no report yet
Front assembly: power adjust
Risk. THE SEAT MAY NOT PERFORM AS INTENDED DURING A CRASH WHICH COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF INJURY.
2004 Ford ThunderbirdProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 34 owner complaints about the 2004 Ford Thunderbird, most often about the vehicle speed control. It is covered by 1 safety recall.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through September 27, 2021. Updated daily. Photo: Eric Friedebach, CC BY 2.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2004 Ford Thunderbird has problems
34 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
9Vehicle speed control2 crash/fire/injury
7Power train3 crash/fire/injury
7Engine
5Engine and engine cooling
4Electrical system1 crash/fire/injury
3Air bags3 crash/fire/injury
2Service brakes, hydraulic
1Suspension
1Fuel system, gasoline
11 other systems
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle speed control | 9 | 2 |
| Power train | 7 | 3 |
| Engine | 7 | 0 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 5 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 4 | 1 |
| Air bags | 3 | 3 |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 2 | 0 |
| Suspension | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel system, gasoline | 1 | 0 |
| 1 other systems | 1 | 0 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
1 recall
2004 Ford Thunderbird 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.
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.
Best & worst years
2004 vs. every other Thunderbird 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 Thunderbird median. How we score
'67'70'71'72'73'74'75'76'77'78'79'80'83'84'85'86'87'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'02'03'04'05
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2004 Ford Thunderbird safety ratings
2004 Ford Thunderbird 2-DR Convertible w/SAB in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
Frontal crashNot rated
Side barrierNot rated
- Stability control: No
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
In owners' words
What Thunderbird owners report
Recent vehicle speed control complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
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.
ON THREE OCCASIONS AUTO ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. TRIED TO BREAK TO NO AVAIL. KEPT GOING FASTER. SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL, ENGINE KEPT RACING. WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO STOP VEHICLE. WENT TO DEALER. THEY COULD NOT FIND THE CAUSE..ONE EVENT IN A PARKING LOT, ONE ON THE INTERSTATE AND THE OTHER WHEN APPROACHING…
AS I WAS PARKING MY CAR, IT SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AT A VERY HIGH RATE OF SPEED. I WAS PARKING BY A WOODED AREA, AND WAS PROPELLED ABOUT 2 CAR LENGTHS INTO THE BUSHES IN THE WOODS (BARELY MISSING A TREE) BEFORE I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR. NOT CERTAIN IF THE CAR STOPPED BECAUSE OF MY BRAKING, OR…
Own a 2004 Thunderbird?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.