The vehicle is leaking fuel profusely right next to the passenger side exhaust pipe. The fuel is coming out of the fuel tank where the plastic is crimped go the fuel vent valve.
Ford Mustang fuel leak problems
39 of the 8,915 owner complaints about the Ford Mustang describe fuel leak, most of them for the 2001 model year.
- owner complaints
- 39
- worst model year
- 2001
- typical repair cost reported
- $431
- typical mileage
- 89,000
Is there a fix? There are 7 recalls for this area of the car. See below
By model year
Often reported together
Fuel smell 3Fire or smoke 3Water leak 1Slipping 1Overheating 1Hesitation 1Headlights 1Engine failure 1
What owners say
Fuel tank leaking from fuel tank fitting. The tank has been inspected by the ford service department. Car is unsafe to drive. The symptoms are a fuel leak when the tank is full, and a gasoline Oder, again when full. This item was discovered around the first of the year, Ford not able to see the car until March 3rd.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Mustang. The contact stated while entering the vehicle, he smelled an abnormal odor. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that he opened the windows within 5 minutes the odor was gone. The contact stated while driving the air conditioning was not providing cold air and the front windshield started to become foggy, causing visibility issue while attempting to see the roadway. The contact also noticed a fuel leak on the fuel hose line. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 20,000.
Noticed a fuel vapor odor for a couple of weeks. After filling the fuel tank the odor intensified. Drove the vehicle about 20 miles to my house. I could smell fuel when I exited the vehicle and noticed fuel leaking from the fuel tank. Took vehicle to the dealership, and when the tank was removed found the fitting for the evaporative system connection cracked. (See photos) There is no apparent impact that would have caused the crack.
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Mustang. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, a fuel odor would emit throughout her vehicle as the check engine warning light appeared on the instrument panel. The contact also stated that her vehicle would hesitate up the depression of the accelerator pedal. The contact initially took the vehicle to an independent mechanic who informed her that there was an issue with the fuel tank. The contact then took the vehicle to another independent mechanic who discovered a fuel leak coming from the fuel tank; however, the mechanic was unable to determine the source of the leak. Upon investigation, the contact discovered the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 15V339000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). The contact then called the dealer and the manufacturer and was informed that the vehicle was not included in the recall. The manufacturer referred her to the federal safety agency for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.
Tl* the contact owns a 2015 ford mustang. The contact noticed fuel leaking from the fuel tank and the engine became inoperable. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was taken to chino hills ford (4480 chino hills pkwy, chino, ca 91710, (909) 203-5700) where it was diagnosed that there was a hole in the fuel tank. The engine was replaced, but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was contacted and did not assist. The failure mileage was 89,000. The VIN was invalid.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford mustang. While the contact's daughter was placing fuel in the vehicle, she noticed fuel leaking from the fuel tank without warning. The contact managed to drive the vehicle home. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure recurred. The dealer and manufacturer were not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 189,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 ford mustang. After refueling the vehicle, a fuel leak was discovered underneath the vehicle. The vehicle was examined by an independent mechanic who discovered that a rubber washer in the fuel system was faulty and needed to be replaced. The washer was replaced and the failure was remedied. While driving at night, the low and high beam headlights were very dim and the driver was unable to see the road. Also, while the vehicle was parked on a incline with the emergency brake engaged, it rolled down the driveway and into the street. The cause of the failures was not determined. Estabrook ford (3689 14th st, pascagoula, ms) and the manufacturer were notified of the failures. The failure mileage was 64,000.
Plastic cover on elbow holds water/dust which doesn't drain leaving filler arm constantly damp rusting through pipe leaking gas all over when filling tank....bad design and thought put into this. Item should be recalled, cost to replace at any repair shop is upward of $800.00 canadian.
My gas filler tube has rusted due to the plastic shield, dirt and moisture has been trapped on this part of my 01 mustang and now there is a huge hole on the filler tube. I've done my research on a couple forums and apparently I'm not the only one with this same issue on models from 2000-2004 I'm pretty sure we all know how serious this problem is seeing that fuel is leaking to the ground which is a fire hazard and can result in a fatality.
Related recalls
Fuel system, gasoline: delivery: fuel pump
- What is wrong
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Bronco, Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, F-250 SD, F-350 SD, F-450 SD, F-550 SD, 2021-2022 Lincoln Navigator, Mustang, F-150, and 2022 Expedition vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump may fail, which can result in an engine stall while driving.
- Risk
- An engine stall increases the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the low pressure fuel pump on super duty vehicles and update the powertrain control module (PCM) software on all other affected vehicles, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 27, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25S75.
Recall number 25V455000 · Recall details
Fuel system, gasoline: fuel injection system: injectors
- What is wrong
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2023 Lincoln Corsair, 2023-2024 Escape, 2024 Mustang, and 2025 Explorer vehicles. The fuel injectors may have been assembled without O-ring support discs, which can result in a fuel leak.
- Risk
- A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source increases the risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- Dealers will install new fuel injector O-rings and O-ring support discs, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on October 7, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S54.
Recall number 24V634000 · Recall details
Fuel system, gasoline: delivery: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
- What is wrong
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2024 Mustang vehicles equipped with 2.3L engines. The low-pressure fuel supply line may be damaged or cut, which can result in a fuel leak.
- Risk
- A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components, can increase the risk of a fire. In addition, a loss of fuel may result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the low-pressure fuel supply line, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 4, 2024. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S19.
Recall number 24V220000 · Recall details
Fuel system, gasoline: storage: tank assembly
- What is wrong
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2015 Ford Mustang vehicles manufactured February 14, 2014, to February 10, 2015, and equipped with 2.3L engines. Prolonged exposure to elevated underbody temperatures can cause degradation of the fuel tank and/or fuel vapor lines, which may eventually result in a fuel leak. In addition, this condition could cause seals in the parking brake cable to degrade, potentially affecting parking brake function.
- Risk
- If the vehicle experiences a fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source it can, increase the risk of a vehicle fire. Reduced parking brake function could potentially result in unexpected vehicle movement, which may increase the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel tank shield, add thermal patches to the fuel tank and parking brake cable, and add thermal wraps to the fuel vapor lines. The repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on July 9, 2015. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15S19.
Recall number 15V339000 · Recall details
Fuel system, gasoline
- What is wrong
- Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain model year 2015 Ford Mustang vehicles manufactured September 25, 2014, to October 9, 2014. The fuel pressure sensor may not have been seated properly to the fuel jumper line, which may cause a fuel leak.
- Risk
- A partially seated fuel pressure sensor could cause a fuel odor or a fuel leak, increasing the risk of a vehicle fire in the presence of an ignition source.
- Remedy
- Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel jumper line, free of charge. The recall began on December 17, 2014. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1‑866‑436‑7332. Ford's number for this recall is 14S27.
Recall number 14V774000 · Recall details
Fuel system, gasoline: fuel injection system
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with 4.6l engines. Some of these vehicles has missing or inadequate braze joints between the fuel rail body and the fuel rail mounting bracket(s).
- Risk
- If the bracket separates from the rail, the rail can lift one or more of the injectors, and fuel leakage will result. In the presence of an ignition source, a fire could occur.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the fuel rail on these vehicles.
Recall number 97V216000 · Recall details
Fuel system, gasoline: fuel injection system
- What is wrong
- The fuel rail that provides the fuel supply to the fuel injectors has an improperly formed tube which has the potential to fracture, causing fuel to leak.
- Risk
- Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source canresult in a fire.
- Remedy
- The engine fuel rail will be replaced.
Recall number 93V159000 · Recall details
Questions about the Ford Mustang fuel leak
Which Ford Mustang years have fuel leak problems?
The model years with the most reports are 2001 (10 complaints), 2000 (5 complaints) and 1995 (4 complaints).
How much does it cost to fix fuel leak on the Ford Mustang?
Owners who mentioned a price put the repair at about $431 (median of 5 complaints that include a dollar amount). Costs vary with mileage, warranty and where the work is done.
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