Current automotive systems are integrating more and more electronic components in the handling and performance areas, for supporting advanced comfort and safety features. The effects of component or network failures raise serious concerns about the overall vehicle stability and safety. This paper proposes a methodology for analyzing at the system level (taking into account both mechanical and electronic components) the implications of transient faults in the electronic part on the overall vehicle response. A prototypical fault injection environment is also presented, and experimental results show how safety specifications for components can be derived from performance objectives set at the vehicle level.