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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 17, 2026
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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

2010
31%
26 of 261
2011
74%
249 of 466
2012
67%
210 of 469
2013
61%
74 of 271
2014
42%
48 of 359
2015
30%
110 of 437
2016
33%
117 of 378
2017
22%
53 of 265
2018
56%
105 of 193
2019
55%
80 of 149
2020
42%
47 of 120
2021
29%
115 of 402
2022
30%
56 of 188
2023
too few complaints

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

In the full report

The rest of the picture on the 2017 Ford Mustang

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 them, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

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. 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 17, 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.

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.

Should I buy a 2017 Ford Mustang?

That depends on the car in front of you, not just the model year. The 2017 Ford Mustang shows no elevated engine or transmission pattern in owner complaints, which is a good starting point. It is still one car with its own history, so get an independent pre-purchase inspection and a vehicle history report before you commit.

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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.