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1973 Ford Mustang

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1973 Mustang.

The 1973 Ford Mustang Overview documents a vehicle that belongs to a model line with a complaint history recorded from 1990 through 2026. In that period the peak number of complaints was 868 in 2005, while the most recent year 2026 shows only four complaints, indicating a recent shift toward lower issue reports. This pattern places the 1973 model year within a broader reliability trajectory that researchers can examine for long‑term trends.

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Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length194.1 in
Wheelbase109.1 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.

5.3–12.9 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 5.30 sec — 1970 Boss 429 Coupe
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
1974II Mach I Hatchback Coupe 2.8L V612.20 sec18.20 sec105 hpRWD
1971Boss 351 Coupe 5.8L V85.80 sec14.10 sec330 hpRWD
1971Boss 351 Coupe 5.8L V85.80 sec13.80 sec330 hpRWD
1975II Mach I Hatchback Coupe 4.9L V810.10 sec17.60 sec140 hpRWD
1975II V-8 Hatchback Coupe 4.9L V810.50 sec17.90 sec140 hpRWD
1970Boss 429 Coupe 7.0L V85.30 sec12.30 sec375 hpRWD
1970Boss 302 Coupe 4.9L V85.80 sec14.40 sec290 hpRWD
1970Boss 302 Coupe 4.9L V86.50 sec14.93 sec290 hpRWD

Reliability & federal safety record

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

1
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
0
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
0
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.

81V002000Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System:FanReported 02/12/1981

DUE TO A MANUFACTURING ERROR, CERTAIN FLEXIBLE-BLADE ENGINE COOLING FANS MAY BE SUBJECT TO FATIGUE CRACKING AND BLADE SEPARATION DURING VEHICLE OPERATION. Remedy: DEFECTIVE FAN WILL BE REPLACED WITH ONE OF AN IMPROVED DESIGN WITHOUT CHARGE.

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 & TSBsOBD-II trouble codes

Frequently asked

Does the 1973 Mustang have open recalls?

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