2004 Ford F-150 Power Train Problems
Owners have filed 232 complaints with NHTSA about power train problems on the 2004 Ford F-150, 11% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 35,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “rear end” (16% of reports).
- 232power train complaints
- 35,000median miles at failure
- 10mention a crash
- 4mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $3,700typical repair cost reported by owners
- 36%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Rear end: mentioned in 37 of 232 complaints (16%)
- Automatic transmission: mentioned in 12 of 232 complaints (5%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical power train repair on the 2004 Ford F-150 at $3,700, and half of them between $3,300 and $4,000.
Based on 12 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2008–2019), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do power train problems happen?
Based on 199 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 232 complaints, 10 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 4 an injury.
Ford F-150 power train complaints by model year
| Model year | Power Train complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 F-150 | 25 | 23% | 5,330 |
| 2024 F-150 | 58 | 30% | 10,500 |
| 2023 F-150 | 158 | 38% | 33,500 |
| 2022 F-150 | 160 | 27% | 28,791 |
| 2021 F-150 | 318 | 31% | 55,000 |
| 2020 F-150 | 357 | 49% | 59,000 |
| 2019 F-150 | 736 | 55% | 66,500 |
| 2018 F-150 | 1,014 | 44% | 60,000 |
| 2017 F-150 | 546 | 38% | 83,700 |
| 2016 F-150 | 603 | 29% | 97,000 |
| 2015 F-150 | 425 | 25% | 88,000 |
| 2014 F-150 | 425 | 28% | 101,000 |
| 2013 F-150 | 1,342 | 45% | 94,000 |
| 2012 F-150 | 681 | 38% | 90,000 |
| 2011 F-150 | 826 | 38% | 96,634 |
| 2010 F-150 | 121 | 14% | 60,000 |
| 2009 F-150 | 33 | 10% | 38,673 |
| 2008 F-150 | 50 | 14% | 50,000 |
| 2007 F-150 | 57 | 12% | 70,000 |
| 2006 F-150 | 46 | 8% | 38,500 |
| 2005 F-150 | 112 | 10% | 65,850 |
| 2004 F-150 | 232 | 11% | 35,000 |
| 2003 F-150 | 62 | 15% | 40,000 |
| 2002 F-150 | 53 | 6% | 54,260 |
| 2001 F-150 | 74 | 6% | 64,239 |
| 2000 F-150 | 47 | 4% | 54,104 |
| 1999 F-150 | 75 | 7% | 84,000 |
| 1998 F-150 | 83 | 6% | 95,000 |
| 1997 F-150 | 151 | 5% | 99,904 |
| 1996 F-150 | 26 | 8% | 109,750 |
| 1995 F-150 | 75 | 12% | 120,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists power train for the 2004 Ford F-150. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
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…
The contact owns a 2004 Ford F-150. The contact stated while starting his parked vehicle, he found that the vehicle would not start. The contact self-diagnosed and bypassed the starter solenoid using a screwdriver and started the vehicle. The vehicle slipped out of the park and rolled backward. The…
F150 stalls out randomly causing a hazard for other drivers and myself. Happens while in gear driving, reverse, etc.
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2004 Ford F-150s have power train problems?
No. NHTSA has 232 owner complaints about power train for the 2004 Ford F-150 (11% of the 2,029 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2004 Ford F-150 power train?
No recall currently lists power train for this vehicle.
At what mileage do power train problems start?
The median reported mileage is 35,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix power train problems on the 2004 Ford F-150?
Owners report a typical cost of $3,700 (half paid between $3,300 and $4,000), from 12 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about power train problems on the 2004 Ford F-150?
The most frequent phrase is “rear end”, in 37 of 232 complaints, followed by “automatic transmission” (12).
Other 2004 Ford F-150 problems
See all 2004 Ford F-150 problems or power train problems across all F-150 years.