout the car and directly in my face for years. It’s otorless but does smell musky like black mold the technician said. Repair shop stated Freon leak but can’t locate it resulting in me losing my job from being too sick to work from black mold overgrowth in my body f…

One of 53 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows up to 15, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

2017 Ford Mustang engine recalls

Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign on the 2017 Ford Mustang involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 6 in total. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.

engine and engine cooling: cooling system: hoses/lines/piping/fittings16V779000 · Oct 2016

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…

5 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
seat belts: pretensioner25V614000 · Sep 2025
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2017 Mustang vehicles. Water and road salt may corrode the front seat belt anchor pretensioner cables.
back over prevention: sensing system: camera25V572000 · Sep 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…
back over prevention: sensing system: camera22V082000 · Feb 2022
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.
air bags: frontal: passenger side: inflator module17V529000 · Aug 2017
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017 F-150 and Mustang vehicles. The air bag inflator within the passenger frontal air bag module may rupture in the event of a crash.
latches/locks/linkages: doors: latch17V168000 · Mar 2017
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2017 Ford Mustang vehicles. The return spring for the driver side interior door handle may come loose, allowing the driver's door to unlatch in a side…

Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model. Checked October 3, 2026.

Checking one particular 2017 Ford Mustang? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.

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Questions people ask about the 2017 Ford Mustang

Does the 2017 Ford Mustang have engine or transmission problems?

Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 53 of 238 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2017 Ford Mustang concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (22%). It describes the model year, not any one car, so an inspection still matters.

What is the most common problem with the 2017 Ford Mustang?

Going by NHTSA owner complaints, the most common problem filed against the 2017 Ford Mustang is back over prevention: 64 of 265 complaints (24%) name it, followed by structure (39) and electrical system (34). A complaint can name more than one component, so these overlap. Engine, transmission and fuel-system complaints together make up 22% of the relevant total.

Is the 2017 Ford Mustang reliable?

On the engine and transmission, nothing stands out: 22% of relevant complaints filed with NHTSA concern the drivetrain, below the 33% line where we call a signal elevated. That is better than 84% of the 1,790 model years we track. Among the 13 Ford Mustang years we score, it ranks best. Complaint data describes the model year, not one car, and it says nothing about trim, paint or electronics outside the drivetrain; an independent inspection still decides it.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2017 Ford Mustang?

Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign on the 2017 Ford Mustang involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 6 in total: 16V779000 (engine and engine cooling: cooling system: hoses/lines/piping/fittings). Whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN.

Which Ford Mustang years are better?

The 2017 has the lowest engine and transmission complaint share of the Ford Mustang years we track (22%). The other years run higher. Every year side by side: https://thelanecheck.com/cars/ford-mustang

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Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle.