Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1981 Mustang.
The 1981 Ford Mustang, a model year that predates the complaint tracking period covered from 1990 to 2026, sits outside the direct reliability data for the nameplate. Within that span, the Mustang’s complaint history peaked in 2005 with 868 recorded issues and reached its lowest point in 2026 with just 4 complaints. This absence from the dataset means the 1981 model’s specific reliability profile isn’t captured, leaving researchers to contextualize it against the broader arc of the model’s later documented performance.
Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.
| Overall length | 179.1 in |
| Overall width | 69.3 in |
| Overall height | 51.6 in |
| Wheelbase | 100.4 in |
| Curb weight | 2643 lb |
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.
| Year | Trim / engine | 0–60 | ¼ mile | HP | Drivetrain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Cobra Hatchback Coupe 2.3L Turbo I-4 | 10.80 sec | 18.20 sec | 132 hp | RWD |
| 1982 | GT Hatchback Coupe 5.0L V8 | 8.00 sec | 16.30 sec | 157 hp | RWD |
| 1982 | GT Hatchback Coupe 5.0L V8 | 8.10 sec | 16.20 sec | 157 hp | RWD |
| 1979 | Cobra Hatchback Coupe 4.9L V8 | 8.30 sec | 17.00 sec | 139 hp | RWD |
| 1979 | Hatchback Coupe 2.8L V6 | 10.70 sec | 18.60 sec | 109 hp | RWD |
| 1979 | Hatchback Coupe 3.3L I-6 | 12.90 sec | 19.20 sec | 109 hp | RWD |
| 1983 | GT Hatchback Coupe 5.0L V8 | 7.00 sec | 15.40 sec | 175 hp | RWD |
| 1983 | GT Hatchback Coupe 5.0L V8 | 7.43 sec | 16.06 sec | 175 hp | RWD |
Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.
Showing 2 of 2 campaigns on record for this vehicle.
CERTAIN FEDERAL-MOGUL AFTERMARKET FUEL PUMPS SOLD UNDER THE BRAND NAMES OF CARTER, ACCUFLOW, NAPA, TRUFLOW, PARTS DEPO, AND PARTS MASTER, SHIPPED BETWEEN AUGUST 2006 AND JULY 2007 FOR USE ON THE VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE… Remedy: FEDERAL-MOGUL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE FUEL PUMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 15, 2007. OWNERS CAN CONTACT FEDERAL-MOGUL AT 248-354-7700.
THE HOUSING PLATES ON THE DRIVER SEAT BACK LATCH RECLINER ASSEMBLIES WERE MANUFACTURED WITH SUBSTANDARD MATERIAL PRODUCTS. THIS TAINTED STEEL WAS USED TO PRODUCE SEATBACK LATCHES FOR BOTH THE RIGHT AND LEFT SIDE SEAT… Remedy: UPON INSPECTION, BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEAT LATCH/RECLINER ASSEMBLIES, ON VEHICLES EXHIBITING THE SUSPECT DATE CODES, WILL BE REPLACED.
Showing 3 of 3 bulletins on record with NHTSA.
| Bulletin | Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01157 | 2001-08-06 | Unknown Or Other | INFORMATION REGARDING TRANSMISSION FLUID USAGE CHARTS. *SLC |
| 9888 | 1998-04-27 | Power Train | INFORMATION ON A NEW TRANSMISSION FLUID USAGE CHART. *YC |
| 97511 | 1997-03-03 | Power Train | FLUID- TRANSMISSION FLUID USAGE CHARTS. *JD |
The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.
Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.
Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.
NHTSA lists 2 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.