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KLUNK

2004 Ford Mustang

The Verdict

68 Solid Pick

The 2004 Ford Mustang has 130 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. The most reported issues are body (78 complaints) and engine (18 complaints). With a Klunk Score of 68/100, it earns a "Solid Pick" rating. If you're shopping for a Ford Mustang, consider the 2025 model year which has 90% fewer complaints.

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68

Klunk Score: Solid Pick

Fewer complaints than most vehicles. Generally dependable, but check the top problems below.

How is this calculated?

The Klunk Score ranks this vehicle year against all others in our database based on total owner complaints filed with NHTSA. 100 = fewest complaints (top tier), 0 = most complained-about. Scores above 60 are better than average; below 40 means more problems than most.

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Under the Hood

Each number is a complaint. Darker = bigger problem.

YearBodyBrakesElectricalEngineTransmission
2000169639210243
20019327608218
20027713386122
200310611367837
2004781116187
20051184551616224
2006105253189128
2007142193694930
200848112421129
200927413766
20104281821611
2011701413268182
201283716051162
20133651533243
201450122362424
2015175441037834
201616215769222
20171606383817
2018544266535
2019364275519
20203215242716
20211655227
20222326161
20241763593
202570401

By Category

Body
78
Engine
18
Electrical
16
Brakes
11
Transmission
7

By Severity

1
62
2
42
3
2
4
24

Worst Problems

Complaints

Engine 1

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

15d ago
Transmission 2

See attached document for complaint

27mo ago
Brakes 1

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 THIS BRAKE PROBLEM TO THIS BOARD. ) THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE TOTAL FRONT BRAKES AND MASTER CYLINDER SYSTEM. COST OVER $1100 TO DO THIS BACK IN 2013. IT IS NOW JAN 2021 AND I STILL HAVE LESS THAN 50,000 MILES ON MY BABY MUSTANG.

67mo ago
Engine 1

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

71mo ago
Body 4

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 AND WAS SIDESWIPED. AFTER LOOKING UNDER TO SEE WHAT WAS CAUSING THAT IT SEEMS TO BE MY GAS PEDAL WAS HUNG UP ON A PIECE OF CARPETING ON THE FLOOR OF THE CAR CAUSING MY GAS PEDAL TO BECOME STUCK TO THAT CARPET I HAD TO CUT THE PIECE OF CARPETING AWAY FROM THAT TO STOP THAT FROM DOING THAT LATER TO FIND OUT THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL WHEN I TOOK MY CAR FOR THE RECALL THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WAS ONLY ON SPECIFIC MUSTANGS I DON'T KNOW WHY IF MY CAR WAS HAVING THE SAME ISSUE THE POLICE OFFICER SAID HE WAS NOT GIVING ME A TICKET BECAUSE HE DIDN'T FEEL THAT I WAS AT FAULT BUT YET MY INSURANCE WENT UP AND PAID THE OTHER DRIVER FOR DAMAGES. BECAUSE IT'S BEEN THREE YEARS I WILL DO MY BEST TO GET THE PAPERWORK TOGETHER

80mo ago
Body 4

GAS PEDAL GOT CAUGHT ON A PIECE OF CARPET WHICH CAUSED MY CAR TO ENTER INTO AN INTERSECTION ON A RED LIGHT AND CAUSED ME TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT. WHICH THEN MADE MY INSURANCE JUMP. I REMEMBER THIS DAY VERY WELL IT WAS THE DAY BEFORE MY BIRTHDAY I CAME UP TO THE RED LIGHT AND STOPPED THE CAR SEEM TO WANT TO KEEP MOVING FORWARD AS I PUT MY FOOT ON THE BREAK IT WAS STILL A RED LIGHT MY CAR WAS MOVING FORWARD CARS WERE BEEPING AT ME AS I KEPT INCHING INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET MY CAR WAS HIT IN THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE BY ANOTHER MUSTANG. I EXPLAIN TO THE POLICE OFFICER THAT WHAT SEEM TO HAPPEN WAS MY CARPET SEEM TO HAVE GOTTEN CAUGHT ON THE GAS PEDAL. AFTER LATER LEARNING THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THAT PARTICULAR PROBLEM IT WASN'T RE CALLING UNDER MY VIN. TO THIS DAY I HAVE AN ACCIDENT MARK ON MY INSURANCE WHICH MADE MY BILL GO UP I DON'T THINK THAT THIS IS FAIR CONSIDERING THAT IT WAS NOT MY FAULT I TRIED SHOWING THE INSURANCE COMPANY THAT THERE WAS A RECALL BUT IT WASN'T RECALLING UNDER MY VIN NUMBER

82mo ago
Brakes 1

ABS BRAKE LIGHT IS ON THIS IS UNSAFE IN WET OR SNOWY CONDITIONS

88mo ago
Body 1

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.

93mo ago
Body 4

BACK IN 2016 I WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT IN WHICH MY GAS PEDAL SEEMED TO HAVE GOT HUNG UP ON THE CARPET WHICH CAUSED MY GAS PEDAL TO ACCELERATE A LITTLE WHEN I WAS AT A RED LIGHT CAUSING ME TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT.. I WAS COMING TO A STOP AT A RED LIGHT WHEN THE PEDAL SEEMED TO HAVE GOT STUCK. I HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE BUT THE CAR SEEMED TO WANT TO CONTINUE TO MOVE I JUST THOUGHT MY ACCELERATOR WAS SET A LITTLE HIGH UNTIL SAW THAT THE PEDAL WAS GETTING CAUGHT ON THE CARPET.

93mo ago
Body 4

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 NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED, BUT WAS NOT TOWED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 171,000.

95mo ago
Engine 1

THE SPARK PLUGS HAVE A TENDENCY TO BLOW OUT. AN EXPLOSION MAKES THE PLUG STRIP THE THREADS AND DO DAMAGE TO THE HEAD. THERE IS ALSO POTENTIAL FOR FIRE AS FUEL VAPOR IS THEN RELEASE DIRECTLY INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT.

109mo ago
Brakes 2

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.

115mo ago
Electrical 4

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2004 FORD MUSTANG. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, A VEHICLE RAN A RED LIGHT AND CRASHED HEAD ON INTO THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS TURNED SIDEWAYS AND CRASHED INTO A POLE. THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT WAS PINNED INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT PRIED THE DOOR OPEN TO RESCUE THE CONTACT. THE CONTACT WAS TRANSPORTED IN AN AMBULANCE TO THE HOSPITAL, BUT NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V802000 (AIR BAGS) IN DECEMBER OF 2015. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000.

118mo ago
Electrical 4

WE WERE IN AN ACCIDENT ON 2-28-2016 AND WAS HIT FROM THE SIDE AND PUSHED INTO A DITCH WHILE PASSING A FORD 250 HE TURNED INTO US WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT GO OFF.

126mo ago
Electrical 1

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD MUSTANG. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HEADLAMPS FAILED TO RESPOND INTERMITTENTLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED.

128mo ago
Body 2

FOR AT LEAST 5 YEARS THE CONVERTIBLE TOP LEAKS WATER INTO THE BACK OF THE CAR WHEN THE TOP FOLDS DOWN INTO THE BACK OF THE CAR, THEN THIS WATER LEAKS ONTO THE BACK FLOOR BOARDS. AFRAID IT IS GOING TO ROT OUT THE FLOOR BOARDS. THIS NEEDS TO BE TAKEN CARE OF. I KNOW OF MANY FORD MUSTANGS THAT DO THIS.

129mo ago
Engine 1

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.

135mo ago
Body 1

PASSENGER SIDE FRONT SEAT BELT RETRACTS ONLY AND WILL NOT EXTEND, SO THEREFORE IS NON-FUNCTIONAL. THIS IS NOT A CASE OF TWISTED BELT, AS WE HAVE ACCESSED THE PART AND ENSURED "FLAT" WIND. MY SON JUST BOUGHT CAR. PRIOR OWNER SAYS IT NEVER WORKED FOR SEVERAL YEARS. DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT IS ALSO BARELY FUNCTIONAL. BOTH PRESENT MAJOR SAFETY HAZARDS TO OCCUPANTS. LOOKING ON-LINE THIS SEEMS TO BE A WELL KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE MANUFACTURER'S DESIGN WHICH SHOULD BE CORRECTED. *TR

145mo ago
Electrical 2

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD MUSTANG. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE REPLICATED HOWEVER, THE DEALER MADE REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS UNSURE OF WHAT REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES AFTER THE REPAIRS WERE COMPLETED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE UNAVAILABLE.

168mo ago
Engine 1

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD MUSTANG. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, A LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A REPAIR SHOP WHERE THEY ADVISED THAT THE AIR COMPRESSOR CONDENSATION DRIPPED ONTO THE EXHAUST PIPE AND THE EXHAUST PIPED NEEDED TO BE RE-WELDED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT NOTIFIED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS ADVISED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE VEHICLE OR THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000.

170mo ago

130 total

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