Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2001 Ford Mustang owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
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
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.
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.
2 weeks after I bought the car, I had reported problems with engine and trans and rear-end. They knew about it, but said they did not have the knowledge to work on a seleen, which that is what I was told I was buying at the time. Come to find out it is no. Big difference in price. On or about feb 15th 2006 the engine blew, I had parked it in their parking lot. They had my car for a total of 45 days. Still no trans work or rear-end, they said to bring it back in 30 days. Adding on the linkage was damaged when they had it. I had to pay other shop to fix. Along with engine problems, engine light was on. Since June of 2006 my car has been in the shop 10 times , totaling 55 more days. Rental car cost over 2500.00 and time and mental anguish . Luzzi refused me the 2nd time engine blew because the fact I am married to david harding. He is not on any contract with me. …
I have a 2001 Ford Mustang v6 convertible. Ford has a defect on their dpfe sensor for their emission EGR flow. This is a big problem in Ford mustangs. Every person I know who owns a 99-01 has had to change their dpfe sensor, spending their own money for Ford's defective product. Even the local rock river Ford dealership parts dept. Told me that Ford has a big defect on this, and they should have recalled the problem. Ford has a faulty dpfe sensor on their mustangs. I guess I'll have to pay my hard earned money to temporarily fix their problem, by buying a new dpfe sensor. I think Ford should give me a new sensor, it was their defective product. Check under any of the 99-01 v6 Mustang forums sites, and see how many people have the service engine soon light, for "insufficient EGR flow". Caused by their faulty product. I also have a problem with my throttle sticking. …
Blown Ford spark plug! I drive a 2001 Ford Mustang gt, 4.6l v8, and one night I was sitting at a red light and as soon as it turned green I stepped on the gas like any other light and I blew a spark plug. I bought the car used with 10K on it and it blew at 56K. I never replaced the plugs so im guessing they were factory installed. As of today I have replaced both heads but the damage from the blown spark plug seems to have affected my engine block itself. My guess is from driving the car off the road into a parking lot. Not having money to rebuild the engine I have since parked the car hoping Ford take responsibility for its mistake. I have read more and more how many Ford v8s tend to do this yet Ford acts like it doesn't exist. I called Ford about ordering new heads and they insisted there is no problem. I was raised on fords but don't see me buying one ever again.
I gave my car a tune up at a family friends shop spark plug broke so replaced it with a bosh platinum 4 which was all the local auto part had 6 months latter my car blows a plug out of the opposite side of the engine which had the original plug and I tow it back to the dealership the warranty refuses to fix it because after market plug on the other side and Ford knows they have defective head and 4.6lt engines built fr:01-03 but refuse to fix it or even test it to see if it was defective since the after market plag was on the other side and the engine failed due to unknown reasons on the side with the original plugs this applies to all vehicle from Ford with 4.6lt 2v engines more info found here http://www.blueovalnews.com/2003/powertrain/4.6l.enginetick.t31604.htm (per consumer call (no smoke or flames); changed fire from yes to no - c. Rose 11/16/05
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 the consumer stated the repair technician was injured while repairing the cracke manifold intake. Updated 06/13/2012
At 7,853 miles, the engine started making a knocking noise. Upon checking the dip stick, the stock was twisted out of shape, giving a reading of more oil than needed. The first service center that I took the car to stated that the car had 1 quart of oil, and could burn 1 quart of oil per 1,000 miles when new (nowhere was this noted in owner's manual, which recommends oil changes every 5,000 miles). Oil change was performed, which did not remedy the situation. The next dealer that the car was taken to identified that the #8 bearing was worn, which required the engine to be replaced. Ford would not honor their warranty, nor would the dealer or the customer service center in michigan answer any of the owner's questions, except that they would not cover the engine. Owner was left purchasing a new engine on their own.
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????????????
NHTSA investigations
Spark plug ejection from cylinder head
On September 6, 2005, odi received a petition requesting that the agency investigate allegations of engine spark plug ejection in certain model year 1997 through 2004 Ford vehicles with triton v-8 and v-10 engines.odi received a total of 474 non-duplicative complaints on the subject vehicles where the complainant, or the dealer repairing the vehicle, reported that a spark plug detached from the cylinder and/or…
Engine complaints in other Mustang years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2001 Ford Mustang?
NHTSA has 43 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2001 Ford Mustang, 17% of the model year's 249 complaints. The component named most often is engine › gasoline (9 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2001 Ford Mustang engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 2001 Ford Mustang, though it has 1 recall for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2001 Ford Mustang engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 64,000 miles, and 8% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 0 fires and 4 injuries to engine & cooling problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.