2004 Ford Mustang vs 2004 Mazda RX-8
Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.
| Metric | 2004 Ford Mustang | 2004 Mazda RX-8 |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 116 | 489 |
| Recall campaigns | 1 | 10 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 33 | 201 |
| Investigations | 3 | 4 |
| Crash reports | 20 | 17 |
| Fire reports | 0 | 10 |
| NCAP overall rating | — | — |
| EPA MPG (combined) | 17–21 | 18 |
| Median reported incident mileage | 13,892 mi | 68,191 mi |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Ford Mustang | Mazda RX-8 |
|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 9 | 154 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 6 | 106 |
| Steering | 3 | 80 |
| Air Bags | 9 | 50 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 33 | 11 |
| Electrical System | 3 | 33 |
| Engine | 3 | 33 |
| Suspension | 7 | 17 |
Symptoms owners describe
| Stalling | 6 | 59 |
| Check engine light | 0 | 20 |
| Loss of power | 0 | 19 |
| Rust / corrosion | 0 | 18 |
| Steering problems | 0 | 17 |
| Won’t start | 0 | 16 |
| Vibration / shaking | 0 | 10 |
| Overheating | 0 | 8 |
2004 Ford Mustang
2004 Mazda RX-8
Compare all Ford Mustang vs Mazda RX-8 years →
Method. Complaints are unique NHTSA reports. A vehicle that sold more units will naturally accumulate more complaints — use shares and read the underlying reports before drawing conclusions.