2004 FORD MUSTANG service

On board diagnostics (OBD-II)
Your vehicle is equipped with a computer that
monitors the engine’s emission control system. This
system is commonly known as the On Board
Diagnostics System (OBD-II). This OBD-II system
protects the environment by ensuring that your
vehicle continues to meet government emission
standards. The OBD-II system also assists the
service technician in properly servicing your vehicle.
When theCheck Engine/Service Engine Soonlight
illuminates, the OBD-II system has detected a
malfunction. Temporary malfunctions may cause
yourCheck Engine/Service Engine Soonlight to
illuminate. Examples are:
1. The vehicle has run out of fuel. (The engine may
misfire or run poorly.)
2. Poor fuel quality or water in the fuel.
3. The fuel cap may not have been securely
tightened.
These temporary malfunctions can be corrected by
filling the fuel tank with good quality fuel and/or
properly tightening the fuel cap. After three driving
cycles without these or any other temporary
malfunctions present, theCheck Engine/Service
Engine Soonlight should turn off. (A driving cycle
consists of a cold engine startup followed by mixed
city/highway driving.) No additional vehicle service is
required.
If theCheck Engine/Service Engine Soonlight
remains on, have your vehicle serviced at the first
available opportunity.
Readiness for Inspection/Maintenance (I/M)
testing
In some localities, it may be a legal requirement to
pass an I/M test of the on-board diagnostics system.
If your“Check Engine/Service Engine Soon”light is
on, refer to the description in theWarning lights
and chimessection of theInstrument cluster
chapter. Your vehicle may not pass the I/M test with
the“Check Engine/Service Engine Soon”light on.
2004 Mustang(mus)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Maintenance and Specifications
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If the vehicle’s powertrain system or its battery has
just been serviced, the on-board diagnostics system
is reset to a“not ready for I/M test”condition. To
ready the on-board diagnostics system for I/M
testing, a minimum of 30 minutes of city and
highway driving is necessary as described below:
•First, at least 10 minutes of driving on an
expressway or highway.
•Next, at least 20 minutes driving in stop-and-go,
city-type traffic with at least four idle periods.
Allow the vehicle to sit for at least eight hours
without starting the engine. Then, start the engine
and complete the above driving cycle. The engine
must warm up to its normal operating temperature.
Once started, do not turn off the engine until the
above driving cycle is complete.
CHECKING AND ADDING POWER STEERING
FLUID
Check the power steering fluid. Refer to the
scheduled maintenance guide for the service interval
schedules. If adding fluid is necessary, use only
MERCONAT F.
If your vehicle is
equipped with the
OHV V6 engine,
check the power
steering fluid level with
the engine at normal
operating temperature.
1. Start the engine and
let it run until it
reaches normal
operating temperature
(the engine coolant
temperature gauge
indicator will be near
the center of the
normal area between H
and C).
FILL
HOT
2004 Mustang(mus)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Maintenance and Specifications
194

BRAKE FLUID RESERVOIR
The fluid level will drop
slowly as the brakes
wear, and will rise
when the brake
components are
replaced. Fluid levels below the“MAX”line that do
not trigger the brake system warning lamp are
within the normal operating range, there is no need
to add fluid. If the fluid levels are outside of the
normal operating range, the performance of your
brake system could be compromised, seek service
from your dealer immediately.
CLUTCH ADJUSTMENT (IF EQUIPPED)
Check the clutch
adjustment. Refer to
the scheduled
maintenance guide for
the service interval
schedules.
The clutch on your
vehicle is operated by a
cable. As necessary, adjust the clutch as described
below.
1. Turn the engine off and shift into 1 (First).
2. Put your foot under the clutch pedal and gently
pull it up until the pedal stops.
3. Push the clutch pedal down slowly. You will hear a
click as the clutch adjusts itself.
TRANSMISSION FLUID
Checking automatic transmission fluid
(if equipped)
Refer to your scheduled maintenance guide for
scheduled intervals for fluid checks and changes.
Your transmission does not consume fluid. However,
the fluid level should be checked if the transmission
is not working properly, i.e., if the transmission slips
or shifts slowly or if you notice some sign of fluid
leakage.
M
A
X
2004 Mustang(mus)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Maintenance and Specifications
196

Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based
on the wear rate of the tire when tested under
controlled conditions on a specified government test
course. For example, a tire graded 150 would wear
one and one-half (1 1/2) times as well on the
government course as a tire graded 100. The relative
performance of tires depends upon the actual
conditions of their use, however, and may depart
significantly from the norm due to variations in
driving habits, service practices, and differences in
road characteristics and climate.
Traction AA A B C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest are AA,
A, B, and C. The grades represent the tire’s ability to
stop on wet pavement as measured under controlled
conditions on specified government test surfaces of
asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C may have
poor traction performance.
The traction grade assigned to this tire is
based on straight-ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include acceleration, cornering,
hydroplaning or peak traction characteristics.
Temperature A B C
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B and
C, representing the tire’s resistance to the
generation of heat and its ability to dissipate heat
when tested under controlled conditions on a
specified indoor laboratory test wheel. Sustained
high temperature can cause the material of the tire
to degenerate and reduce tire life, and excessive
temperature can lead to sudden tire failure. The
grade C corresponds to a level of performance which
all passenger car tires must meet under the Federal
Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 109. Grades B
and A represent higher levels of performance on the
laboratory test wheel than the minimum required by
law.
2004 Mustang(mus)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Maintenance and Specifications
201

The temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is properly inflated
and not overloaded. Excessive speed,
underinflation, or excessive loading, either
separately or in combination, can cause heat
buildup and possible tire failure.
TIRES
Tires are designed to give many thousands of miles
of service, but they must be maintained in order to
get the maximum benefit from them.
Glossary of tire terminology
•Tire label:A label showing the OE (Original
Equipment) tire sizes, recommended inflation
pressure and the maximum weight the vehicle can
carry.
•Tire Identification Number (TIN):A number
on the sidewall of each tire providing information
about the tire brand and manufacturing plant, tire
size and date of manufacturer.
•Inflation pressure:A measure of the amount of
air in a tire.
•Standard load:A class of P-metric or Metric
tires designed to carry a maximum load at 35 psi
[37 psi (2.5 bar) for Metric tires]. Increasing the
inflation pressure beyond this pressure will not
increase the tires load carrying capability.
•Extra load:A class of P-metric or Metric tires
designed to carry a heavier maximum load at 41
psi [43 psi (2.9 bar) for Metric tires]. Increasing
the inflation pressure beyond this pressure will
not increase the tires load carrying capability.
•kPa:Kilopascal, a metric unit of air pressure.
•PSI:Pounds per square inch, a standard unit of
air pressure.
•B-pillar:The structural member at the side of
the vehicle behind the front door.
2004 Mustang(mus)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Maintenance and Specifications
202

•Bead area of the tire:Area of the tire next to
the rim.
•Sidewall of the tire:Area between the bead
area and the tread.
•Tread area of the tire:Area of the perimeter of
the tire that contacts the road when mounted on
the vehicle.
•Rim:The metal support (wheel) for a tire or a
tire and tube assembly upon which the tire beads
are seated.
INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE TIRE
SIDEWALL
Federal law requires tire manufacturers to place
standardized information on the sidewall of all tires.
This information identifies and describes the
fundamental characteristics of the tire and also
provides a tire identification number for safety
standard certification and in case of a recall.
Information on“P”type tires
P215/65R15 95H is an
example of a tire size,
load index and speed
rating. The definitions
of these items are
listed below. (Note that
the tire size, load index
and speed rating for
your vehicle may be
different than this
example.)
1.P:Indicates a tire, designated by the Tire and Rim
Association (T&RA), that maybe used for service on
cars, SUVs, minivans and light trucks.
Note:If your tire size does not begin with a letter
this may mean it is designated by either ETRTO
(European Tire and Rim Technical Organization) or
JATMA (Japan Tire Manufacturing Association).
2004 Mustang(mus)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Maintenance and Specifications
203

Additional information contained on the tire
sidewall for“LT”type tires
“LT”type tires have
some additional
information than those
of“P”type tires; these
differences are
described below:
1.LT:Indicates a tire,
designated by the Tire
and Rim Association
(T&RA), that is
intended for service on
light trucks.
2.Load Range/Load Inflation Limits:Indicates
the tires load-carrying capabilities and its inflation
limits.
3.Maximum Load Dual kg (lbs.) at kPa (psi)
cold:Indicates the maximum load and tire pressure
when the tire is used as a dual; a dual is defined as
when four tires are put on the rear axle (a total of
six or more tires on the vehicle).
4.Maximum Load Single kg (lbs.) at kPa (psi)
cold:Indicates the maximum load and tire pressure
when the tire is used as a single; a single is defined
as when two tires (total) are put on the rear axle.
2004 Mustang(mus)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Maintenance and Specifications
207

Information on“T”type tires
T145/80D16 is an
example of a tire size.
Note:The temporary
tire size for your
vehicle may be
different than this
example.
1.T:Indicates a type
of tire, designated by
the Tire and Rim
Association (T&RA),
that is intended for
temporary service on
cars, SUVs, minivans and light trucks.
2.145:Indicates the nominal width of the tire in
millimeters from sidewall edge to sidewall edge. In
general, the larger the number, the wider the tire.
3.80:Indicates the aspect ratio which gives the
tires ratio of height to width. Numbers of 70 or
lower indicate a short sidewall.
4.D:Indicates a“diagonal”type tire.
R:Indicates a“radial”type tire.
5.16:Indicates the wheel or rim diameter in inches.
If you change your wheel size, you will have to
purchase new tires to match the new wheel
diameter.
Location of the tire label
You will find a tire label containing tire inflation
pressure by tire size and other important
information located on the B-Pillar or the driver’s
door.
TIRE CARE
Improper or inadequate vehicle maintenance can
also cause tires to wear abnormally. Here are some
of the important maintenance items
SPARETIRE
TEMPORARYUSEONLYINFLATETO60P.S.I.T
T145/80D16105M
2004 Mustang(mus)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Maintenance and Specifications
208