- The problem
- Ford is recalling certain 1997 through 2003 model year ford f-150, 2004 model year ford f-150 heritage, 1997 through 1999 model year f-250 less than 8,500 lbs. Gross vehicle weight rating (gvwr), and 2002 and 2003 lincoln blackwood vehicles manufactured from june 20, 1995, through august 4, 2004, originally sold, or currently registered in, connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, kentucky, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, west virginia, wisconsin, and the district of columbia. Prolonged exposure to road deicing chemicals may cause severe corrosion of the fuel tank straps which secure the tank to the vehicle.
- The risk
- As a result of the corrosion, one or both straps may fail allowing the fuel lines to separate from the tank, or in some cases, causing the tank to contact the ground. Either scenario may result in a fuel leak presenting a fire hazard.
- The fix
- Ford will notify owners and instruct them to take their vehicles to a ford or lincoln dealer to have the fuel tank straps replaced with straps that have increased corrosion protection. Early in this campaign, if replacement straps are not available, dealers may install a cable support under the strap as an interim repair or a steel reinforcement over the existing strap as a permanent repair. Any repairs will be performed free of charge. The safety recall began on september 16, 2011. Owners may contact ford motor company customer relationship center at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's recall campaign number is 11s21
Vehicle safety record
2004 Ford F-150 Problems, complaints & recalls
Owners have filed 2,036 complaints about the 2004 Ford F-150 with NHTSA, most often about the visibility & wipers (866) and the engine & cooling (259). Those complaints describe 75 crashes, 40 fires, 74 injuries and 6 deaths. It is covered by 16 recalls, the latest in July 2011 for the mounting. For comparison, the 2003 has 465 and the 2005 has 0.
NHTSA data checked
FFar more problems than a typical F-150 year, for its age
#2 most complained-about 2004 vehicle
- Complaints
- 2,036
- Recalls
- 16
- Crashes
- 75
- Fires
- 40
- Injuries
- 74
- Deaths
- 6
Most common 2004 Ford F-150 problems
Share of all 2,036 complaints. One complaint can name more than one area. Tap an area for its complaints and recalls.
2004 Ford F-150 recalls 16
Recall repairs are free. Your dealer fixes them whether or not you bought the car there - check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if yours is done. What to do
- The problem
- Ford is recalling certain model year 2004-2006 f-150 pick up trucks as well as certain model year 2006 lincoln mark lt vehicles. If the clockspring jumper wire comes in contact with the driver side frontal air bag lower horn plate, the wire insulation may become chafed, creating a potential for a short circuit. If this occurs the air bag warning lamp may illuminate indicating that service is required.
- The risk
- The driver side frontal air bag could inadvertently deploy increasing the risk of injury or loss of vehicle control if occurring while in motion.
- The fix
- Ford will notify owners and instruct them to take their vehicles to a ford or lincoln/mercury dealer to have a new clockspring jumper wire installed that incorporates a protective mesh cover. Repairs will be performed free of charge. This safety recall began on some vehicles in march 2011. The recall campaign on the expanded population is expected to begin on or about may 9, 2011. Owners may contact the ford motor company customer relationship center at 1-866-436-7332.
- The problem
- Dope, inc. Is recalling 42,540 combination corner and bumper lamp assemblies of various part numbers sold for use as aftermarket equipment for various passenger vehicles. These headlamps fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." These lamps do not contain the required amber side reflectors.
- The risk
- Decreased lighting visibility may result in a vehicle crash.
- The fix
- Dope, inc. Will notify owners and offer a full refund for the noncompliant combination lamps. The safety recall began on july 28, 2009. Owners may contact dope, inc. At 1-626-272-1798.
- The problem
- Sabersport is recalling 16,270 combination corner and bumper lamp assemblies of various part numbers sold for use as aftermarket equipment for various passenger vehicles. These headlamps fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." These lamps do not contain the required amber side reflectors.
- The risk
- Decreased lighting visibility may result in a vehicle crash.
- The fix
- Sabersport will notify owners and offer a full refund for the noncompliant combination lamps. The safety recall began on may 11, 2009. Owners may contact sabersport at 1-909-598-7589.
- The problem
- Certain spyder headlamp replacement assemblies sold for use on 2004 through 2007 ford f150 pickup trucks. During production, the headlamps were internally misaligned and they fail the photometry requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment.
- The risk
- The purpose of this standard is to reduce traffic crashes and deaths and injuries by providing adequate illumination of the roadway.
- The fix
- Spyder will notify owners and offer a full reimbursement for any noncompliant headlamps. The recall is expected to begin during november 2007. Owners can contact spyder at 866-558-4264.
- The problem
- Certain headlamp assemblies imported and sold as aftermarket equipment by sonar auto parts for use on 2004-2007 ford f150 pickup trucks. During production, the headlamps were internally misaligned and they fail the photometry requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment.
- The risk
- The purpose of this standard is to reduce traffic crashes and deaths and injuries by providing adequate illumination of the roadway.
- The fix
- Sonar will notify owners and offer a full reimbursement for any noncompliant headlamps. The recall began on december 14, 2007. Owners can contact sonar at 866-558-4264.
- The problem
- Certain eagle eyes headlamp assemblies, p/nos. Fr390-b001l and fr390-b001r, sold for use as replacement equipment for the above listed passenger vehicles. The thickness is unstable inhibiting the performance of the upper and lower beams which fails to conform to the photometric requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment.
- The risk
- Decreased lighting visibility may result in a vehicle crash.
- The fix
- Eagle eyes will notify owners and offer reimbursement for any noncompliant headlights. The recall began on november 6, 2007. Owners may contact eagle eyes at 1-800-568-1098.
- The problem
- Certain cequent 90 degree 7-way right angle adaptors sold by distributors in tow packages for aftermarket sales to tow 5th wheel rv travel trailers. Due to incorrect wiring of the harness, the trailer lights may not operate properly.
- The risk
- If the trailer lights are not working properly, a vehicle crash can occur.
- The fix
- All of the defective tow packages are still at the distributor level and have not been sold to any consumers.
- The problem
- On certain pickup trucks, passenger vehicles, sport utility vehicles, and motor homes chassis, the speed control deactivation switch may, under certain conditions, leak internally and then overheat, smoke, or burn.
- The risk
- THIS COULD RESULT IN AN UNDERHOOD FIRE.
- The fix
- Dealers will install a fused wiring harness. Owners of the passenger cars included in this campaign will be instructed to return their vehicles to their dealers to have the speed control deactivation switch disconnected as an interim repair. As soon as repair parts are available (expected october 2007), owners will be instructed to return to the dealers for installation of a fused wiring harness. The recall began on august 13, 2007, and mailing completed by september 19, 2007. Owners may contact ford at 1-888-222-2751.
- The problem
- Certain tradesonic combination lamps sold as replacement lamps for use on the above listed passenger vehicles. Combination lamps not equipped with amber side reflectors fail to conform with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment.
- The risk
- Lack of amber side reflectors in the lamps will decrease lighting visibility to other drivers and may possibly result in a vehicle crash.
- The fix
- Tradesonic will notify owners and replace the lamps free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during july 2006. Owners may contact tradesonic at 626-934-8884.
- The problem
- Certain aai motorsports combination lamps sold as replacement lamps for use on the above list passenger vehicles. Combination lamps not equipped with amber side reflectors fail to conform with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment."
- The risk
- Lack of amber side reflectors in the lamps will decrease lighting visibility to other drivers and may possibly result in a vehicle crash
- The fix
- Aai motorsports will notify owners and replace the lamps free of charge. The recall began on august 1, 2006. Owners may contact aai motorsports at 909-923-9188.
- The problem
- Certain aftermarket fuel filters sold under the purolator brand name, p/n f65277, shipped from january 16 through june 2, 2006, for use on the above listed passenger vehicles. Due to incorrect design, the quick connectors may not fully seat with the tube interface, even though the person making the connection may believe that the quick connector is fully attached.
- The risk
- Failure of this connection could lead to fuel spillage and, in the presence of an ignition source, a fire could occur.
- The fix
- Ufi will notify owners and replace the filters free of charge. The recall began on august 4, 2006. Owners may contact ufi filters usa at 800-230-5876.
- The problem
- Certain eagle eyes headlamps, p/nos. Fr208-b101r, fr208-b101l, fr208-b001r, and fr208-b001l, sold for use as replacement equipment for the passenger vehicles listed above. These headlamps fail to conform to the photometric requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment.
- The risk
- Decreased lighting visibility may result in a vehicle crash.
- The fix
- Sabry lee will notify owners and offer full credit for any noncompliant headlamp. The recall is expected to begin on june 14, 2006. Owners may contact sabry lee account executive at 1-866-467-2279.
- The problem
- Certain anzo combination headlamp assemblies sold as replacement lamps for use on certain passenger vehicles. Some combination lamps are not equipped with amber side reflectors which fail to conform to federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment."
- The risk
- Without the amber reflectors, the vehicle will be poorly illuminated, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash.
- The fix
- Anzo will notify owners and replace the headlamps free of charge. The recall began may 9, 2006. Owners may contact anzo usa at 909-468-3688.
- The problem
- On certain trucks equipped with 4.2L, 4.6L and 5.4L gasoline engines, the fuel tank may have a depression at the seam between the top and bottom halves of the tank. If a depression is large enough, fuel may permeate the fuel tank wall resulting in a fuel odor, illumination, of the "service engine soon" indicator light, or a fuel leak.
- The risk
- Fuel leakage, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire.
- The fix
- Dealers will replace the fuel tank. The recall began september 17, 2004. Owners should contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.
- The problem
- Certain pickup trucks may have a fuel tank with localized depressions in the fuel tank wall at the seam between top and bottom halves of the tank. If a depression is large enough, fuel may permeate the fuel tank wall resulting in a fuel odor, or the "service engine soon" indicator light in the instrument cluster may illuminate.
- The risk
- If left uncorrected, a fuel leak could eventually develop.
- The fix
- Dealers will replace the fuel tank on these vehicles. Owner notification began on may 6, 2004. Owners should contact ford at 1-800-248-0186.
What owners say
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2,036 complaints about the 2004 Ford F-150
Newest first, as filed with NHTSA by owners. Page 1 of 82.
Vehicle was in an accident with major front and damage and none of the airbags deployed
The contact owns a 2004 Ford F-150. The contact stated that the seatbelt pretensioners for all seats failed, and the frontal airbags for the driver seat and front passenger seat were inoperable. The seatbelt warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with faulty seatbelt pretensioners. A dealer was contacted and informed that parts were unavailable for the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 49,800.
Rear-end. The rear drivers side tire fell off while driving on a side street. With no noise or wobble or evidence of a problem. 2 days earlier my family and I were going 70 on an express way. Upon shops inspection the bearing was no longer working but wheel kept rolling, it egged out the housing of the axle shaft and heated up that point of axle and snapped the shaft at that spot. The picture will show this point.
There is a recall on this vehicle
My Teenage daughter was in a car accident and the airbags did not deploy and her seatbelt did not lock , and smashed into her steering wheel.
Electrical malfunction with fuses , problems with brake light, engine light and air bag light . Some fuses blown out after brake light fuse popped wipers don't work at all air bog turns on and off every day not sure why
The vehicle rolled and killed the occupant because the roof caved in. The shoulder portion of the seat belt did not hold the occupant (only the lap portion) and the occupant was partially ejected out of the rear of the cab. The vehicle was inspected and purchased by State Farm insurance since the vehicle was totaled. The 2000's Ford F-150s have roofs that are too weak to support the weight of the vehicle, thereby putting the occupants in danger of injury or death. This is well documented. There were no warnings.
The contact owns a 2004 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds, the vehicle shuddered and failed to accelerate while the accelerator pedal was depressed. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact pulled over to the shoulder of the roadway and was able to restart the vehicle. The contact scanned the vehicle with a scanner and retrieved an unknown camshaft phaser error code. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
Frame on 2004 new body style ford f-150 rusted to the point no longer safe to drive according to 2 licensed repair shops. There is no recall on vin number [[redacted]] However I have been told there are other recalls on frame rust on this same model from 2004-2008. Please know I bought this truck brand new and only have operated on roadway no off roading. This is my primary vehicle. Please advice what can be done. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The contact owns a 2004 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 50 MPH, the engine began revving: however, the vehicle to accelerate properly. The transmission fault warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the residence. The vehicle was inspected by independent mechanic at the residence, and it was determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 145,000.
I have a suspect that keeps adding air in brake lines of this vehicle. Police gave me permanent case number, but the guy is still breathing. Idk what to do, as he has done it on all our cars and on this F150 about 4 different times. The name of suspect is [[redacted]] , [[redacted]] . INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The contact owns a 2004 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle made an abnormal popping sound and then lost motive power. The contact was able to drive to the residence. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that the spark plug had blown out of the cylinder and determined that the spark plug needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 364,000. The VIN was unavailable.
I get a warning message which indicates the the Crash Sensor is not working on my Ford truck - this component inflates the Air Bag in the event of a crash. The part number for the Crash Sensor is Motorcraft 6L3Z-14B004-AA. I attempted to purchase a replacement Crash Sensor from a local Ford dealer. I was told that Ford no longer makes this part. The parts manager suggested that I check with local aftermarket parts stores; Advance Auto Parts, AutoZone, Fisher and NAPA. Nobody makes an aftermarket Crash Sensor...
Read the full complaint
for my vehicle. I also searched Amazon without success. I am therefore driving a vehicle with Air Bags which will not deploy - possibly causing a fatality. It seems like the manufacturer, Ford, should be required to sell replacement Crash Sensors until they become available as an Aftermarket Product.
The contact owns a 2004 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to report the failure to the NHTSA Hotline. The contact was also informed that the repair could not be covered under NHTSA Campaign Number: 11V107000 (Air Bags) because the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was approximately 93,000.
The contact owns a 2004 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked in the driveway, the vehicle caught on fire inside the cab. The contact stated that she attempted to put the fire out with a water hose. The fire department was called and was able to put out the fire. No injuries were reported. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to a local mechanic or dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage is unknown.
There are large holes in the frame, and the shackles are ready to fall off. Suspension is falling apart. Brakes are not safe for stopping power for the vehicle. Mastertech at ziegler tire.
N/a
The contact owns a 2004 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact observed the spark plug being ejected from the fuel compartment. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who was unable to diagnose the failure. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 150,000.
The contact owns a 2004 Ford F-150. The contact stated that the rear driver's side door failed to open. The contact removed the door and replaced the plastic ends with new metal ends. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 160,472.
The underbody frame is 95% rusted out, this vehicle is available for inspection upon request. I could have been fatally injured, not knowing the under frame was gone, until vehicle was taken in for new tires. The vehicle was inspected by Firestone tire and Gene Butman Ford. There were no warning messages and the problem was first noticed in 2019 and was told the vehicle was unsafe to drive, a hazard and should not be driven.
Truck stalls in traffic. Also when hitting the brake. it stalls in reverse. it stalls while idling. Worst truck ever!! Severe safety issue
Got into accident I lent my vehicle to Daniel LeBlanc he has had my vehicle since October 2022 He gave permission to his girlfriend at the time she got into accident from black ice
Air bag deployed suddenly while i was in the parked vehicle, it is available for inspection, has not been brought up to dealerships attention, no warning or light up on dash board to indicate problem
Frame Failure, A licensed technician said my vehicle is dangerous to drive and cannot be fixed because of the advanced rusting of the frame. As I read the history of some Ford Trucks I find this is a continuing problem with no recalls and wonder why they can continue to manufacture faulty, dangerous products
Problem is already a recall item, took in to get fixed and the warning light continues to stay on.
Ford F-150: every year compared
| Year | Complaints | Recalls | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 0 | 1 | A |
| 2007 | 0 | 7 | A |
| 2006 | 0 | 14 | C |
| 2005 | 0 | 14 | C |
| 2004 | 2,036 | 16 | F |
| 2003 | 465 | 11 | F |
| 2002 | 955 | 10 | F |
| 2001 | 0 | 19 | C |
| 2000 | 0 | 17 | C |
2004 Ford F-150 vs rivals
| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 Ford F-150 | 2,036 | 16 | F | |
| 2004 Dodge Ram | 1,157 | 7 | F | Compare |
| 2004 Nissan Titan | 1,046 | 7 | F | Compare |
| 2004 Toyota Tundra | 0 | 13 | C | Compare |
| 2004 Chevrolet Silverado | 0 | 15 | D | Compare |
| 2004 GMC Sierra | 0 | 10 | F | Compare |
| 2004 GMC Sierra 1500 | 0 | 5 | C | Compare |
| 2004 Dodge Ram 1500 | 0 | 8 | D | Compare |
| 2004 Ford F-150 Heritage | 2,036 | 0 | - | Compare |
More sales usually means more complaints, so compare similar vehicles of the same year. The grade compares each vehicle with its own model's other years.
Questions about the 2004 Ford F-150
Does the 2004 Ford F-150 have any recalls?
Yes - NHTSA lists 16 recalls for the 2004 Ford F-150: mounting (July 2011); inflator module (February 2011); headlights (May 2009); exterior lighting (April 2009) and more. Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours has been fixed.
What are the most common problems with the 2004 Ford F-150?
By the complaints owners filed with NHTSA, the most common problem areas are the visibility & wipers (866), engine & cooling (259), transmission & drivetrain (233).
How many complaints has the 2004 Ford F-150 had?
2,036 complaints have been filed with NHTSA, the first on October 22, 2003 and the latest on September 16, 2026. Of these, 75 describe a crash and 40 a fire, and together they report 74 injuries and 6 deaths.
Is the 2004 Ford F-150 a reliable vehicle?
Its Safety Index is 0 out of 100 (grade F: far more problems than a typical Ford F-150 year, for its age). The index weighs complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and recalls against how long the vehicle has been on the road, compared with the same model's other years. It is not a measure of every repair - read the complaints and owner experiences, and have any used vehicle inspected before you buy.
Which Ford F-150 years have the most complaints?
2004 (2,036), 2002 (955), 2003 (465). See every Ford F-150 year compared.
What should I do if my 2004 Ford F-150 has a problem?
If it is a safety problem, stop driving it if it is unsafe and contact your dealer. Report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem - enough reports start investigations and recalls - and share your experience here so other owners know what to look for.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked . Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data