AI Damage2001 Ford Mustang GT reliability: common problems
Owners of the 2001 Ford Mustang GT filed 59 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and cooling and fuel system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 59
- involving a crash
- 11
What fails most often
- 1 Engine and cooling 22% of all complaints
- 2 Fuel system 15% of all complaints
- 3 Air bags 12% of all complaints
- 4 Service brakes 10% of all complaints
- 5 Seat belts 8% of all complaints
- 6 Steering 8% of all complaints
- 7 Electrical system 7% of all complaints
- 8 Powertrain 7% of all complaints
- Engine and cooling: 13 complaints (22% of all).
- Fuel system: 9 complaints (15% of all).
- Air bags: 7 complaints (12% of all), 5 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Service brakes: 6 complaints (10% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Seat belts: 5 complaints (8% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 59 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and cooling | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 7 | 5 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 6 | 2 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 5 | 3 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Structure | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 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.
The air bags failed to deploy. The vehicle was destroyed. The contact sustained knee injuries and an injured back. He has not yet seen a doctor. A police report was filed. The contact has pictures and video footage available. The current and failure mileages were 40,000.
About 6-8 months after I purchased my 2001 ford mustang bullitt my transmission went out and had to have it replaced because 3 gear would not engage with ease or it would slip.. Ever since the shifting of gears has deteriorated..
Aug 13 I was involved in a rollover accident due to tire tread separation. It was the 4th tire of the set that had gone bad. After the 2nd tire went bad, I tried to get the tire dealer to send it in for inspection/defect. He refuse and the accident occurred 3 weeks later.
Dt: 2001 ford mustang gt, air bags did not deploy and the brakes would not work, causing consumer $6,840.60 worth of damage to front of vehicle, bumper and other materials was replaced.
Family friend killed in an automobile accident request nhtsa investigate the ford mustang gt model year 2001 steering wheel lockup at speeds over 40 mph.
The rear tires of my 2001 ford mustang gt convertible began to skid, since the road was wet. This is understandable, so I eased off the gas to allow the tires to catch, but the traction control must have turned on, and caused my car to begin spinning in circles. This made my car go off the road and into a tree.
Miller is writing on behalf of serena beeton with concerns about steering locking up on ford mustang gt. Refer to odi# 10024303
There is also fuel leaking directly onto my exhaust pipe at every fill up which could cause a fire. This leak was caused by the plastic cover over the metal filler neck. Moisture and dirt caught in the plastic caused the metal to erode and break a part.
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 4,751 of 32,257 model years in the NHTSA data (top 15% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Mustang GT has 63 complaints (11 years in the data). This year has 59, about average.
What to check before buying
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- 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.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2001 Ford Mustang GT?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine and cooling, fuel system, air bags. Total complaints: 59. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: knocking, grinding or other noise (10%), seat belts (10%), stalls while driving (8%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2001 Ford Mustang GT?
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 GT 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.