2004 Ford Thunderbird Engine cooling Problems
- Complaints
- 5about this part
- Share
- 15%of 34 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 18,500miles
- Trend
- Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA recorded 5 complaints about the engine cooling of the 2004 Ford Thunderbird, 15% of the 34 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 18,500 miles.
Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“While driving a wrench light came on and the car would not move. It was like the transmission would not engage, even though it was in gear. I had to turn the car off, then restart the engine. After doing this the car ran ok for about 2 miles then the same thing happened. This time when restarted the check engine light stayed on. The dealer reset the computer. On 10-09-04 the same thing happened. The dealer now has the car trying to find the trouble. Each failure came without warning, causing the potential for a rear-end collision, because the car comes to a dead stop in traffic.”
NHTSA complaint #10095550, filed 2004-10, 4,000 miles“The contact owns a 2004 Ford Thunderbird. The contact stated that the spark plugs were causing damage to the engine. The dealer advised the contact to have the spark plugs removed and replaced with a different model spark plug. The manufacturer was aware of the failure yet no repairs were performed on the vehicle. The current and failure mileage was 6,000.”
NHTSA complaint #10412445, filed 2011-07, 6,000 miles“The contact owns a 2004 Ford Thunderbird. While driving 55 MPH, the contact heard a screeching noise and the vehicle began to vibrate without warning. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and they stated that the engine mount failed and needed to be replaced. The part is unavailable. The powertrain was unknown. The current and failure mileages were 48,000.”
NHTSA complaint #10214046, filed 2008-01, 48,000 miles“The contact owns a 2004 Ford Thunderbird. The contact stated that when starting the vehicle, the engine would misfire and lose throttle response. The vehicle later stalled and was taken to the dealer. The dealer advised the contact that the misfire was due to a faulty engine coil. The dealer replaced the engine coil but the repair did not remedy the failure. The failure mileage was 18,500. Updated 01/18/12”
NHTSA complaint #10440568, filed 2011-12, 18,500 milesRelated service bulletins
- 10109070Sep 21, 2016The Powertrain Control/Emissions Diagnosis (PC/ED) manual has been revised for diagnosing electronic throttle bodies (ETBs). The ETC_ACT and ETC_DSD PIDs should not used to…
- 10026402May 20, 2008Ford/lincoln mercury: certain 2003-2005 model year lincoln ls and ford thunderbird vehicles equipped with 3.9l engine with extended warranty coverage on ignition coil assemblies…
- 10017917May 1, 2005Unusual engine noise or engine knock concerns due to regular fuel.
- 10011162Aug 23, 2004Engine misfire or running - coil on plug (cop) ignition systems - wds cop kit diagnostic tips. To include various 2005 models. * ar this article 04161 supersedes tsb 03-14-04.
Engine cooling: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 3 | 11% |
| 2004 | 5 | 15% |
| 2003 | 3 | 9% |
| 2002 | 24 | 26% |
| 1997 | 54 | 32% |
| 1996 | 65 | 28% |
| 1995 | 49 | 19% |
| 1994 | 61 | 20% |
| 1993 | 171 | 40% |
| 1992 | 27 | 15% |
| 1991 | 14 | 13% |
| 1990 | 11 | 8% |
| 1989 | 13 | 10% |
| 1988 | 7 | 8% |
| 1987 | 4 | 7% |
| 1986 | 7 | 30% |
| 1985 | 1 | 7% |
| 1984 | 6 | 23% |
Other parts of the 2004 Ford Thunderbird
9 complaintsEngine
7 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
7 complaintsElectrical system
4 complaintsAir bags
3 complaintsBrakes
2 complaintsFuel system
1 complaintsSuspension
1 complaintsWheels
1 complaints
← All problems reported for the 2004 Ford Thunderbird
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology