no report yet
Exterior lighting: brake lights
Risk. NON-FUNCTIONING LIGHTS COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.
2004 Ford F-250Problems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 154 owner complaints about the 2004 Ford F-250, most often about the engine and engine cooling. It is covered by 2 safety recalls.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through September 15, 2026. Updated daily.
Complaints by system
Where the 2004 Ford F-250 has problems
154 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
44Engine and engine cooling1 crash/fire/injury
36Electrical system1 crash/fire/injury
19Vehicle speed control1 crash/fire/injury
19Engine
12Power train1 crash/fire/injury
10Tires
10Steering
9Fuel/propulsion system
6Fuel system, gasoline
3212 other systems7 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Engine and engine cooling | 44 | 1 |
| Electrical system | 36 | 1 |
| Vehicle speed control | 19 | 1 |
| Engine | 19 | 0 |
| Power train | 12 | 1 |
| Tires | 10 | 2 |
| Steering | 10 | 2 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 9 | 0 |
| Fuel system, gasoline | 6 | 0 |
| 12 other systems | 32 | 7 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
2 recalls
2004 Ford F-250 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
Tires
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…
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 engine and engine cooling problems start?
10kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 33 engine and engine cooling complaints. 85% were reported before 100,000 miles.
24under 30k miles28under 100k miles5100k miles or more
Best & worst years
2004 vs. every other F-250 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-250 median. How we score
'67'68'69'70'72'73'74'75'76'77'78'79'80'81'82'83'84'85'86'87'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
2 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2004 Ford F-250, and the recalls they led to.
- SPARK PLUG EJECTION FROM CYLINDER HEADNo recall
- ENGINE STALLINGNo recall
In owners' words
What F-250 owners report
Recent engine and engine cooling complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
ENGINE ACCELERATES SPORADICALLY ON ITS OWN. ENGINE OCCASIONALLY DIES AT STOP LIGHTS. MUST KEEP BRAKE PEDAL FIRMLY PUSHED AT STOP AS ENGINE WILL SUDDENLY ACCELERATE. I HAVE ALREADY REPLACED THE TURBO. THE DEALER SAYS IT COULD BE MANY DIFFERENT THINGS WRONG. THE 2003-2007 DIESELS ARE NOTORIOUS FOR…
HAD MISS FIRES IN ENGINE THIS TRUCK HAS NEVER SHOWN CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WHILE DRIVING DOWN ROAD AT 70 MPH THE ENGINE STARTED MISSING CHECK ENGINE LIGHT NEVER CAME ON??? TOOK TRUCK TO SHOP.THE ENGINE MELTED THE TIP OFF A SPARK PLUG IN SIDE THE CYLINDER,IT DESTROYED THE CYLINDER WALL HAVE TO REPLACE…
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD F-250 DIESEL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, EXCESS SMOKE EMITTED FROM THE EXHAUST PIPE. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THE EGR COOLER MIGHT BE DEFECTIVE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE…
Own a 2004 F-250?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.