2004 Ford F-350 Problems, Recalls & Reliability
375 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2004 Ford F-350, alongside 3 recall campaigns and 3 defect investigations. It scores 48/100 on the trouble index — a below-average year for this model. Engine leads the reports, typically around 66,000 miles.
Below average
Where 2004 sits among all F-350 years
What owners report
“My truck has major engine damage bought it and three days later the egr went out then next thing you know i got a blown motor”— owner report to NHTSA, 2004 F-350
“2004 f-350 began having stalling problems at <2000 miles. After several attempts to fix the vehicle, we asked for a replacement. While waiting on action from ford, we were in an accident on april 15,2005 after the truck failed while crossing an intersection.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2004 F-350
“The truck started to stall on several occasions as i was attempting to get up to road speed of 55 mph. The truck was losing speed, jerking and black smoke coming out of the exhaust. There were no indications of engine failure to warn me of any problems, ie. Engine light. This occurred on more than…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2004 F-350
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 313 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 60,942 miles. Half of those reports fall between 20,000 and 103,750 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (3)
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…
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.
CERTAIN FEDERAL-MOGUL REPLACEMENT WHEEL HUB ASSEMBLIES WITH THE BRAND NAMES: NATIONAL, CARQUEST P/NOS. 515020, 515021, 515025, 515053, 515054, 515059, AND 515060, SHIPPED BETWEEN JANUARY 23, 2006, AND DECEMBER 20, 2007, SOLD FOR LIGHT DUTY AND MEDIUM DUTY…
Fix: FEDERAL-MOGUL WILL NOTIFY CUSTOMERS AND WILL REPLACE THE HUB ASSEMBLY FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 7, 2008. OWNERS CAN CONTACT FEDERAL-MOGUL TOLL-FREE AT 877-489-6659.
CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS, SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES AND VANS EQUIPPED WITH 6.0L DIESEL ENGINES MAY EXPERIENCE STALLING WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING AND MAY OR MAY NOT RESTART.
Fix: DEALERS WILL UPGRADE THE FUEL INJECTION CONTROL MODULE (FICM) WIRE HARNESS OR REPLACED, AND/OR HAVE A NEW INJECTION CONTROL PRESSURE (ICP)) SENSOR CONNECTOR INSTALLED FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL…
Federal defect investigations
Led to recall campaign 05V270000.
Technical service bulletins
156 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on engine and transmission & drivetrain — are on file for the 2004 Ford F-350. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2004 Ford F-350 reliable?
The 2004 Ford F-350 drew 375 complaints in federal safety records — a below-average year for this model. Its trouble index is 48/100, scored against the model's worst year (1999).
What are the most common 2004 Ford F-350 problems?
The top reported problems for the 2004 Ford F-350 are engine (137 complaints), electrical (53), and fuel system (42).
At what mileage do 2004 Ford F-350 problems show up?
Owners most often report 2004 Ford F-350 problems around 60,942 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 20,000 and 103,750 miles.
Does the 2004 Ford F-350 have recalls?
3 recall campaigns apply to the 2004 Ford F-350. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.