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2004 Ford F-250 SD: complaints, problems and recalls

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

254 owner complaints analyzed

2 distinct recall campaigns

55,838 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2004 model year. Data snapshot: . 226 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Diesel is the most frequently named component, appearing in 37 of 254 complaints (14.6%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Engine operation7328.7%
Electrical and battery issues3915.4%
Braking behavior3815.0%
Steering behavior2811.0%
Transmission and shifting155.9%
Fuel system concerns155.9%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Diesel
37
Electrical System
33
Engine And Engine Cooling
27
Electrical System:Wiring
21
Fuel System, Diesel
18
Vehicle Speed Control
17
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
16
Engine
14
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Diesel37
Electrical System33
Engine And Engine Cooling27
Electrical System:Wiring21
Fuel System, Diesel18
Vehicle Speed Control17
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine16
Engine14

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Diesel: 37; Electrical System: 33; Engine And Engine Cooling: 27; Electrical System:Wiring: 21; Fuel System, Diesel: 18; Vehicle Speed Control: 17; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 16; Engine: 14

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000
70
25,000 to 49,999
34
50,000 to 74,999
34
75,000 to 99,999
37
100,000 to 149,999
38
150,000 and above
13
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,00070
25,000 to 49,99934
50,000 to 74,99934
75,000 to 99,99937
100,000 to 149,99938
150,000 and above13

Under 25,000: 70; 25,000 to 49,999: 34; 50,000 to 74,999: 34; 75,000 to 99,999: 37; 100,000 to 149,999: 38; 150,000 and above: 13

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (70). 28 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2004
19
2005
48
2006
23
2007
20
2008
20
2009
27
2010
41
2011
15
2012
6
2013
11
2014
8
2015
6
2016
3
2018
2
2019
5
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
200419
200548
200623
200720
200820
200927
201041
201115
20126
201311
20148
20156
20163
20182
20195

2004: 19; 2005: 48; 2006: 23; 2007: 20; 2008: 20; 2009: 27; 2010: 41; 2011: 15; 2012: 6; 2013: 11; 2014: 8; 2015: 6; 2016: 3; 2018: 2; 2019: 5

Pattern summary

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Diesel leads the component reports. Engine operation appears in 73 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 39 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 38 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Examples from the source records

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10086137 · 2004-08-04 (August 4, 2004)

I OWN A 2004 FORD F250 DIESEL CREW CAB 4X4. WE HAVE THE LARIET PACKAGE ALONG WITH THE CAMPER AND OFF ROAD PACKAGES. CURRENT MILES ARE 3600. EHAVEN'T TOWED ANYTHING BEHIND THIS NEW TRUCK YET. ON SUNDAY AUG. 1,2004, MY WIFE WAS DRIVING AND NOTICED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO OVERDRIVE.THE TOW/HAUL LIGHT ON THE DASH WAS FLASHING. I TOOK THE TRUCK TO MIKE DAVIDSON FORD THE NEXT MORNING AUG. 2,2004. THEY DROPPED THE PAN OFF THE TRANSMISSION AND FOUND METAL SHAVINGS ALONG WITH A BAD SENSOR. THE TRUCK IS STILL IN THE SHOP. I WANTED TO …

Owner-reported narrative. 3,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10086137 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10087416 · 2004-08-09 (August 9, 2004)

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY STALLED WITHOUT ANY WARNING. AS RESULT THE VEHICLE LOSS OF STEERING, AND THE BRAKES. THE DEALERSHIP TECHNICIAN, INDICATED TO THE CONSUMER SORRY WE CAN'T DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10087416 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10087677 · 2004-09-14 (September 14, 2004)

VEHICLE HAD NO THROTTLE RESPONSE AND THE RPM'S DROPPED DOWN TO 0. VEHICLE JUST QUIT, LOST POWER FOR ABOUT 30 SECONDS. THIS HAPPENED REPEATEDLY AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. *AK THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER REPLACED SEVERAL COMPONENTS BUT THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10087677 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10088002 · 2004-08-17 (August 17, 2004)

WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH PASSENGER SIDE AXLE FRACTURED COMPLETELY. AS A RESULT, THE PASSENGER TIRE SEPARATED AND WENT UP UNDER THE VEHICLE WHICH JAMMED THE DOOR SHUT . CONSUMER MAINTAINED THE VEHICLE. NO INJURIES REPORTED. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 145,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10088002 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10088267 · 2004-08-20 (August 20, 2004)

WE PURCHASED THE MOST BEAUTIFUL, 2004 F-250 POWERSTROKE DIESEL ON 4/3/04, LARIAT PKG,TOW/CAMPER PKG FROM A FORD DEALERSHIP IN KENNESAW, GA. IT DID WELL FOR A FEW WEEKS, BUT ODD THINGS BEGAN TO HAPPEN, ROUGH SHIFTING OF THE TRANSMISSION/DECREASE IN GAS MILEAGE/RIDING ROUGHLY. ON 6/8, BEFORE A TRIP TO FLORIDA, MY HUSBAND TOOK THE VEHICLE FOR SERVICE AND TO HAVE THE OTHER PROBLEMS CHECKED. THE DEALERSHIP'S SERVICE DEPT SAID THEY COULD'T FIND THE PROBLEM BUT DID MENTION THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING. WE LEFT FOR VACATION THE VERY EARLY ON 6/18…

Owner-reported narrative. 3,900 miles reported. Look up ODI 10088267 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10088968 · 2004-09-01 (September 1, 2004)

TRUCK "CUTS OUT" LOSING POWER INTERMITTENTLY WITH NO RHYME OR REASON. IT SEEMS ELECTRICAL SINCE BOTH THE GLOW PLUG LIGHT AS WELL AS THE WATER IN FUEL LIGHT COME ON FOR ABOUT 2 SECONDS AND GO OFF. ONCE THEY GO OFF, IT WILL RUN AGAIN UNTIL THE NEXT OCCURRENCE. I HAVE HAD THE COMPLETE FICM HARNESS (IT RAN FINE FOR TWO WEEKS AFTER THE REPLACEMENT) REPLACED BY THE DEALER.IIT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP FOUR TIMES NOW FOR A TOTAL OF 10 DAYS FOR THIS PROBLEM AND IT ONLY HAS 7000 MILES. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 6,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10088968 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10089951 · 2004-08-27 (August 27, 2004)

WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH CONSUMER'S VEHICLE COLLIDED WITH THE VEHICLE IN FRONT. DRIVER'S FRONTAL AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. DRIVER SUSTAINED MAJOR INJURIES, AND WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL BY AN AMBULANCE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10089951 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10090236 · 2004-09-01 (September 1, 2004)

ENGINE IDLE IS DEFECTIVE AND THE VEHICLE STALLS INTERMITTENTLY. DEALER SERVICED THE VEHICLE, BUT PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 5,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10090236 at NHTSA ↗

Recall history

2 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.

05V270000 · Electrical System:Wiring

Reported: 2005-06-10 (June 10, 2005)

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.

Consequence: SHOULD THE ENGINE STALL, A VEHICLE CRASH COULD OCCUR.

Remedy: 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 BEGAN ON JULY 22, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
11V352000 · Exterior Lighting:Brake Lights | Exterior Lighting:Tail Lights

Reported: 2011-07-13 (July 13, 2011)

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.

Consequence: NON-FUNCTIONING LIGHTS COULD INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: 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.

NHTSA campaign record ↗