RoadVitals

2004 Ford Mustang GT

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
14
Latest Jan 20, 2017
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
0
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
4
3 injuries, 0 deaths reported

Overview

Our database contains 14 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2004 Ford Mustang GT, most frequently naming the engine, brakes and electrical categories.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Engine423.5%
  • Brakes317.6%
  • Electrical211.8%
  • Airbags211.8%
  • Driver assistance211.8%
  • Fuel system15.9%
  • Exterior lighting15.9%
  • Other / unspecified15.9%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

No recalls in our database for this model year

That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

View all 14
Brakes
Filed Jan 20, 2017

FRONT BRAKES DRAG OR FREEEZE UP CAUSING EXTREME HEAT OR ACTUALLY STOP VEHICLE. CAR HAS 18,000 MILES. FRONT CALIPERS HAVE BEEN REBUILT TWICE. FIRST FAILURE AT TEN YEARS,THEN FAILED AFTER APX 3 YEARS. THE PROBLEM IS THE PHENOLIC PISTONS SWELL AFTER TIME OR DUE TO LOSE OF LUBRICATION. THEY CHANGE DIMENSION AND STICK IN THE CALIPER. THIS IS THE 3 RD VEHICLE WITH THE SAME PROBEM. 81 FORD F150, 98 FORD F150 FRONT DISK BRAKES. BOTH AFTER THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN ON THE ROAD ABOUT 10 YEARS. WHEN PISTONS HAVE BEEN REPLACED WITH METAL PISTONS I HAVE HAD NO MORE ISSUES WITH THE FRONT BRAKES. THE MUSTANG HAS NO METAL PISTON AVAILABLE AND HAD TO BE REBUILT WITH AFTER MARKET PHENOLIC PISTONS. THEY FAILED AGAIN PROBABLY BECAUSE OF LACK OF LUBRICATION OF BOOT AND PISTON. SOMEHOW I FEEL THIS IS A CHRONIC FAILURE AND HAPPENS A LOT WITHOUT ANYBODY BEING AWARE THAT TIME AND OR HEAT AFFECT THE PHENOLIC PISTON AND CAUSE BRAKE FAILURE.THIS FAILURE IS STRICTLY VEHICLE RELATED AND NOT DUE TO ANY EXTERNAL CAUSES EXCEPT TIME, HEAT, OR LUBRICATION. I FEEL THE WEIGHT OF THE NON METALLIC PISTON DOESN'T COMPENSATE FOR THE COST OF THE BRAKE FAILURE THAT IT CAUSES. I'VE BEEN TOLD BY FORD THAT THE PHENOLIC PISTONS WERE SELECTED TO SAVE WEIGHT.

NHTSA ID
10946801
Incident
Jan 19, 2017
Mileage
15,000 mi
Engine
Filed May 31, 2015

AFTER STARTING ENGINE, SPARK PLUG EJECTED FROM BLOCK AND EXPLODED. ENGINE WAS IMMEDIATELY SHUT DOWN AND HAULED TO A REPAIR MECHANIC. COST OF REPAIR WAS $2,400 AND VEHICLE WAS IN SHOP FOR 5 DAYS. EXPLOSION WAS LOUD AND COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT WITH THE SHOCK OF THE LOUD NOISE.

NHTSA ID
10722477
Incident
Apr 6, 2015
Mileage
142,000 mi
ElectricalEngineFuel system
Filed Mar 20, 2012

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

NHTSA ID
10452320
Incident
Mar 19, 2012
Mileage
46,699 mi
Engine
Filed Mar 14, 2012

ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS THE NUMBER FIVE SPARK PLUG KEEPS BLOWING OUT OF THE HEAD. THE CAR HAS MOTORCRAFT SPARK PLUGS AND ARE TORQUED TO THE FACTORY SPECIFICATIONS. WHILE LOOKING INTO THE PROBLEM ONLINE I FOUND OUT THAT IM NOT THE ONLY PERSON HAVING THIS PROBLEM. THE CRAZY THING IS THAT ITS IS ONLY HAPPENING WITH THE NUMBER FIVE PLUG. *TR

NHTSA ID
10451577
Incident
Mar 14, 2012
Mileage
75,000 mi
Brakes
Filed Feb 28, 2011

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

NHTSA ID
10384838
Incident
Jul 1, 2009
Driver assistanceElectricalExterior lighting+1 more
Filed Jul 17, 2010

THE TOP OF THE CLUTCH PEDAL ASSEMBLY WHEN DEPRESSED AND RELEASED RUBS THE WIRING HARNESS TO THE BRAKE SWITCH, NEUTRAL SAFETY SWITCH AND OTHERS SHORTING OUT THE BRAKE LIGHTS AND MAKING THE CRUISE CONTROL INOPERABLE. IT WORKS FOR A WHILE BUT THEN IT BLOWS THE FUSE AGAIN AND SOMEONE HAS TO STOP ME AND TELL ME MY BRAKE LIGHTS DON'T WORK. THE DEALER HAS REPLACED ONE OF THE WIRES FOR THE BRAKE SWITCH WHICH IS IN THAT SAME WIRING HARNESS AND SAYS THE PROBLEM IS FIXED BUT SOONER OR LATER IT WILL RUB THE REST OF THE WIRES BARE TOO. I HAVE ALSO REPLACED THE BRAKE SWITCH A COUPLE TIMES BECAUSE WHEN IT SHORTS OUT IT MELTS IT IF THE FUSE DOESN'T BLOW RIGHT AWAY. I AM AFRAID ONE TIME SOMEONE WILL REAR END ME OR I WILL GET A TICKET. *TR

NHTSA ID
10343764
Incident
Apr 28, 2009
Mileage
30,000 mi
Seat belts
Filed Jul 16, 2010

PASSENGER SIDE SEATBELT RETRACTOR COMPLETELY FAILED; MY PASSENGERS ARE NOT ABLE TO BUCKLE THEIR SEATBELT. *TR

NHTSA ID
10343559
Incident
Apr 1, 2010
Driver assistance
Filed Mar 15, 2010

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2004 MUSTANG GT. THE DEALER CONFIRMED THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH CAUSED THE FUSE FOR THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO BURN OUT, WHICH MADE THE BRAKE LIGHTS INOPERABLE. THE FUSE WAS REPLACED CONTINUOUSLY AND IT CONTINUED TO FAIL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE ON THE VEHICLE WAS 26000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 35000. UPDATED 06/03/10*BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE BRAKE LIGHTS WORK, BUT NOT THE CRUISE CONTROL HAS STOPPED WORKING ALTOGETHER. UPDATED 06/10/10.*JB

NHTSA ID
10319950
Incident
Apr 13, 2009
Mileage
26,000 mi

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Ford Mustang GT by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
20061511040.0
20051631039.6
2004Viewing140042.2
2003510244.6
2002480141.9
2001590145.8
2000641146.4
1999360141.7
1998530144.5
1997230138.8
1996320040.2

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.