U.S. public vehicle records

1991 Ford MUSTANG problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

51 owner complaints analyzed

2 distinct recall campaigns

119,500 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 1991 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 16 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Air Bags:Frontal is the most frequently named component, appearing in 5 of 51 complaints (9.8%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Steering behavior	6	11.8%
Braking behavior	4	7.8%
Electrical and battery issues	3	5.9%
Transmission and shifting	2	3.9%
Engine operation	1	2.0%
Fuel system concerns	1	2.0%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Air Bags:Frontal

Electrical System

Electrical System:Ignition

Electrical System:Wiring:Interior/Under Dash

Power Train:Automatic Transmission

Electrical System:Ignition:Switch

Air Bags

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine

Component breakdown data
Category	Count
Air Bags:Frontal	5
Electrical System	4
Electrical System:Ignition	4
Electrical System:Wiring:Interior/Under Dash	4
Power Train:Automatic Transmission	4
Electrical System:Ignition:Switch	3
Air Bags	2
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine	2

Air Bags:Frontal: 5; Electrical System: 4; Electrical System:Ignition: 4; Electrical System:Wiring:Interior/Under Dash: 4; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 4; Electrical System:Ignition:Switch: 3; Air Bags: 2; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 2

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 1; 50,000 to 74,999: 4; 75,000 to 99,999: 2; 100,000 to 149,999: 6; 150,000 and above: 3

100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (6). 35 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

1995

1996

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2006

2008

2010

2013

2014

2015

2020

1995: 11; 1996: 9; 2000: 8; 2001: 5; 2002: 1; 2003: 5; 2004: 2; 2006: 2; 2008: 3; 2010: 1; 2013: 1; 2014: 1; 2015: 1; 2020: 1

Pattern summary

Air Bags:Frontal leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 6 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 4 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 3 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10230858 · 2008-06-12 (June 12, 2008)

WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND UNATTENDED, THE AIR BAG IN STEERING WHEEL ACTIVATED. THIS IS THE FIRST OCCURANCE. NO INJURIES,. REPLACEMENT HAS NOT OCCURED. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 170,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10230858 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 486258 · 1995-05-09 (May 9, 1995)

STEERING COLUMN FIRE. *SKD

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 486258 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10243310 · 2008-09-24 (September 24, 2008)

I HAD PARKED MY CAR IN MY DRIVEWAY, I PUT MY PARKING BRAKE ON BECAUSE MY DRIVEWAY IS ON A SLOPE. I WENT TO USE THE CAR AGAIN I REMOVED THE PARKING BRAKE AND THAT'S WHEN MY BRAKES LOCKED UP. SINCE THEN I HAD TO LEAVE MY CAR IN THE GARAGE. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 124,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10243310 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10362772 · 2010-10-28 (October 28, 2010)

1991 MUSTANG LX 5.0 SUDDEN ACCELERATION ACCIDENT. 1991 MUSTANG LX 5.0 MAKING LEFT TURN FROM STOP SIGN IN RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD WHEN ENGINE ON ITS OWN WENT FULL THROTTLE CAUSING DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL AND LEAVE ROADWAY WHERE IT CONTINUED UNDER FULL THROTTLE THROUGH TREE BRANCHES AND BUSHES, A 6 FOOT WROUGHT IRON STYLE FENCE OVER A RETAINING WALL AT WHICH POINT IT BRIEFLY BECAME AIRBORNE LANDING ON A POOL DECK THEN CONTINUING AT FULL THROTTLE ONTO THE SUBDIVISION SWIMMING POOL TARP UNTIL THE FRONT END CRASHED INTO THE POOL WALL ON THE OPPOS…

Owner-reported narrative. 160,905 miles reported. Look up ODI 10362772 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10508424 · 2013-04-16 (April 16, 2013)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1991 FORD MUSTANG. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE AND THEN FIRE FROM THE DASH BOARD. THE CONTACT CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND PERSONALLY EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT STATED THE FIRE WAS STARTED DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL COMPONENT. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MECHANIC STATED THE FIRE WAS CAUSED BY A DEFECTIVE ECM. THE CONTACT CALLED MANUFACTURER AFTER NOTICING A NHTSA CAMPAIGN I.D. NUMBER 96V071000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTE…

Owner-reported narrative. 65,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10508424 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 958426 · 1995-01-09 (January 9, 1995)

VEHICLES DASHBOARD ELECTRICAL WIRING SHORTED OUT AND CAUGHT DASH ON FIRE WHILE PARKED WITH IGNITION OFF. TT

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 958426 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10153329 · 2006-03-21 (March 21, 2006)

THE TRANSMISSION HAS GONE OUT THREE TIMES IN THIS CAR. THE FIRST TIME IT HAD 20000 MILES ON IT AND UNDER WARRANTY AND THE DEALER SENT IT TO A LOCAL TRANSMISSION SHOP WHO REBUILT IT. ONE YEAR LATER IT WENT OUT AGAIN. THE DEALER WOULD NOT COVER FORD WOULD NOT COVER. I GOT STUCK REPLACING THE TRANSMISSION OUT OF POCKET. NOW THE TRANSMISSION WENT AGAIN. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 80,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10153329 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 878591 · 2001-01-19 (January 19, 2001)

DRIVER NOTICED THAT GEARS WERE DIFFICULT TO CHANGE. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER TO BE REPAIRED AND TRANSMISSION WAS COMPLETELY REPLACED.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 878591 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10067609 · 2004-04-21 (April 21, 2004)

CAR STALLS OUT AND DOSN'T RESART FOR UP TO 30 MINUTES

Owner-reported narrative. 64,225 miles reported. Look up ODI 10067609 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11316048 · 2020-03-04 (March 4, 2020)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1991 FORD MUSTANG. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC NOTIFIED HIM THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH HAD CAUGHT ON FIRE, AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND REPAIRS WERE COMPLETED TO THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC HAD REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP, FUEL INJECTOR, AIR FLOW, AND ROLLER ROCKERS PRIOR TO THE FIRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED BY THE MECHANIC USING A FIRE EXTINGUISHER. NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED, THE POLICE OR FIRE DEPARTMENT WERE NOT CALLED. THE DEALER OR THE MA…

Owner-reported narrative. 49,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 11316048 at NHTSA ↗