AI Damage2001 Ford Mustang Convertible reliability: common problems
Owners of the 2001 Ford Mustang Convertible filed 17 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and exterior lighting. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 17
- involving a crash
- 4
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 18% of all complaints
- 2 Exterior lighting 18% of all complaints
- 3 Fuel system 18% of all complaints
- 4 Air bags 12% of all complaints
- 5 Engine and cooling 12% of all complaints
- 6 Equipment 12% of all complaints
- 7 Structure 12% of all complaints
- 8 Vehicle speed control 12% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 3 complaints (18% of all).
- Exterior lighting: 3 complaints (18% of all).
- Fuel system: 3 complaints (18% of all).
- Air bags: 2 complaints (12% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine and cooling: 2 complaints (12% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 17 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Tires | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Had an accident on 19 nov 05 in dallas,tx at 9.50 pm, I was changing lane when the other car in the lane I was changing into lowed down, he was driving a jaguar we both went head on into the concrete diving wall at about 60-63 mph my air bags did not deploy; I have $12000.00 in damage to my 2001 mustang cobra.
Accelerating from a stop, while shifting the car seemed to continue accelerating on it's own, even when I had my foot off the pedal. I ended up losing control, which resulted in an accident.
Upon impact, both frontal air bags failed to deploy. Driver sustained major injuries, and was transported to the hospital by ambulance. Vehicle was towed a garage.
I was informed by my insurance adjuster and the mechanic that the calipers were corroded. This required replacing the calipers on both rear wheels. I drive the vehicle every day for 125 mile round trip to work and have for the last 12 months.
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.
I have a 2001 ford mustangs and my front 2 headlights are so (for lack of a better term) foggy and distorted. I have no idea how to fix this.
I have a 2001 ford mustang. About 6 months ago, I noticed a small area that the clearcoat was peeling. Now it is coming off in sheets and my paint has faded that is looks like a completely different color. I've read numerous complaints on other message boards from others having the same issue.
This is an existing environmental disaster and a huge fire/safety hazard. Does anyone remember the pinto? A simple fender bender with one of these corroded tubes could be devastating. I will be filing a similar complaint with ford and the epa.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 8,352 of 32,257 model years in the NHTSA data (top 26% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Mustang Convertible has 15 complaints (9 years in the data). This year has 17, about average.
What to check before buying
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.
- Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2001 Ford Mustang Convertible?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, exterior lighting, fuel system. Total complaints: 17. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: rust, corrosion (24%), headlights and tail lights (18%), airbags did not deploy (12%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2001 Ford Mustang Convertible?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2001 Ford Mustang Convertible from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2001 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-06.