The Lemon Index
Ford's 5.0 L naturally aspirated V8, DOHC in the Mustang GT, Mustang Bullitt, Mustang Mach 1 and Mustang Dark Horse, model years 2011–2026. YouTube likes the 2025 best. Also in the Ford F-150 (below).
Middle of the pack: YouTube owner tone 50/100, #73 of 165 engines with a YouTube study (in the middle third); no engine-related recall on record, 3 known issues listed below. Compare it with the FA24, EA888, Coyote and B58 →
In the Ford F-150
The 5.0 Coyote also powers the F-150. Owners filed 5,838 complaints about F-150s with it (matched by VIN):
| F-150 engine | Model years | Complaints | Name the engine | Top areas | Recalls naming it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.0 Coyote V8 | 2011–26 | 5,838 | 13% | transmission & drivetrain, engine, electrical | 1 |
- 5.0 Coyote V8: oil consumption, 108 of 5,838 complaints (1.8%) against a 0.3% median for the other F-150 engines.
F-150 recalls that name it (1)
19V433000 Jun 2019 Power Train
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2013 F-150 vehicles equipped with 5.0L or 6.2L gasoline engines, that previously had the powertrain control module (PCM) software reprogrammed under recall 19V-075. The software used to reprogram the PCM did not have the necessary updates to prevent the transmission from unexpectedly downshifting into first gear, regardless of vehicle speed.
Fix. Ford will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the powertrain control module, free of charge. The recall began June 24, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S19.
Engine from each complaint's VIN (NHTSA vPIC). Shares of that engine's own complaints, not failure rates: Ford doesn't report sales by engine. 2.7 vs 3.5 vs 5.0 in the F-150 · F-150 by year
The rest of this page covers the Mustang versions only.
Everyday cars with this engine Tap a year for that car's full report.
- Ford F-Series F-150201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025
- Ford Mustang Bullitt, Dark Horse, GT201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025
Model years from EPA version lists and NHTSA VIN decoding of owner complaints. Only years we have a car page for.
Reliability by year
Not enough complaints to chart. Owners filed 27 complaints with the government that we can tie to this engine's cars, 2011–2026, about any part of the car. Performance versions are mostly filed under their base model (a Shelby GT500 is filed as a Mustang), so we only count complaints whose model name or the owner's own words tie them to this engine, and lead with YouTube, recalls and the automaker's repair notes.
Why the car page shows more: the Mustang GT page counts 3,337 complaints and 59 recall campaigns for 2011–2025, everything NHTSA files as "Mustang", other engines included. This page counts only the 27 complaints and 0 recalls we can tie to the Ford 5.0 Coyote by model name or the owner's own words.
YouTube videos are most positive about the 2025 (62) and least about the 2011 (34); neighboring years share many of the same videos, so small gaps mean little.
How we count: owner complaints only where the car's name and year leave no doubt; YouTube tone from videos that name this engine or its cars. How we count
Owner complaints (NHTSA) are filed by model and year, not engine. We count one for this engine only when the model name and year had no other engine (e.g. "488 GTB", "GT-R"), or when the owner's own words name a version that had only this engine that year (Z06, ZR1, Hellcat, GT500 ...). They cover the whole car (wheels, air bags, electrics ...), not only the engine, and none of them is a failure rate. We chart them only for engines with 30 or more, over 3 or more years. YouTube tone = how positive the videos are, 0–100, from titles and transcripts (praise vs trouble words, the title counts 3 times), weighted by views; a year needs at least 3 videos' worth. A video counts for this engine when its title names the engine or a car that only had this engine in the years it names; a video whose title names no model year counts toward every year of that car, so neighboring years share most of their videos.
All the numbers, year by year
| Year | Cars | Owner complaints | YouTube says | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Mustang GT | 5 | 34 (50 videos) | 0 |
| 2012 | Mustang GT | 8 | 54 (64 videos) | 0 |
| 2013 | Mustang GT | 4 | 59 (67 videos) | 0 |
| 2014 | Mustang GT | 1 | 48 (48 videos) | 0 |
| 2015 | Mustang GT | 2 | 53 (50 videos) | 0 |
| 2016 | Mustang GT | 2 | 47 (49 videos) | 0 |
| 2017 | Mustang GT | 0 | 43 (48 videos) | 0 |
| 2018 | Mustang GT | 0 | 45 (53 videos) | 0 |
| 2019 | Mustang GT, Mustang Bullitt | 2 | 37 (50 videos) | 0 |
| 2020 | Mustang GT, Mustang Bullitt | 0 | 38 (48 videos) | 0 |
| 2021 | Mustang Mach 1, Mustang GT | 0 | 61 (73 videos) | 0 |
| 2022 | Mustang GT, Mustang Mach 1 | 1 | 54 (60 videos) | 0 |
| 2023 | Mustang GT, Mustang Mach 1 | 0 | 56 (57 videos) | 0 |
| 2024 | Mustang GT, Mustang Dark Horse | 2 | 54 (76 videos) | 0 |
| 2025 | Mustang Dark Horse, Mustang GT | 0 | 62 (62 videos) | 0 |
| 2026 | Mustang GT, Mustang Dark Horse | 0 | 57 (60 videos) | 0 |
Recalls on cars with this engine
No NHTSA recalls we can tie to this engine's cars.
Known issues on record
- Ticking noise (Maker bulletin). Many Coyotes make a light tick, often after an oil change. Ford's service message for 2011–2024 Mustangs calls it normal and harmless. 25 owner complaints to NHTSA mention it (S197 (5.0) Mustang GT, S550 Mustang GT).
- Oil consumption (2018–2020) (Maker bulletin (F-150)). Some Gen 3 Coyotes use over a quart per 3,000 miles. Ford's 2019 bulletin blames vacuum on deceleration; the bulletin and lawsuit cover the F-150. Fix: Dealer checks for leaks, changes the oil and reprograms the engine computer. 7 owner complaints to NHTSA mention it (S197 (5.0) Mustang GT, S550 Mustang GT, S650 Mustang GT).
- MT-82 manual gearbox (disputed) (Lawsuit). Owners of 2011–2019 manual Mustangs sued over hard shifts, grinding and gear lockouts. Ford denies a defect and blames normal wear. 50 owner complaints to NHTSA mention it (S197 (5.0) Mustang GT, S550 Mustang GT).
Sources: The Autopian: Nobody knows what's making Ford's Coyote engines tick (Aug 2024), SlashGear: Ford Coyote 5.0 oil consumption, the Gen 3 problem explained (May 2026), The Drive: Mustang owners file lawsuit over six-speed manual transmissions (2020). The same list as on the Mustang GT page.
Every US version with this engine
| Car and versions | Years |
|---|---|
| Ford Mustang GT Mustang, Mustang Convertible, Mustang Performance Package · Ford Mustang, every year | 2011–26 |
| Ford Mustang Bullitt Mustang Bullitt · Ford Mustang, every year | 2019–20 |
| Ford Mustang Mach 1 Mustang Mach 1 · Ford Mustang, every year | 2021–23 |
| Ford Mustang Dark Horse Mustang Dark Horse · Ford Mustang, every year | 2024–26 |
Engine codes: Coyote, Gen 1 to 4. Essex Engine Plant, Windsor, Ontario. Power: 412–500 hp, factory figures. Versions and years: EPA (fueleconomy.gov). Sources: Ford Modular engine.
Quick answers
What cars have the Ford 5.0 Coyote engine?
In the US: the Ford Mustang GT, Ford Mustang Bullitt, Ford Mustang Mach 1, Ford Mustang Dark Horse, model years 2011–2026. See the version table for each one.
Is the Ford 5.0 Coyote reliable?
Mostly, with known issues to check. YouTube owner tone 50/100, #73 of 165 engines with a YouTube study (in the middle third); no engine-related recall on record, 3 known issues listed below. Not enough owner complaints to judge it per car: the government files most performance versions under their base model. Have any used car inspected.
How much horsepower does the Ford 5.0 Coyote make?
412–500 hp in factory figures, depending on the car.