2004 Ford F-250 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other F-250 years
- About as many complaints as other years 12th of 24 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 154 complaints with NHTSA about the 2004 Ford F-250. That ranks 12th out of 24 F-250 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine and engine cooling (44 complaints, 29%), typically at around 9,800 miles. Complaints mention 8 crashes, 4 fires, 5 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.
- 154owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 2NHTSA investigations
- 8complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2004 Ford F-250 problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 44 | 29% | 9,800 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 36 | 23% | 124,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 19 | 12% | 129,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 19 | 12% | 5,100 | — | — |
| Power Train | 12 | 8% | 101,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 10 | 6% | 135,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 10 | 6% | 33,286 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 9 | 6% | 140,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 6 | 4% | 66,900 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 6 | 4% | 103,274 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Diesel | 5 | 3% | 55,079 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 4 | 3% | 6,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 4 | 3% | 56,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 4 | 3% | 67,770 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 1% | 33,500 | — | — |
| Suspension | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 2 | 1% | 200,000 | — | — |
| Child Seat | 1 | 1% | 18,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control | 1 | 1% | 16 | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 1% | 9,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 1% | 12,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 1% | 215,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2004 Ford F-250 recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Exterior lighting:brake lights; exterior lighting:tail lights
Problem: Ford is recalling certain model year 2011 ranger trucks built from january 25, 2011, through april 25, 2011 at the twin cities assembly plant, and service parts distributed to dealers for certain 2004 through 2011 model year ranger trucks, 2002 through 2005 model year excursion vehicles, and 2002 through 2007 model year f-250, f-350, f-450, and f-550 trucks for failing to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." the multi-function switch was shipped with a subcomponent (slider) that may experience deformation. A multi-function switch with a deformed slider may malfunction causing the turn signal, tail lights, hazard warning signal flashers and/or brake lights not to activate.
Risk: Non-functioning lights could increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the switches free of charge. The safety recall began on august 15, 2011. Owners may contact ford motor company customer relationship center at 1-866-436-7332.
Tires
Problem: Certain lariat and king ranch model pickup trucks fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 120, "tire selection and rims for motor vehicles other than passenger cars." some trucks were inadvertently equipped with an incorrect load range tire. This would result in incorrect tire load ratings for the stated vehicle axle gross axle weight rating. Also, the tire may be inflated above the dot listed inflation pressure.
Risk: If a tire was operated in an over-loaded or over-inflated condition, the tire may rupture resulting in a rapid air loss, which can cause a crash without warning.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace any incorrect load range tires. Additionally, if any tire required replacement, it is recommended that the wheel lug nut torque be checked within 500 miles after any tire replacement. Owner notification began on may 21, 2004. Owners should contact. Ford at 1-800-392-3673.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Spark plug ejection from cylinder head (DP05005) — opened Sep 22, 2005, closed Jan 4, 2006.
- Engine stalling (PE04070) — opened Oct 7, 2004, closed Feb 15, 2005.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns 2004 Ford F-250 equipped with Maxwrx Tires, Tire Line: Rcveita, Tire Size: 33x12.50 R20. The contact stated that approximately one month after the tires were purchased from Dutchman's Tire Warehouse #2 , the tires started bouncing significantly while driving over 60 MPH, causing…
My 2004 F250 has developed the "Death Wobble" that is normally associated with newer models, but the shudder at or around 40-45mph is identical to the described problems of the newer models in the class action lawsuit and tech bulletins published by Ford. Older models need to be considered in the…
The contact owns a 2004 Ford F-250. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed and attempting to accelerate, the vehicle jerked and briefly lost motive power before the vehicle stalled. No warning lights were illuminated. After several attempts, the vehicle restarted. The vehicle…
The tie rod broke while the vehicle was in motion. This caused the vehicle to lose control and crash into another vehicle, causing damage to both vehicles. There was no warning and no sign of any issues. Vehicle has been very well maintained, in fact, it has been in the shop at least once per month…
The contact owns a 2004 Ford F-250. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was able to be restarted; however, the failure recurred. The dealer was not contacted, and the vehicle was not…
Other Ford F-250 years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 F-250 | 0 | 0 |
| 2018 F-250 | 0 | 0 |
| 2017 F-250 | 0 | 0 |
| 2015 F-250 | 0 | 0 |
| 2014 F-250 | 142 | 0 |
| 2013 F-250 | 95 | 0 |
| 2012 F-250 | 266 | 1 |
| 2011 F-250 | 248 | 2 |
| 2010 F-250 | 73 | 0 |
| 2009 F-250 | 54 | 0 |
| 2008 F-250 | 196 | 7 |
| 2007 F-250 | 60 | 4 |
| 2006 F-250 | 221 | 4 |
| 2005 F-250 | 144 | 3 |
| 2004 | 154 | 2 |
| 2003 F-250 | 116 | 2 |
| 2002 F-250 | 156 | 2 |
| 2001 F-250 | 220 | 4 |
| 2000 F-250 | 326 | 5 |
| 1999 F-250 | 581 | 14 |
| 1998 F-250 | 56 | 6 |
| 1997 F-250 | 304 | 10 |
| 1996 F-250 | 176 | 4 |
| 1995 F-250 | 184 | 3 |
See all Ford F-250 problems by year, every Ford model, or the Ford VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2004 Ford F-250?
Owners most often report engine and engine cooling, electrical system, engine problems. The top one, engine and engine cooling, accounts for 44 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2004 Ford F-250?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2004 Ford F-250 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other F-250 model years, the 2004 has about as many complaints as a typical year. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.