Problems · NHTSA complaints
2004 Ford Thunderbird problems
Owners filed 34 complaints about the 2004 Ford Thunderbird with NHTSA between Sep 2004 and Sep 2021. The most-cited component is vehicle speed control (9).
Complaints
34
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
5
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
6
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Vehicle speed control9
- Engine7
- Power train7
- Engine and engine cooling5
- Electrical system4
- Air bags3
- Service brakes, hydraulic2
- Fuel system, gasoline1
- Suspension1
- Wheels1
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 Nov 6, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
2
4
2
3
2
0
3
3
0
4
3
2
1
2
0
0
2
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2004 | 2 |
| 2005 | 4 |
| 2006 | 2 |
| 2007 | 3 |
| 2008 | 2 |
| 2009 | 0 |
| 2010 | 3 |
| 2011 | 3 |
| 2012 | 0 |
| 2013 | 4 |
| 2014 | 3 |
| 2015 | 2 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 2 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 1 |
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.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Vehicle speed control
9 reports2 crashes
“HAVE REPLACED VIA FORD DEALER THROTTLE CONTROL SENSOR TWICE. FIRST REPAIR 2007. SECOND REPAIR 2014, AND NOW IN 2020. I AM FACING SAME PROBLEM AGAIN. OBVIOUSLY THE CONTROL SYSTEM IS DEFECTIVE. THE PROBLEM TRIGGERS VEHICLE LIMP MODE WHILE DRIVING AND IN PARK.”
Engine
7 reports
“The contact owns a 2004 Ford Thunderbird. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact approached a stop sign and the vehicle stopped as needed; however, after the contact depressed on the accelerator pedal, the vehicle began to misfire and shuddered for several minutes. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer who inspected the vehicle and diagnosed that the failure was related to TSB 05-16-2 (moisture build up on the plugs and on the cylinder) that caused the vehicle to misfire. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 40,526.”
Power train
7 reports3 crashes
“DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY AT 50MPH COMING TO A TOWN AND A RED LIGHT I REMOVED MY FOOT FROM THE GAS PEDAL AND APPLIED THE BRAKES THE CAR DID NOT SLOW I APPLIED MORE PRESSURE ON THE BRAKES THE CAR SLOWED SOME BUT THE ENGINE KEPT REVING THE TRANSMISSION WAS NOT DOWN SHIFTING THE CAR WAS NOT STOPPING I GRABBED THE SHIFT LEVER AND SWITCHED GEARS BUT TO LATE AND WE HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF US STOPPED AT THE LIGHT.”
Engine and engine cooling
5 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD THUNDERBIRD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE ENGINE WOULD MISFIRE AND LOSE THROTTLE RESPONSE. THE VEHICLE LATER STALLED AND WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE MISFIRE WAS DUE TO A FAULTY ENGINE COIL. THE DEALER REPLACED THE ENGINE COIL BUT THE REPAIR DID NOT REMEDY THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18,500. UPDATED 01/18/12*LJ”
Electrical system
4 reports1 crash
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD THUNDERBIRD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO TURN OVER TO START THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE STALLED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES AND THEY REPLACED THE FILTER, THE REAR MODULE, THE VAPOR MANAGEMENT VALVE, THE VENT SOLENOID AND THE THROTTLE BODY BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.”
Air bags
3 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD THUNDERBIRD. THE CONTACT STATED THE REAR SIDE AIR BAG ON THE DRIVER SIDE DEPLOYED ABNORMALLY WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY THE DEALER AND THE DOOR WAS REMOVED BUT THE DEALER COULD NOT PROVIDE A REASON FOR THE AIR BAG FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 20,000. UPDATED 05/25/11 *BF THE CONSUMER CHECKED THE INJURED BOX. UPDATED 06/06/11”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 6, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.