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2004 Ford F-150Problems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 2,029 owner complaints about the 2004 Ford F-150, most often about the visibility. It is covered by 5 safety recalls.

2004 Ford F-150
33
CarFlaw IndexUse caution2.0× the F-150 median · #4 of 42 years by complaints
Safety recalls5Free fix at dealersOwner complaints2,029173 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage64kVisibility, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through September 16, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Calreyn88, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2004 Ford F-150 has problems

2,029 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Visibility8419
Power train23213
Engine and engine cooling16716
Suspension1182
Structure1043
Electrical system9913
Service brakes, hydraulic959
Engine923
Air bags8545
22 other systems47656

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

5 recalls

2004 Ford F-150 recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

–no report yet

Tank assembly: mounting

Recall 11V-385 · Jul 29, 2011 · 1,100,000 vehicles

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…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Driver side: inflator module

Recall 11V-107 · Feb 23, 2011 · 1,325,000 vehicles

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.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Show 1 more recall

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Ford.

Mileage at failure

When do visibility problems start?

64kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 773 visibility complaints. 89% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
62under 30k miles691under 100k miles82100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs

What owners say repairs cost

Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.

Visibility

168 owners mentioned a cost

$400median

Middle half: $350 – $450

Engine and engine cooling

25 owners mentioned a cost

$1,270median

Middle half: $600 – $2,100

Power train

12 owners mentioned a cost

$2,200median

Middle half: $1,250 – $2,476

Unknown or other

10 owners mentioned a cost

$400median

Middle half: $400 – $450

If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.

Best & worst years

2004 vs. every other F-150 year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the F-150 median. How we score

'73'75'76'77'78'79'80'81'82'83'84'85'86'87'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26'27
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

2004 Ford F-150 safety ratings

2004 Ford F-150 Super Crew 4-DR. in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

2004 Ford F-150 frontal crash test, NHTSA
Frontal crashNot rated
  • Stability control: No
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
4 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2004 Ford F-150, and the recalls they led to.

  1. SPARK PLUG EJECTION FROM CYLINDER HEADDP05005 · closed Jan 4, 2006
    No recall
  2. Inadvertent airbag deploymentEA10001 · closed Apr 25, 2011
    Led to recall 11V-107
  3. Fuel Tank Strap Failure Due to CorrosionEA11006 · closed Aug 19, 2011
    Led to recall 11V-385
  4. CNG REGULATOR LEAKPE08063 · closed Feb 27, 2009
    No recall
In owners' words

What F-150 owners report

Recent visibility complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD F-150. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE SUN ROOF EXPLODED INTO PIECES. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. A DEALER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 247,000.
Complaint 11091360 · May 2, 2018 · 247,000 miles
I HAVE HAD SUNROOF FIXED TWICE. KEEPS JUMPING OFF TRACK & NOW NEED TO GET IT FIXED FOR THIRD TIME. ALSO, ALL 4 POWER WINDOWS HAVE FAILED AND HAD TO BE FIXED A FEW TIMES. *TR
Complaint 10627003 · Aug 21, 2014 · 135,000 miles
DRIVING DOWN MY STREET THE WINDOW JUST CRASHED DOWN! IT FELL SO FAST AND HARD THAT I HAD TO LOOK TO MY RIGHT SIDE TO SEE WHAT HIT ME! AT THAT POINT I REAR ENDED A CAR THAT SLOWED DOWN! ALL THIS IS DO TO A CHEAP PLASTIC CLIP THAT FAILED AND RELEASED THE WINDOW. *TR
Complaint 10584081 · Apr 21, 2014 · 71,500 miles

Own a 2004 F-150?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.