2001 Ford Mustang Fuel System
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
FUEL NECK OF 2001 MUSTANG GT RUSTED THROUGH BENEATH A PLASTIC BLACK SHEET POSSIBLY BECAUSE OF ROAD SALT BUILD UP. THIS LEAD TO FUEL LEAKAGE AND EMISSION CODE FAILURE DUE TO LOW TANK PRESSURE. THE FUEL NECK AND FUEL NECK GASKET WERE CHANGED. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2001 FORD MUSTANG. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING FUEL ABNORMALLY. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE FUEL TANK FILLER NECK WAS RUSTED AND A HOLE WAS IN THE FILLER PIPE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR LOCAL MECHANIC FOR INSPECTION OR REPAIRS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE DUE TO THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 92,000.
FORD FUEL FILLER TUBE ASSEMBLY HAS A DEFECT. THE PLASTIC SLEEVE THAT IS "TIE WRAPPED" TO THE TUBE CAUSES THE OUTSIDE OF THE FUEL FILLER TUBE TO COLLECTED MOISTURE AND CORRODE. THIS GOES UNDETECTED UNTIL LARGE QUANTITIES OF GASOLINE ARE DUMPED ONTO THE ROADWAY AFTER FILL UP. THIS HAPPENED TO MY VEHICLE AND IN 30 MINUTES OF RESEARCH ON YOUR SITE, I WAS ABLE TO FIND MANY OTHER OCCURRENCES WITH OTHER FORD MODELS. 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. IDENTICAL COMPLAINTS FILED WITH NHTSA: 10276760, 10265682, 10253564, 10249748, 10276760, 729302 YOUR SEARCH ENGINE MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO SEARCH MULTIPLE FORD MODELS AND YEARS FOR THIS PROBLEM - THE ABOVE COMPLAINTS WERE COMPILED IN JUST A FEW MINUTES AND INDICATE TO ME THAT THERE IS SERIOUS PROBLEM - NOT TO MENTION THE $400 + EACH OF THESE OWNERS NEED TO PAY FOR THIS REPAIR, THE COST AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF THE UNTOLD GALLONS OF GASOLINE SLOSHING ONTO THE PAVEMENT AND ENGINE DAMAGE FROM CONTAMINANTS ENTERING THE FUEL SYSTEM. FROM THE DATES OF THESE OTHER COMPLAINTS, I CAN ONLY ASSUME THAT NOTHING IS BEING DONE ABOUT THIS - A RECALL COULD ALLOW FOR A SIMPLE PREVENTIVE MEASURE OF REMOVING THE OEM PLASTIC SLEEVE THAT IS CAUSING THE PROBLEM TO BEGIN WITH. MY MECHANIC REPORTED TO ME THAT THE SLEEVE PROVIDES NO USEFUL PURPOSE. I HAVE THE DEFECTIVE PART AND HAVE PICTURES THAT CAN BE PROVIDED BY REQUEST. *TR
WENT TO FILL UP WITH GAS, NOTICED GAS LEAK. UPON INSPECTION FOUND FUEL FILLER NECK RUSTED THROUGH TO POINT WHERE IT BECAME TWO PIECES. REPLACED FUEL FILLER NECK @ $230 PLUS LABOR, ISSUE SOLVED. 2001 FORD MUSTANG 3.8L PICTURES AVAILABLE. *TR
FUEL PUMP BREAKS FREE FROM IN-TANK ATTACHMENT POINT RESULTING IN FUEL LEVEL INDICATOR MALFUNCTION AND FUEL STARVATION WHEN CORNING, ACCELERATION OR ABRUPT DECELERATION. CAUSES UNEXPECTED LAG IN ACCELERATION OR VEHICLE MAY STALL AT INOPPORTUNE TIMES. SINCE ORIGINAL REPLACEMENT OF ENTIRE FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY BY FORD THE FUEL SENDER IN THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED/REPLACED 2 ADDITIONAL TIMES. DEALERSHIP NOTED THAT THE PLASTIC RING SENDER ATTACHES TO CRACKS AND ONLY WAY TO REPAIR IS TO REPLACE ENTIRE FUEL TANK AT COST OF APPROX $900. MOST RECENT 2 REPLACEMENTS OCCURRED OUTSIDE OF EXTENDED WARRANTY BY A FEW DAYS AND FORD REFUSED TO REPLACE UNDER WARRANTY EVEN THOUGH THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN PARKED OVER THE WINTER AND ISSUE WAS NOT DISCOVERED UNTIL VEHICLE CAME OUT OF STORAGE AFTER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED. REPAIR HAD OCCURRED IN FALL BEFORE VEHICLE WENT INTO STORAGE. EACH TIME FUEL TANK IS REPLACE RING CRACKS AGAIN, USUALLY WITHIN 30-90DAYS. THIS IS A HAZARD AS IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO DETERMINE WHEN THE VEHICLE WILL EXPERIENCE FUEL STARVATION OR STALLING, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN ACCIDENT OR INJURY OUTSIDE DRIVERS ABILITY TO AVOID. *TR
SINCE IT HAS GOTTEN COLDER, THE CAR START AND YOU HAVE TO SIT WITH YOUR FOOT ON THE GAS PEDAL FOR 5 OR 10 MINS OR THE CAR WILL STALL OUT WHEN YOU TRY TO PUT OUT OF WHERE EVER YOU ARE. DANGEROUS! MECHANIC CAN'T SEEM TO FIND THE PROBLEM, THEY THINK ITS A SENSOR BUT ARE NOT SURE. *TR
FUELING CAR GAS LEAKING ONTO GROUND REACHED UNDER CAR RIGHT SIDE FILLER TUBE GOING INTO TANK ALL RUSTED FUEL COMING OUT TUBE ONTO GROUND 2001 MUSTANG 3.8OHV PART# 9034 FILLER NECK TUBE RUSTED THROUGH. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD MUSTANG GT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE GAS TANK WAS FILLED, FUEL WOULD LEAK BACK OUT OF THE VEHICLE. FUEL WOULD ALSO LEAK ONTO THE TAIL PIPES AND THE SHIELD SURROUNDING THE FUEL TANK. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FUEL TANK SHIELD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED IN ORDER TO KEEP THE GASOLINE FROM LEAKING OUT OF THE VEHICLE AT AN ESTIMATED COST OF $200. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 58,000. UPDATED 09/13/08.*LJ UPDATED 09/16/08 *JB
WHEN I FILLED MY CAR WITH GAS IT STARTED TO OVERFLOW OUT OF THE TOP THROUGH THE GAS CAP AREA AND POUR OUT OF THE BOTTOM. I HAD MY FATHER CHECK IT ABOUT AN HOUR LATER WHILE IT WAS PARKED AND HE COULDN'T FIND A LEAK. WE DETERMINED THE AUTOMATIC STOP ON THE PUMP MUST HAVE FAILED. I WENT TO PUT $20 OF GAS IN IT TWO DAYS AGO AND ONCE AGAIN IT WAS POURING OUT OF THE BOTTOM. SINCE I DIDN'T FILL IT UP THIS TIME, I KNEW IT HAD TO BE MY CAR AND NOT THE PUMP. I HAD MY MECHANIC LOOK AT IT AND HE DETERMINED THE FUEL FILLER HOSE HAS RUSTED THROUGH ALL THE WAY TO THE PLASTIC COVER AROUND IT. HE TOLD ME MY CAR IS SAFE TO BE DRIVEN BUT NOT TO PUT GAS IN. I'VE ORDERED THE $184 PART TO REPAIR IT AND AM CURRENTLY WAITING FOR IT TO COME IN TO THE DEALER. I FOUND MANY COMPLAINTS OF THIS INCIDENT BUT NO OFFICIAL RECALLS BY FORD. DID I MISS SOMETHING SOMEWHERE? IT SEEMS TO ME IF THERE ARE THAT MANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS PARTICULAR PART OF THE CAR, FORD WOULD HAVE DONE A RECALL. *TR
FUEL NECK BEGAN TO LEAK, WITHIN 2 WEEKS IT WAS LOOSING ALMOST A GALLON OF FUEL ON A $20.00 FILL. I CONTACTED FORD TWICE, I WAS TOLD TO TAKE IT TO A FORD DEALERSHIP, I GOT AN ATTITUDE FROM THE DEALERSHIP SO I SPENT THE $110.00 ON A FORD PART AND $180.00 ON THE LABOR AT ANOTHER SERVICE STATION. ADVISED FORD OF THE SAFETY HAZARD, APPARENTLY DIDN'T CONCERN THEM ENOUGH TO CONTACT ME AND MAKE GOOD ON THE REPAIRS. *TR
FILLER TUBE FUEL TANK SEAL FAILURE CAUSING GAS LEAK. *NM
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 23 MPH ON A RECENTLY FILLED FUEL TANK, THERE WAS A STRONG SMELL OF GASOLINE IN THE CAB OF THE VEHICLE. A PRIVATE REPAIR SHOP INSPECTED THE VEHICLE, AND DETERMINED THAT THE FILLER NECK GASKET HAD SPLIT, CAUSING GASOLINE TO LEAK FROM THE UNDERSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO IMMEDIATE REPAIRS MADE TO THE VEHICLE.
2001 FORD MUSTANG V6,34000 MI. FUEL LEAKING FROM TANK AT FILLER TUBE JOINT. HAVE CAR AT DEALERS SERVICE DEPT. NOW , AND HAVE NOT CORRESPONDED ABOUT CORRECTIVE ACTION. *NM
FUEL PUMP FAILURE, CAR STALLS ALMOST CAUSING ACCIDENT & WOULD NOT START WHEN HOT. FUEL PUMP REPLACED AT 36,500 MILES! DEALER WOULDN'T REPAIR UNDER WARRANTY. FUEL PUMP REPLACED AGAIN AT 59,234 MILES, SAME PROBLEM.*AK
I RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2001 FORD MUSTANG. I RECENTLY NOTICED THAT THE GAS TANK IS LOCATED BEHIND THE REAR AXLE AND IS ACTUALLY ATTACHED TO THE REAR BUMPER. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET, I HAVE FOUND OUT THAT THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM IN THE FORD MUSTANGS THAT CAN RESULT IN THE VEHICLE CATCHING ON FIRE AND EXPLODING IN THE EVENT OF A REAR-IMPACT COLLISION. I AM VERY CONCERNED NOW FOR MY PERSONAL SAFETY AND THE SAFETY OF MY FAMILY. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A DEFECTIVE DESIGN IN THE FORD MUSTANGS THAT NEEDS APPROPRIATE ATTENTION AND A NEW DESIGN. I HAVE ALMOST STOPPED DRIVING ALLTOGETHER BECAUSE OF THIS VERY SERIOUS DEFECT. I DO NOT WANT TO BE KILLED IN AN ACCIDENT WHEN MY MUSTANG CATCHES ON FIRE AND EXPLODES BECAUSE OF THE LOCATION OF THE FUEL TANK. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS SERIOUS SAFETY/DESIGN FLAW IN THE FORD MUSTANGS AND CONTACT ME WITH YOUR INFORMATION. I HAVE NEVER BEEN SO SCARED TO DRIVE A VEHICLE IN MY LIFE.*AK
CONSUMER HAVING PROBLEMS WITH FUEL PUMP CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL . DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
CONSUMER STATES HAVING PROBLEMS WITH FUEL PUMP CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL
Trend Over Time
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Common problems reported
Quick Summary
The 2001 Ford Mustang has 17 Fuel System complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.