Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (buckles, retractors, anchors and pretensioners).
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).
My wife and I were involved in a hit and run incident while traveling southbound on I-75 just south of delk road in marietta ga. The driver of the other car caused us to begin a series of oversteer corrections which ultimately LED to the car loosing complete traction and making two complete revolutions while exiting the road towards the grass shoulder. We exited the road going backwards and proceeded to hit a 6' deep culvert and cause the car to become airborne. Upon the initial impact my wife's safety belt which had been properly secured until the impact, released and caused her to come out of her seat. After landing and then coming to rest violently I immediately checked to make sure she was alright and was in question of why her belt had detached from the receiver. …
1. There is a dreadful gas fume odor inside the car every time I put fuel in the car especially when I fill the tank. 2.the emergency brake does not work properly. When engaged my car still rolls a little. 3. The seat belts do not retract properly and tend to twist and tangle when I try to do it manually.
I own a 2001 Ford Mustang and the front driver and passenger seat belts have been a problem for more than 3 years. They do not retract due to the cheap components used to keep them from twisting. This also causes them to be loose when wearing them. I have been to many message boards on Mustang websites and have found that many people have been having the same problem. I recently had a conversation with a local dealership service dept. Manager and was told that they had 2 mustangs in that month for this repair. My car was beyond its manufacturers warranty. I was told it would cost $652 for parts and labor. Therefore I have decided not to pay to have it fixed and will continue to deal with this problem, fixing them to the best of what I can do to make them somewhat functional. …
Tl*-the contact stated that the 2001 Ford Mustang passenger side seat belt didn't release. On January 1, 2007 the seat belt wouldn't come out of the holder. The contact never noticed this because no one ever sat on the passenger side of vehicle. The lap and shoulder belt could not be worn by anyone on passenger's side, it will not work. She also stated that the driver's side seat retractor only worked if one played with it. The driver's side belt will not retract into the holder on its own. The contact stated that the dealership has informed her that she will have to pay for any repairs for the seat belt. There was a recall 99V250000 on Ford mustangs from 1999-2000 for seat belt failure she thought that the manufacturer should compensate the consumer in some way for the seat belt failures.
Tl contact owns a 2001 Ford Mustang. While driving 30 MPH, the contact noticed that the check engine light illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to a local mechanic and the contact was informed that the filler tube needed to be replaced on the fuel system. After the vehicle was parked, she smelled gasoline on her driveway. The vehicle has not been diagnosed by the dealer. The current mileage was 61,410 and failure mileage was 60,000. Updated 10/14/08 the consumer was told the material used for the parts that had to be replaced had rotted over time. The drivers side seatbelt was not retracting and releasing. The headlamps had to be replaced because a haze file had formed on the inside. Updated 10/16/08.
I recently bought a 01 Mustang with 103K miles on it. Not 2 days later the passenger seat belt stopped working. I took it down to our local Ford house and they told me it was just odd that it happened to break and would cost 300 dollars to change the seat belt. I did some research online and find that many people have this problem. Either the seat belt locks up and takes a while to straiten back out or like mine it just stops working. One post on a forums said that his 2003 Mustang's went out before 50000 miles. I think this should be changed by the dealer because if it is happening so much it is obviously a defect. I have a 95 thunderbird and 01 alero that still have their seat belts working perfectly. Thanks for your time on this matter.
Tl*-the contact owns a 2001 Ford Mustang gt. The vehicle was stationary, when the contact observed the front passenger seat belt retractor system failed to extract the webbing properly. The webbing does not secure the occupant tightly. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. The failure was related to broken plastic parts within the retractor system. The vehicle had not been repaired at the time of the complaint. The failure mileage was 57,000. The current mileage was 75,000.
Drivers side seat belt gets twisted in wall, and does not retract properly as a result. Thoroughbred Ford untwisted, and then the seat belt twisted up again. Thoroughbred Ford states is under warranty, not defective, however state Ford refuses to replace unit as this is not a defect. Even refused after reminding them it does not function properly which could result in death during collision. First repair on or about 8-29-05, second attempt to have replaced approx. 2 weeks later.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that the front driver seat belt was stuck in a partially retracted position. The contact also stated that the seat belt would not pull out any further or retract any further. The vehicle was not taken to have the failure diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 11,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that the vehicle front passenger seat belt sensor broke. The dealer was notified of the failure who stated that the vehicle was not under any warranty for the failure to be repaired and offered no assistance. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 111,530 and the current mileage was 111,570.
Seat Belt complaints in other Mustang years
Frequently asked questions
How common are seat belt problems on the 2001 Ford Mustang?
NHTSA has 27 complaints about the seat belts of the 2001 Ford Mustang, 11% of the model year's 249 complaints. The component named most often is front › retractor (7 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2001 Ford Mustang seat belt problems?
No. NHTSA lists no seat belts 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 seat belt problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 45,000 miles, and 38% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 3 crashes, 0 fires and 3 injuries to seat belts 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.