Page 4 of 4 · complaints 151–173 of 173

2001 Ford Mustang complaints

Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 2001 record →

Air Bags › FrontalCrash1 injured
Filed Nov 14, 2001VA

VEHICLE WAS REARENDED AND AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. VEHICLE WAS HIT ON RIGHT REAR SIDE. *AK

Seats
Filed Sep 29, 2001FL

DRIVERS SEAT BROKE WHILE ADJUSTING HEIGHT. THE SEAT WOULD ROCK BACK AND FORTH. CREAKING NOISE FROM LEFT REAR QUARTER PANEL WAS TOLD BY SERVICE ADVISOR THAT A WELD IN THE UNIBODY HAND FAILED.*AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline › Belts and Associated Pulleys
Filed Sep 28, 2001MI

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

Electrical System › Ignition
Filed Sep 23, 2001AZ

MAIN DISTRIBUTOR BOX JUST BEHIND BATTERY, NEXT TO WINDOW WASHER FLD CONTAINER, HAS A BUNDLE OF WIRES COMING TO IT AND ATTACHED BY A CONNECTOR. THE CONNECTOR WAS NEVER FULLY TIGHTENED IN THE FACTORY ACCORDING TO A "MASTER MECHANIC" AT THE FORD DEALERSHIP I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM. AFTER SEVERAL LOOSE CONNECTIONS, THE CAR DIEING WITHOUT WARNING AND NO RESOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM I THREATENED TO GET AN ATTORNEY. THE MASTER MECHANIC HAD NO EXPLANATION WHY THE OTHER MECHANICS DIDN'T RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. HE STATED TO THE FOREMAN IN MY PRESENCE, "EVERY CAR COMING OFF THE LOT FROM FORD HAS TO HAVE THE CONNECTOR TIGHTENED BEFORE WE LET IT OFF THE LOT (AS SOLD). IF I WASN'T SUCH A GOOD DRIVER, I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED ON ANY ONE OF THE TOTAL POWER FAILURES.*AK

Seats
Filed Sep 5, 2001TX

WHILE DRIVING, DRIVERS SEAT BROKE. SOME BOLTS UNDER THE SEAT BROKE CAUSING DRIVERS SEAT TO ROCK BACK WHILE DRIVING. I HAVE TO PULL ON THE STEERING WHEEL TO KEEP THE SEAT FROM MOVING BACK WHILE DRIVING.*AK

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc › Rotor
Filed Sep 4, 2001CA

THE FRONT PASSENGER ROTOR WAS LOOSE RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. NLM

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Aug 16, 2001CO

THROTTLE DOES NOT RETURN TO IDLE WHEN YOU TAKE YOUR FOOT OFF THE PEDAL. *AK

Air Bags › FrontalCrash1 injured
Filed Aug 10, 2001MO

WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 5MPH WHEN FOR NO REASON AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. VEHICLE THEN BUMPED INTO WOODEN FENCE. DRIVER SUFFERED BURNS ON ARMS.*AK CONSUMER WROTE IN STATING "THE CAR WAS PARKED AND WHEN I GOT OUT OF THE CAR IT ROLLED FORWARD BUMPING A WOOD FENCE POST AND BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED". *SLC

Power Train › Automatic Transmission › Park/Neutral Start Interlock Switch
Filed Aug 10, 2001MO

HAD MANUALLY SHIFTED VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL AND WAS ABOUT TO SET BRAKES WHENVEHICLE STARTED TO ROLL FORWARD. IT SEEMS TRANSMISSION SLIPPED OUT OF NEUTRAL INTO DRIVE.*AK

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components
Filed Aug 9, 2001TX

THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP UNLESS THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS PRESSED TO THE FLOOR, THIS PROBLEM OCCURED INTERMITTENTLY, THE DEALER REPLACED 2 MASTER CYLINDERS, AFTER THE 2 MASTER CYLINDERS WERE REPLACED THE PROBLEM BEGAN TO REOCCUR BUT THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. NLM

Seat Belts › Front › Retractor
Filed Aug 8, 2001KY

RESTRAINT RETRACTED AND LOCKED NEARLY CHOKING THE OCCUPANT. OWNER HAD TO CUT RESTRAINT TO FREE PASSENGER. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK

Power Train › Driveline › Differential Unit
Filed Aug 8, 2001TX

DIFFERENTIAL MAKES A POPPING NOISE WHEN TAKING OFF IN THE MORNINGS. *AK

Steering › Hydraulic Power Assist System
Filed Jun 13, 2001CA

ENGINE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM SHUTDOWN ON HIGHWAY. POWER STEERING WAS LOST. HAD TO RESTART (CRANK) ENGINE WHILE CAR WAS STILL ROLLING. FOLLOWING DAYS, ON-BOARD COMPUTER WOULD RESET RANDOMLY (AVERAGE TWICE A DAY) WITH ALL THE DIALS SWINGING TO THE RIGHT (FULLY CLOCKWISE) AND THE RADIO/CD SWITCHES ON & OFF RANDOMLY (3-4 TIMES A DAY)

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
Filed Jun 5, 2001WV

TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT ON DASHBOARD CAME ON, AND SUDDENLY ABS LOCKED UP FOR A COUPLE SECONDS WHILE VEHICLE WAS JUST BEING DRIVEN OUT OF A PARKING LOT. CONSUMER CONTACTED MANUFACTURER, AND WAS INFORMED THAT FORD WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AK *SLC

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components
Filed May 23, 2001WV

BRAKES LOCK UP WHILE DRIVING, AND CONSUMER HAS BEEN THROWN INTO WINDSHIELD, AND THEN BRAKES WILL RELEASE. *AK CONSUMER STATES LEFT BRAKES PULL, TRACTION COTROL DOES NOT WORK, RATTLES UNDER VEHICLE THROW OUT BEARING MAKING NOISE BRAKES LOCK WITHOUT BEING APPLIED.*JB

Electrical System › Wiring › Fuses and Circuit Breakers
Filed May 23, 2001TX

1-DRIVERS FOOT CONTACTS FUSE BOX WHEN ENGAGING/DISENGAGING CLUTCH PEDAL (FUSE BOX TOO CLOSE TO CLUTCH TRAVEL ZONE). IMPACTS DRIVER CONTROL OF VEHICLE. *AK

Seat Belts › Front › Anchorage
Filed May 23, 2001TX

SEAT BELT ACTIVATES UNEXPECTEDLY AND IS GROSSLY OVER-SENSITIVE. FOR EXAMPLE, REPEATEDLY LOCKS-UP AND PREVENTS DRIVER FROM TURNING UPPER BODY TO OBTAIN REASONABLE VIEW FROM REAR OF APPROACHING TRAFFIC WHEN EXITING FREEWAY. *AK

Tires
Filed May 22, 2001TX

RIGHT FRONT TIRE EXPERIENCED A BLOWOUT WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED OF 60 MPH, WITH ONLY DRIVER IN A 2001, FORD, MUSTANG; ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT, TIRE SIZE P205/65R15, DOT# UNAVAILABLE. GOODYEAR WAS NOT CONTACTED AT THIS TIME.*AK *JB

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Filed May 14, 2001TX

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

Fuel System, Gasoline › Fuel Injection System › Injectors
Filed May 3, 2001TN

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON, GASOLINE FUMES IN VEHICLE. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, WHO FOUND FUEL INJECTORS WERE LOCKED IN OPEN POSITION, GAS WAS FLOODING THE SYSTEM. THIS DESTROYED CATALYTIC CONVERTER. CONSUMER FOUND OUT THAT VEHICLE HAD BEEN REPAIRED AT DEALERSHIP BEFORE SHE PURCHASED VEHICLE FOR SAME PROBLEM. COMPUTER READOUT FROM FIRST REPAIR SAID: VEHICLE NOT RUNNING RIGHT. CONSUMER FELT SHE DID NOT RECEIVE A NEW VEHICLE AS IT WAS REPAIRED, AND SHE HAD NOT BEEN TOLD. *AK

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Master Cylinder
Filed Apr 24, 2001MA

INITIALLY BRAKE PEDAL WAS STICKING THEN IT STARTED SINKING TO THE FLOOR ON APPLICATION. HAPPENED AT ALL SPEEDS AND WHILE COMING AT A STANDSTILL. DEALER WANTS TO REPLACE THE MASTER CYLINDER, BUT THE COMPONENT IS UNAVAILABLE (AND NO DATE OF POSSIBLE AVAILABILITY IS FORTHCOMING FROM FORD). THE VEHICE IS WITH DEALER FOR LAST FIVE DAYS.*AK

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Feb 15, 2001FL

WHEN DRIVING THERE IS A VIBRATION WHEN THE CAR SHIFTS INTO A HIGHER GEAR. IT DOES NOT SHIFT SMOOTHLY FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR, THERE IS A GRINDING VIBRATION. THE DEALER'S TECHNICIAN SAID " THEY ALL DO IT, THEY DON'T MAKE THEM LIKE THEY USE TO".*AK

Air Bags › FrontalCrash2 injured
Filed Jan 29, 2001IL

WHILE COASTING OUT OF CAR WASH VEHICLE SLID ON ICE, BUMPED INTO VACUUM. AT THAT TIME, BOTH AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. *AK THERE WAS NO NOTICABLE DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE OR PLAT FORM. THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THE AIR BAG SYSTEM MUST HAVE BEEN DEFECTIVE TO HAVE DEPLOYED WITHOUT IMPACT. *YH

Reading these

NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

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