Problems · NHTSA complaints

2004 Ford Mustang problems

Owners filed 130 complaints about the 2004 Ford Mustang with NHTSA between Oct 2003 and Jul 2026. The most-cited component is vehicle speed control (35).

Complaints
130
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
24
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
11
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Vehicle speed control35
  2. Air bags11
  3. Power train9
  4. Engine and engine cooling9
  5. Suspension7
  6. Service brakes, hydraulic7
  7. Tires6
  8. Electrical system5
  9. Equipment5
  10. Engine4
  11. Fuel system, gasoline4
  12. Structure4
  13. Service brakes3
  14. Exterior lighting3

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 27, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20031
200410
200558
200610
20078
20085
20095
20105
20113
20127
20130
20141
20153
20162
20172
20183
20193
20201
20211
20220
20230
20241
20250
20261

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Vehicle speed control

35 reports4 crashes1 related recall
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD MUSTANG. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BECAME CAUGHT IN THE FLOORMAT AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE. THE CONTACT HAD TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 169,865.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 26, 2018Vehicle speed controlODI 11154012

Air bags

11 reports10 crashes
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2004 FORD MUSTANG. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, A VEHICLE RAN A RED LIGHT AND CRASHED HEAD ON INTO THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS TURNED SIDEWAYS AND CRASHED INTO A POLE. THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT WAS PINNED INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT PRIED THE DOOR OPEN TO RESCUE THE CONTACT. THE CONTACT WAS TRANSPORTED IN AN AMBULANCE TO THE HOSPITAL, BUT NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V802000 (AIR BAGS) IN DECEMBER OF 2015. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 4, 2016Air bagsCrash reportedODI 10924215

Power train

9 reports1 crash
“IN 2004 MY MOM BOUGHT A NEW 2004 FORD MUSTANG WITH THE 3.9 V-6 MOTOR AND WITHIN A COUPLE OF MONTHS IT STARTED TICKING REAL LOUD WHEN YOU FIRST START IT UP. COME TO FIND OUT IT WAS A PASSENGER SIDE EXHAUST LEAK THAT JUST GOT WORSE, AND AT THE SAME TIME HER ENGINE STARTED MAKING LOUD CHIRPING AND CRAZY NOISES TO FIND OUT IT WAS THE CAM POSITIONING SENSOR THAT WENT OUT. WELL SHE PAID ABOUT $550.00 TO GET THE SENSOR FIXED BUT SHE COULDN'T AFFORD THE EXHAUST TO.SO STILL TO THIS DAY SHE DRIVES HER NICE LOOKING MUSTANG CAREFULLY AROUND TOWN THAT SOUNDS LIKE ITS READY TO DIE, AND I WOULDN'T TRUST DRIVING THAT THING 10 MILES OUT OF TOWN. IT MIGHT NOT BE AN EYE SORE BUT IT SURE IS AN EAR SORE, AND IS STRESSING YEARS OFF MY OLD BROKE MOTHERS LIFE. WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN A FORD FAMILY AND MY DAD RETIRED FROM FORD PROVING GROUNDS. BUT THAT IS THE SORRIEST FORD WE'VE EVER SEEN.OH YEAH, PLUS THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION NEVER SHIFTED RIGHT FROM DAY 1, AND SHE HAS HAD TO REPLACE THE ALTERNATOR, BATTERY ,A PULLEY, THE SERPENTINE BELT ETC.AND IT HAS A LOT OF RATTLES AND ROAD NOISE,AND IT JUST BARELY MADE 60,000 MILES. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 30, 2010Engine and engine cooling, Power trainODI 10358377

Engine and engine cooling

9 reports
“I STARTED THE CAR UP TO DRIVE OUT OF THE GROCERY PARKING LOT AND THE CAR WAS SPUTTERING. WHEN I PULLED ONTO THE MAIN HIGHWAY IT SPUTTERED AND COMPLETELY STOPPED RUNNING. I COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHERE IT FAILED TO RESTART. *KB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 20, 2012Engine and engine cooling, Fuel system, gasoline, Electrical systemODI 10452320

Suspension

7 reports
“SEPTEMBER 18, 2011: WHILE EXITING AN INTERSTATE, I BEGAN TO GO AROUND THE CLOVERLEAF OF MY EXIT, LESS THAN 15 MPH, AND THE BACK END OF MY MUSTANG VERY QUICKLY FISHTAILED SPINNING ME ALL THE WAY AROUND. I ENDED UP FACING THE PEOPLE BEHIND ME, WHO FORTUNATELY WERE GOING AS SLOWLY AS I WAS. FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO STOP JUST SHORT OF HITTING A CONCRETE BARRIER WALL. THERE WAS A VERY LIGHT RAIN, AND THE ROADS WERE WET. I HAVE ALL NEW TIRES. I'VE HAD THIS PROBLEM SINCE WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, AND HAVE FISH-TAILED BEFORE, BUT NEVER SPUN COMPLETELY AROUND. COMPLETELY TERRIFYING. *KB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 19, 2011SuspensionODI 10426002

Service brakes, hydraulic

7 reports2 crashes
“BRAKE LIGHT AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT AND ABS LIGHT INTERMITTENT..THEN ON CONSTANTLY...HASN'T BEEN FIXED TOO EXPENSIVE...IN WET WEATHER, SLIPPERY, ICY WEATHER TIRES SPIN BECAUSE TRACTION CONTROL DOES NOT WORK...ABS CONTROL MODULE WENT BAD...THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HAVE BLOGS AND FORUMS COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS PART...I WILL POST THIS WEBSITE WITH HOPES THEY ALL COMPLAIN! *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 28, 2011Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10384838
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 27, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.