Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 1981 Ford Mustang failed the safety check 0.00% of the time — 100% less often than the average 1981 passenger car (0.73%). Median odometer at inspection: 83,355 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
In the United Kingdom
5 cars built in 1981 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 5 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
In New Zealand
3 1981 cars are on the New Zealand register.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Recalls in Canada
3 Transport Canada recalls for the 1981 Ford Mustang.
| 1988066 17 May 1988 | Seats And Restraints THE FORWARD SCREW WHICH PROVIDES PART OF THE ATTACHMENT BETWEEN THE DRIVER`S SEAT BACK ASSEMBLY AND THE SEAT CUSHION FRAME COULD FRACTURE AND PERMIT THE DRIVER'… |
| 1982102 20 Dec 1982 | Not Entered THESE VEHICLES DO NOT COMPLY WITH CMVSS 209 - SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES. |
| 1981092 4 Sept 1981 | Not Entered VEHICLES PRODUCED AT DEARBORN ASSEMBLY PLANT. VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN EQUIPPED WITH DRIVER SEAT BACK LATCH RECLINER ASSEMBLIES THAT CONTAIN HOUSING PLATES MANUF… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
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 ASSEMBLIES. UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, THE DEFECTIVE HOUSING PLATES MAY DISTORT, ALLOWING THE LOCKING TEETH TO DISENGAGE AND TEAR OFF. THIS PERMITS THE SEATBACK TO PIVOT BACKWARDS.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Ford told its dealers about the 1981 Ford Mustang: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 623988 | INFORMATION REGARDING TRANSMISSION FLUID USAGE CHARTS. *SLC |
| 601238 | INFORMATION ON A NEW TRANSMISSION FLUID USAGE CHART. *YC |
| 51945 | FLUID- TRANSMISSION FLUID USAGE CHARTS. *JD |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
FLOOR PAN FRACTURE
FLOOR PAN CRACKS
FAILURE OF SEAT BACK SECURING BOLTS
FRONT SEATBACK FAILURE
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation