2004 Ford Mustang Problems, Complaints & Recalls

Source: NHTSA · Updated Jul 3, 2026 · 116 owner complaints analyzed

Compared with other Mustang years
Far fewer complaints than other years 26th of 32 for complaints
NHTSA crash rating
Not rated

Owners have filed 116 complaints with NHTSA about the 2004 Ford Mustang. That ranks 26th out of 32 Mustang model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is vehicle speed control (33 complaints, 28%), typically at around 8,200 miles. Complaints mention 20 crashes, 8 injuries. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 3 defect investigations involving it.

Ford Mustang
A 2024 Ford Mustang GT at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2025.. Representative photo; appearance varies by model year. Photo: TaurusEmerald, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.

Compare with another car

Most common 2004 Ford Mustang problems

Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.

Vehicle Speed Control33 · ~8,200 mi
Unknown or Other15 · ~7,980 mi
Air Bags9 · ~36,000 mi
Power Train9 · ~16,400 mi
Suspension7 · ~6,308 mi
Engine and Engine Cooling6 · ~12,750 mi
Tires6 · ~45,000 mi
Service Brakes, Hydraulic5 · ~12,789 mi
Equipment4 · ~7,000 mi
Structure4 · ~1,600 mi
Problem areaComplaintsShareMedian milesOwners mention mostTypical repair cost
Vehicle Speed Control3328%8,200——
Unknown or Other1513%7,980——
Air Bags98%36,000——
Power Train98%16,400——
Suspension76%6,308——
Engine and Engine Cooling65%12,750——
Tires65%45,000——
Service Brakes, Hydraulic54%12,789——
Equipment43%7,000——
Structure43%1,600——
Electrical System33%61,000——
Engine33%83,000——
Fuel System, Gasoline33%9,800——
Steering33%20,939——
Exterior Lighting22%86,563——
Fuel/propulsion System22%———
Parking Brake22%47,213——
Seat Belts22%111,000——
Seats22%1,340——
Service Brakes22%69,000——
Visibility22%16,232——
Electronic Stability Control11%12,789——
Fuel System, Other11%9,000——

One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.

Complaints by year received

Peak: 2005, with 58 complaints
2003: 1200312004: 10102005: 582005582006: 992007: 5200752008: 442009: 4200942010: 222011: 2201122012: 552014: 1201412015: 222016: 2201622017: 112018: 3201832019: 332020: 1202012021: 112024: 1202412026: 11

n = 116 complaints · Source: NHTSA

2004 Ford Mustang recalls (1)

Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.

Vehicle speed control:accelerator pedalApr 7, 2006 · NHTSA campaign 06V108000 · 19,140 vehicles

Problem: On certain mustang cobra passenger vehicles, the rear surface of the accelerator pedal may come into contact with floor carpeting during heavy throttle application. The unique surface profile of the accelerator pedal may catch in the cutout on the floor carpeting behind the accelerator pedal.

Risk: This could interfere with the pedal's ability to return to an idle position. Unexpected, continued throttle application and/or increased stopping distances may occur which could result in a crash.

Fix: Dealers will install a shield over the cutout in the carpet behind the accelerator pedal. The recall began on april 26, 2006. Owners may contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.

To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.

NHTSA defect investigations

  • Spark plug ejection from cylinder head (DP05005) — opened Sep 22, 2005, closed Jan 4, 2006.
  • Accelerator pedal interference (EA05014) — opened Sep 13, 2005, closed Apr 10, 2006, led to recall 06V108000.
  • Accelerator pedal interference (PE05038) — opened Jul 7, 2005, closed Sep 13, 2005.

Recent owner reports

Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.

Po442 Evaporative Emmison system leak. Heat catalyst egr set malfunctions. Primary and secondary a/c system deficiencies.

Engine · received Jul 3, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11748219

See attached document for complaint

Power Train · received Apr 12, 2024 · NHTSA complaint 11582528

Casual driver. Noticed acceleration and coasting/rolling were sluggish. Mechanic noted brake area temp on front driver's side was over 400 degrees. The brakes on that wheel would not release completely and caused continuous friction producing overheating. (i noticed i am not the only one to submit…

Service Brakes · received Jan 9, 2021 · NHTSA complaint 11387317

Never know when car is fully gas up always put gas in at 1/4 to 1/2 tank, will overfill if not very carefully so really just put no more than 10 to 15 dallas never shows full. Do not want to overflow on me for one two it's bad for my baby #1 mustang

Fuel/propulsion System · received Aug 27, 2020 · NHTSA complaint 11351676

Back on march 1, 2016 i believe i was coming to a stop light i applied my foot on the break and the car seem to wanna keep inching forward inching forward i had at this time continued to press down on the break as soon as i knew it i was in the middle of the street practically during a red light…

Unknown or Other · received Dec 1, 2019 · NHTSA complaint 11283074

Other Ford Mustang years

← 2003 Mustang · 2005 Mustang →

See all Ford Mustang problems by year, every Ford model, or the Ford VIN decoder.

Similar Ford models

Embed this 2004 Ford Mustang badge on your site

Copy this code into your blog or forum post. It shows live complaint and recall counts and links back here.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2004 Ford Mustang?

Owners most often report vehicle speed control, unknown or other, air bags problems. The top one, vehicle speed control, accounts for 33 complaints.

Was there a recall on the 2004 Ford Mustang?

Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.

Was the 2004 Ford Mustang a good year?

Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Mustang model years, the 2004 has far fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.