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1971 Ford Mustang

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1971 Mustang.

The 1971 Ford Mustang arrives in the record as a model year that predates the modern complaint timeline tracked from 1990 through 2026, a span in which annual filings peaked at 868 for the 2005 vintage and dwindled to just four by 2026; because the 1971 edition falls outside this monitored window, its long-term reliability profile remains undocumented in the available data, leaving researchers without a quantified complaint baseline for this early-generation pony car.

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Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	190.2 in
Wheelbase	109.1 in

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Mustang of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

5.8 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 5.80 sec — 1971 Boss 351 Coupe

Year	Trim / engine	0–60	¼ mile	HP	Drivetrain
1971	Boss 351 Coupe 5.8L V8	5.80 sec	14.10 sec	330 hp	RWD
1971	Boss 351 Coupe 5.8L V8	5.80 sec	13.80 sec	330 hp	RWD
1970	Boss 429 Coupe 7.0L V8	5.30 sec	12.30 sec	375 hp	RWD
1970	Boss 302 Coupe 4.9L V8	5.80 sec	14.40 sec	290 hp	RWD
1970	Boss 302 Coupe 4.9L V8	6.50 sec	14.93 sec	290 hp	RWD
1970	Boss 302 Coupe 4.9L V8	8.10 sec	15.80 sec	290 hp	RWD
1969	Mach I Fastback 7.0L V8	5.70 sec	14.30 sec	335 hp	RWD
1968	2+2 GT Fastback 6.4L V8	6.30 sec	14.80 sec	320 hp	RWD

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

Owner complaints

0 involved a crash · 0 a fire

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’90 ’91 ’92 ’93 ’94 ’95 ’96 ’97 ’98 ’99 ’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’09 ’10 ’11 ’12 ’13 ’14 ’15 ’16 ’17 ’18 ’19 ’20 ’21 ’22 ’24 ’25 ’26

No owner complaints on record with NHTSA for this vehicle.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

70V115000Structure:Frame And MembersReported 25/09/1970

Remedy:

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420

Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1

P0300

Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected

P0171

System too lean — Bank 1

P0455

Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak

P0128

Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature

P0442

Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN

Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Mustang. OEM

Build data

Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.

Recalls

Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Vehicle recalls & TSBs OBD-II trouble codes

Frequently asked

Does the 1971 Mustang have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.