no report yet
Exterior lighting: brake lights
Risk. NON-FUNCTIONING LIGHTS COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.
2004 Ford F-350Problems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 159 owner complaints about the 2004 Ford F-350, 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 April 18, 2025. Updated daily.
Complaints by system
Where the 2004 Ford F-350 has problems
159 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
64Engine and engine cooling6 crash/fire/injury
19Electrical system2 crash/fire/injury
18Power train2 crash/fire/injury
16Engine1 crash/fire/injury
13Vehicle speed control2 crash/fire/injury
11Tires
11Fuel system, diesel
9Fuel system, gasoline
9Steering
3512 other systems9 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Engine and engine cooling | 64 | 6 |
| Electrical system | 19 | 2 |
| Power train | 18 | 2 |
| Engine | 16 | 1 |
| Vehicle speed control | 13 | 2 |
| Tires | 11 | 1 |
| Fuel system, diesel | 11 | 0 |
| Fuel system, gasoline | 9 | 1 |
| Steering | 9 | 4 |
| 12 other systems | 35 | 9 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
2 recalls
2004 Ford F-350 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?
31kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 48 engine and engine cooling complaints. 92% were reported before 100,000 miles.
23under 30k miles44under 100k miles4100k miles or more
Best & worst years
2004 vs. every other F-350 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-350 median. How we score
'67'68'69'72'73'74'75'76'77'78'79'80'81'82'83'84'85'86'87'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
2 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2004 Ford F-350, and the recalls they led to.
- SPARK PLUG EJECTION FROM CYLINDER HEADNo recall
- ENGINE STALLINGNo recall
In owners' words
What F-350 owners report
Recent engine and engine cooling complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD F-350. THE CONTACT STATED THE EXHAUST SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE ENGINE LOSS POWER. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 07V139000 (POWER TRAIN). THE…
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD F-350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT COOLANT WAS OBSERVED LEAKING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE DEALER CONFIRMED THAT THE HEAD GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE…
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD F-350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE ENGINE FAILED. THE ENGINE BLOCK WAS CORRODED DUE TO DEFECTIVE MATERIAL AND LEAKED CAUSED COOLANT TO LEAK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE ENGINE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE…
Own a 2004 F-350?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.