Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2001 Ford Mustang submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 26 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 26, in the owner's own words
WHERE IT SHOWS HOW MANY MILES IT'S DIGITAL AND IT CONSTANTLY GOES OFF. SMELLS OF GASOLINE AND LIKE SOMETHING IS BURNING EVERY TIME DRIVE IT. HAS A VERY ROUGH IDLE AND WHEN A /C IS ON THE CAR HAS ABSOLUTELY NO POWER, ALSO BURNS GAS VERY QUICK. EXTERIOR HEAD LIGHTS LIGHTS ARE DIM AND I JUST INSTALLED NEW ONE YET STILL DIM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD MUSTANG. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO A RESTART A FEW MINUTES LATER. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVEN TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 64,000.
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
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD MUSTANG. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE CONTACT STOPPED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED A HOSE WAS DETACHED FROM THE ENGINE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE BYPASS HOSE WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STILL AT THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN THEN STATED THAT THE MANIFOLD WAS FRACTURED AND THE HEAD GASKET WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE MANIFOLD WAS REPLACED BUT NOT THE HEAD GASKET. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 53,000. UPDATED 12/06/11*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE REPAIR TECHNICIAN WAS INJURED WHILE REPAIRING THE CRACKE MANIFOLD INTAKE. UPDATED 06/13/2012 *JS
2001 V6 FORD MUSTANG SUDDENLY STARTED TO MISS-FIRE. I HAVE BEEN SMELLING EXHAUST ODORS FOR SOME TIME, BUT COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AS SOON AS IT STARTED TO MISS-FIRE. THEY DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A SENSOR WITH MOISTURE IN IT AND BOTH EXHAUST MANIFOLDS WERE CRACKED. IT'S NO WONDER I WAS SMELLING EXHAUST FUMES. I WAS LUCKY NOT TO BE OVERCOME WITH CARBON MONOXIDE WHILE DRIVING. THERE WAS NO APPARENT REASON FOR THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD FAILURE. THE DEALERS REP SAID: " WE HAVE REPLACED QUITE A FEW OF THEM AND THE NEW ONES ARE BETTER". *TR
2001 FORD MUSTANG SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT. *NJ THE SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT OF THE NUMBER 3 CYLINDER. *JB
I STARTED MY CAR AND PUT IT IN DRIVE AND BEGAN TO ACCELERATE WHEN THE ENGINE RACED TO 6000 RPMS. PUT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND THE CAR KEPT ACCELERATING. I PULLED MY PARKING BRAKE AND GOT THE SAME RESULT. I THEN PUT MY CAR IN PARK AND AT THAT TIME I WAS DOING ABOUT 60 IN A NEIGHBORHOOD HEADING STRAIGHT FOR A LIGHT POLE. I JUST BARELY MISSED THE POLE BUT STILL HIT THE CURB AND TOTALED MY CAR. AFTER TURNING THE KEY THE ENGINE STOPPED. A MECHANIC AT THE COLLISION CENTER LOOKED AT MY ENGINE AND SAW THAT MY THROTTLE WAS STUCK WIDE OPEN. THE CAR IS STILL SITTING AT THE COLLISION CENTER WAITING FOR A FORD REPRESENTATIVE TO COME AND LOOK AT IT. *TR
2001 MUSTANG 3.8 V6 (54,000 MILES) WAS LEAKING EXHAUST FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE OF ENGINE UNDER HOOD CAUSING EXHAUST FUMES TO COME IN CAR. THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD (CRACKED) AND EGR TUBE (HOLE BURNED THROUGH) HAD TO BE REPLACED. *TR
THERE IS A RATTLING, BANGING NOISE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. IT ONLY DID IT AT FIRST WHEN I WAS SLOWING DOWN WITH AND WITHOUT THE BRAKES. IT SOUNDS AS THOUGH THE CAR IS FALLING APART. I TOOK IT TO FORD AND THEY TOLD ME THEY HEARD THE NOISE BUT IT WAS NOTHING MECHANICAL AND THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS COMING FROM. THEY TOLD ME THEY CHECKED ALL OF THE PARTS UNDER WARRANTY AND IT WASN'T THAT. THEY TOLD ME THAT IF I WANTED THEM TO CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR THE PROBLEM, THEY WOULD HAVE TO CHARGE ME BY THE HOUR. THE CAR STARTED MAKING THE NOISE ABOUT 6 MONTHS AGO. IT WILL GO AWAY FOR A FEW DAYS AND THEN COME BACK WORSE. NOW IT DOES IT WHEN THE CAR IS STOPPED ALSO. NO ONE CAN FIND THE PROBLEM.*JB
AFTER HAVING A STRONG VIBRATION IN THE DASH AT HIGHER RATES OF SPEED 60+, AND THEN DEVELOPING HEAVY ENGINE KNOCK WITH ROUGH IDLING, I TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP. THERE I LEARNED THAT I HAD 3 BAD RODS AND NEEDED A COMPLETE NEW ENGINE AFTER ONLY HAVING 57,000 ON THE ORIGINAL ONE. *NM
THE MAIN PROBLEM IS THE TRANSMISSION FAILURES. IT HAS GONE OUT THREE TIMES ALL IN THE SAME MANNER. THE CAR IN BONE STOCK AND ONLY HAS 13,800 MILES ON IT. THE THIRD TIME A FIELD DISTRICT ENGINEER SUPPOSEDLY EXAMINED IT AND SAID THE THE PARTS AND WORKMANSHIP APPEAR TO BE FINE WITH NO FLAWS AND DECLINED MY WARRANTY CLAIM. I HAVE BEEN THROUGH THE DISPUTE SETTLEMENT BOARD AND THE KS ATTORNEY GENERAL WITH NO POSITIVE OUTCOME. I DON'T UNDERSTAND THIS ACTION ESPECIALLY SINCE I WORK FOR FORD(KANSAS CITY ASSEMBLY PLANT)I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS PROBLEM AND FOUND OUT THAT THERE WEERE PROBLEMS WITH THE '01 TRANSMISSIONS AS PER THE TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS, TSB# 14879 NHTSA# SB620176, SO IT APPEARS THAT DEARBORN ASSEMBLY AND FORD KNOW OF THIS PROBLEM BUT YET I'M STILL GETTING RESISTANCE????????????
VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING AT A MODERATE SPEED. THE VEHICLE THEN CAME TO AN ABRUPT HALT. DEALER WAS CONTACTED, BUT COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE STALLING PROBLEM. *AK
ENGINE STALL ON DECELERATION. *AK
WHILE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 45MPH AND DECREASING SPEED, THE ENGINE AND ALL POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES CEASED AT ABOUT 40MPH WHILE BRAKING. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE. FIRST TIME WAS SOMETIME IN SEPTEMBER OF LAST YEAR (2001).*AK
CONSUMER NOTICED BOTH FRONT TIRES WERE SEVERELY WORN AT 6616 MILES. VEHICLE TAKEN TO SERVICE DEPT AND HAD BOTH FRONT TIE ROD ENDS REPLACED BECAUSE THEY WERE LOOSE. *AK DURING A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE TIE RODS WERE COMPLETELY LOOSE. THERE WERE NEW TIRES INSTALLED ON THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE AS THE OTHERS WERE COMPLETELY WORN. ALSO, THE HEADER IN THE MOTOR FAILED. *JG
IN FIRST COMPLAINT REGARDING SUSPENSION ARM BOLTS WAS TOLD THIS STUFF HAPPENS, IN REGARDS TO THE WATER LEAKAGE IN EXHAUST, WAS TOLD THAT IS NORMAL. I FEEL IT ISN'T NORMAL WHEN IT IS POURING DOWN MY DRIVEWAY. THEY DIDN'T FIX THE PROBLEM. HAD TIRES ROTATED THEN GOT A FLAT TIRE AND THEY CROSS THREADED THE LUG NUTS AND THE BOLT HAD TO BE BROKEN OFF TO REPAIR THE FLAT TIRE.*AK
UNDER LIGHT TO MODERATE ACELERATION A SHUDDER OR BUCKING IS FELT IN 3RD GEAR SPEED IS BETWEEN 30 AND 45 MPH . THE DEALER REPLACED EGR. AND MASS AIRFLOW AND THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION PROBLEM STILL IS PRESENT. *AK
CONSUMER STATES THE VEHICLE ENGINE WOULD STALLS INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER ON THREE OCCASIONS AND THEY ARE UNABLE TO LOCATE THE PROBLEM. NLM CONSUMER STATES STEERING WHEEL LOCKS WHEN ENGINE SHUTS DOWN AT HIGH OR LOW SPEED. VEHICLE VIBRATES AT SPEED OVER 65 MPH. WIPER MAKE A LOUD NOISE AT HIGH SPEEDS. CONVERTIBLE TOP HAD RUST ON PORTION THAT CONNECTS WITH FRONT WINDSHIELD. VEHICLE HAD BRAKE PULSATION. *YH
MY V6 MUSTANG STALLS WHILE IN MOTION CAUSING THE STEERING AND BRAKES TO FREEZE. THIS IS A POTENTIALLY DEADLY PROBLEM. IT HAS HAPPENED FOUR TIMES; ONCE AT 30 MPH, 60 MPH, 45 MPH, AND 40 MPH. THE CAR ONLY HAS 4500 MILES ON IT. I ALSO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH A HEATER DISPLAY LIGHT GOING OUT. DEALERSHIP CAN'T IDENTIFY THE CAUSE OF EITHER OF THESE PROBLEMS. IT'S BEEN IN THE SHOP FOUR TIMES FOR THE STALLLING AND THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO DETERMINE NOTHING. I HAVE ANXIETY WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AS IT STALLS OUT AT ANY TIME WITH NO WARNING WHATSOEVER. VERY, VERY SCARY.*AK
ON FEB. 24TH, 2001, I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE WITH ONLY 21 MILES SHOWING ON THE ODOMETER. I TOOK THE VEHICLE HOME AND THE NEXT DAY, I CRANKED THE AUTO AND THE SERVICE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE DAY WAS SUNDAY AND THE DEALERSHIP, NOR THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT, WERE OPEN. I WAITED UNTIL MONDAY MORNING TO DRIVE THE CAR, AND THEN WENT STRAIGHT TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT. THEY DID A DIAGNOSTIC AND SAID THE CATALYTIC SENSOR WAS ACTING UP AND THEY WOULD TURN THE LIGHT OFF AND THAT SHOULD FIX IT. HOWEVER, IF THE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN, I WAS TO BRING THE CAR BACK. I HAD TO BRING THE VEHICLE BACK A TOTAL OF THREE TIMES, DUE TO THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT. I WAS TOLD AFTER THE SECOND REPLACEMENT OF A SENSOR IN THE CATALYTIC CONVERTOR, THAT THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN GIVEN BAD GAS BEFORE I HAD PURCHASED IT, CAUSING THEM, THE SERVICE REPAIRMEN, TO HAVE TO COMPLETELY TAKE APART THE FUEL SYSTEM AND CLEAN IT FROM ENGINE TO EXHAUST. THE PROBLEM WAS NOT FIXED UNTIL AFTER THEY COMPLETELY REPLACED THE CATALYTIC CONVERTOR. INFORMATION WAS WITHHELD CONCERNING REPAIR TO THE VEHICLE BEFORE I PURCHASED IT. THE REPLACEMENT WAS FINALLY COMPLETED BY APRIL 15TH, 2001. MY NEXT PROBLEM OCCURED ON JULY 13TH, 2001. I WAS RETURNING FROM A TRIP TO COLORADO WITH MY FATHER, WHEN AS WE WERE TRAVELING, I HEARD A LOUD POP AND THEN FELT WATER HIT MY FOOT. I HAD BEEN RIDING ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AT THE TIME. WHEN I NOTICED THE WATER, I LOOKED TOWARD THE FLOORBOARD AND ALSO FOUND THAT THE DASHBOARD HAD SHIFTED TO THE LEFT AND FALLEN FROM THE WINDOW. WE ARRIVED AT HOME LATER THAT DAY AND I IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP. I WAS TOLD THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO BRING IT IN AND DO A COMPLETE ONCE OVER TO SEE WHAT HAD CAUSED THE LEAKING. I TOOK IT IN ON JULY 17TH. I WAS TOLD THEY HAD FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE DASH OR COULD NOT FIND A LEAK. I HAVE TAKEN IT BACK A TOTAL OF 6 TIMES THUS FAR FOR THE SAME PROBLEM AND THREE FOR THE FRONT END. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
VEHICLE IN COLD WEATHER WILL SHUT DOWN AT ANY TIME PROBLEM IS WORSE IN COLD WEATHER. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER NOTED THAT THEY COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM.*AK CONSUMER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED TWICE AT RED LIGHT, REPLACED BARO, MAF AND RESET KAM BUT THE PROBLEM IS STILL THERE. *YD
A TICKING, RATTLING NOISE IN THE MOTOR WHICH BEGINS AT 3,000 RPMS AND STOPS WHEN CAR SHIFTS INTO 2ND GEAR. WHEN IN 2ND GEAR, THE TICKING WILL BEGIN AT 3,000 RPMS. IT STARTED DOING THIS WHEN THE WEATHER DROPPED BELOW 55 DEGREES. IT WILL DO IT IN THE MORNING FOR ABOUT 5 MINS. ONCE CAR WARMS UP, TICKING NOISE VANISHES. IT IS VERY LOUD. I WAS READING ARTICLES ON BULLITTCLUB.COM AND MANY 2001 MUSTANG OWNERS ARE REPORTING THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. A MAN HAD HIS CAR IN THE DEALERSHIP FOR OVER A MONTH. HIS CAR STILL TICKS WHEN COLD AND HE WAS TOLD THAT HE WAS PLACED ON THE LIST OF FORD'S "UNFIXABLES" I HAVE NOT TAKEN MY CAR TO THE DEALER BECAUSE I AM WAITING TO SEE WHAT THE FIX IS. I DIDNT HEAR THIS NOISE WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN OFF THE LOT IN JANUARY. THIS IS THE SAME FOR EVERYONE ELSE WHO IS HAVING THIS PROBLEM. BULLITCLUB.COM AND CLICK ON MECHANICAL ISSUES, THEN CLICK ON "VERY SCARY SOUND"....IT IS ALMOST 10 PAGES LONG OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE THIS PROBLEM. THIS NOISE CANNOT BE NORMAL AND I WANT FORD TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, OTHER THAN PUT YOU ON THE "UNFIXABLES" LIST.*AK
CAR WAS BEING DRIVEN IN THE RAIN AND ACCELERATING TO MERGE WITH TRAFFIC WHEN THE BELT THAT DRIVES THE POWER BRAKE AND STEERING ASSIST CAME OFF AND CAUSED A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER ASSIST TO BOTH THE STEERING AND BRAKES. *AK
WHEN DECEL & DOWNSHIFTING, THE ENGINE HAS DIED ON ME 3 TIMES. DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM, NO ERROR MSG. WHEN ENGINE DIES, LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND ALL CONTROL OF VEHICLE. SHOULD NOT STALL AT 50+ MILES AN HOUR AND ONLY 7K MILES ON THE ENGINE. I HAVE HEARD OF NUMEROUS PEOPLE WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM ON 99 AND UP MUSTANG GT'S. MY ENGINE WAS ALSO LEAKING OIL FROM THE ENGINE INTAKE VALVE, SO FORD HAS DECIDED TO GIVE ME AN ENTIRELY NEW ENINE. HOWEVER, IT IS YET TO BE SEEN IF THIS WILL FIX THE STALL PROBLEM. THIS IS VERY SCARY, CONSIDERING IT HAPPENED TO ME IN THE RAIN THE LAST TIME. I COULD HAVE EASILY SLID INTO ANOTHER CAR IF ONE HAD BEEN NEAR ME. PLEASE DO NOT LET THIS PROBLEM GO UNNOTICED. THANK YOU.*AK
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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