Problems · NHTSA complaints

2001 Ford Mustang problems

Owners filed 280 complaints about the 2001 Ford Mustang with NHTSA between Jan 2001 and Jun 2024. The most-cited component is engine and engine cooling (45).

Complaints
280
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
53
Reported by owners
Fires
4
Reported by owners
Injuries
43
People reported injured
Deaths
9
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Engine and engine cooling45
  2. Air bags35
  3. Seat belts28
  4. Service brakes, hydraulic24
  5. Electrical system23
  6. Fuel system, gasoline23
  7. Power train22
  8. Vehicle speed control20
  9. Exterior lighting16
  10. Visibility16
  11. Suspension13
  12. Structure12
  13. Fuel/propulsion system11
  14. Steering11

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
200130
200254
200332
200431
200523
200617
200718
200815
200910
201013
201110
20128
20133
20145
20151
20161
20170
20182
20192
20203
20210
20220
20231
20241

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Engine and engine cooling

45 reports1 crash
“4.6 LITER V8. SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT OF CYLINDER HEAD. COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A FIRE BUT LUCKILY DID NOT. SPARK PLUGS WERE LAST CHANGED OVER 30,000 MILES PREVIOUSLY. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 27, 2012Engine and engine coolingODI 10453263

Air bags

35 reports29 crashes
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNED A 2001 FORD MUSTANG. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. IN ORDER TO AVOID STRIKING OTHER VEHICLES, THE CONTACT MADE A SHARP TURN AND STRUCK A TREE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A BROKEN LEG , PELVIS, AND HEAD INJURY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 81,000. UPDATED 06/16/08 *BF”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 5, 2008Air bagsCrash reportedODI 10230031

Seat belts

28 reports3 crashes
“1. THERE IS A DREADFUL GAS FUME ODOR INSIDE THE CAR EVERY TIME I PUT FUEL IN THE CAR ESPECIALLY WHEN I FILL THE TANK. 2.THE EMERGENCY BRAKE DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY. WHEN ENGAGED MY CAR STILL ROLLS A LITTLE. 3. THE SEAT BELTS DO NOT RETRACT PROPERLY AND TEND TO TWIST AND TANGLE WHEN I TRY TO DO IT MANUALLY.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 25, 2020Seat belts, Service brakes, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11366261

Service brakes, hydraulic

24 reports4 crashes1 fire
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD MUSTANG. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH THE CONTACT SMELLED A BURNING ODOR. THE ABS LIGHT ALSO ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MECHANIC STATED THE ABS COMPUTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 25, 2011Service brakes, hydraulicFire reportedODI 10415050

Electrical system

23 reports1 crash2 fires
“ABS light came on, sometimes when braking/slowing down at freeway speeds, the brakes won't catch and it feels like I'm going to ram into the cars ahead, I've replaced the rotors, the calipers, the brakes, the wheel bearings, ABS light won't go away, I've looked into it on the bullitt community forums, and this is a common problem that most just decide to live with, cause no solution has been found.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 16, 2024Electrical system, Unknown or other, Service brakesODI 11594615

Fuel system, gasoline

23 reports1 related recall
“THE FILL TUBE BETWEEN THE FUEL TANK AND THE NOZZLE INPUT HAS RUSTED THRU THE ENTIRE LENGTH, WORST UNDER THE PLASTIC/RUBBER WRAP AT THE TANK INLET, CAUSING FUEL TO SPILL ONTO THE GROUND WHEN FILLING THE TANK. DEALER ESTIMATES REPAIR COST AT $340. ON LINE INQUIRIES REVEALED "MANY-MANY" OTHER COMPLAINTS. NO FORD RECALLS OR SERVICE BULLETINS. IF PARKED FOR A FEW DAYS , THE BATTERY RUNS DOWN. CHECKED FOR HEAD/PARKING/BRAKES LIGHTS LEFT ON AS WELL AS THOSE INSIDE PASSENGER AREA AND IN TRUNK. NONE FOUND. MECHANIC BELIEVES DUE TO RADIO/CD PLAYER AMP DRAW TO SUPPORT CLOCK (ETC) EVEN WHILE OFF???? INSTALLED NEW BATTERY, OK FOR AWHILE, NOW DOING IT AGAIN. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 16, 2011Fuel system, gasoline, Electrical systemODI 10430382
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.