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2004 Ford MustangProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 116 owner complaints about the 2004 Ford Mustang, most often about the vehicle speed control. It is covered by 1 safety recall.

2004 Ford Mustang
64
CarFlaw IndexSolid year44% below the Mustang median · #32 of 41 years by complaints
Safety recalls1Free fix at dealersOwner complaints11628 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage9kVehicle speed control, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through July 3, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: MercurySable99, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2004 Ford Mustang has problems

116 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Vehicle speed control334
Air bags98
Power train91
Suspension70
Engine and engine cooling62
Tires60
Service brakes, hydraulic51
Structure40
Equipment40
13 other systems282

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

1 recall

2004 Ford Mustang recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

–no report yet

Vehicle speed control: accelerator pedal

Recall 06V-108 · Apr 7, 2006 · 19,140 vehicles

Risk. THIS COULD INTERFERE WITH THE PEDAL'S ABILITY TO RETURN TO AN IDLE POSITION.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Ford.

Mileage at failure

When do vehicle speed control problems start?

9kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 27 vehicle speed control complaints. 93% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
23under 30k miles25under 100k miles2100k miles or more
Best & worst years

2004 vs. every other Mustang year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Mustang median. How we score

'67'68'69'70'71'72'73'74'76'77'78'79'80'81'82'83'84'85'86'87'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

2004 Ford Mustang safety ratings

2004 Ford Mustang Convertible in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

2004 Ford Mustang side barrier test, NHTSA
Side barrierNot rated
  • Stability control: No
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
3 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2004 Ford Mustang, and the recalls they led to.

  1. SPARK PLUG EJECTION FROM CYLINDER HEADDP05005 · closed Jan 4, 2006
    No recall
  2. ACCELERATOR PEDAL INTERFERENCEEA05014 · closed Apr 10, 2006
    Led to recall 06V-108
  3. ACCELERATOR PEDAL INTERFERENCEPE05038 · closed Sep 13, 2005
    No recall
In owners' words

What Mustang owners report

Recent vehicle speed control complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

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.
Complaint 11154012 · Nov 26, 2018 · 169,865 miles
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD MUSTANG. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO DRIVE OFF FROM A PARKING SPACE, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED FROM 0 TO APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE OF ANOTHER VEHICLE THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THERE WERE…
Complaint 11124281 · Sep 4, 2018 · 171,000 miles
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD MUSTANG. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS AND ENGAGING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE PEDAL WOULD BECOME STUCK. AS A RESULT, THERE WAS AN INCREASE IN ENGINE RPMS.THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT SHE WOULD HAVE TO KICK AT THE PEDAL OR ENGAGE THE BRAKES…
Complaint 10462718 · Jun 22, 2012 · 65,000 miles

Own a 2004 Mustang?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.