EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS; EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS
2004 Ford F-450 Sd
Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data
Data refreshed
Overview
Our database contains 33 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2004 Ford F-450 Sd, most frequently naming the fuel system, engine and powertrain (other) categories. 3 safety recalls have been issued covering this model year; 1 NHTSA investigation names it; and 128 manufacturer communications are on file.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Complaint activity over time
When owners filed reports about this model year
View as table
| Month | Complaints filed | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 2004 | 1 | 1 |
| Jan 2005 | 1 | 2 |
| Mar 2005 | 1 | 3 |
| May 2005 | 2 | 5 |
| Jun 2005 | 2 | 7 |
| Jul 2005 | 3 | 10 |
| Jul 2006 | 1 | 11 |
| Aug 2007 | 1 | 12 |
| Apr 2008 | 1 | 13 |
| Aug 2008 | 1 | 14 |
| Dec 2008 | 1 | 15 |
| Jan 2009 | 1 | 16 |
| Apr 2009 | 1 | 17 |
| Oct 2009 | 1 | 18 |
| Nov 2009 | 2 | 20 |
| Feb 2010 | 1 | 21 |
| Mar 2010 | 2 | 23 |
| Jun 2010 | 2 | 25 |
| May 2011 | 1 | 26 |
| Jul 2011 | 1 | 27 |
| Nov 2011 | 1 | 28 |
| Jan 2012 | 1 | 29 |
| Feb 2012 | 1 | 30 |
| Nov 2012 | 1 | 31 |
| Nov 2013 | 1 | 32 |
| Jan 2014 | 1 | 33 |
What owners report
Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded
- Fuel system2047.6%
- Engine819.0%
- Powertrain (other)37.1%
- Electrical37.1%
- Other / unspecified24.8%
- Brakes24.8%
- Tires & wheels12.4%
- Driver assistance12.4%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Safety recalls
3 campaigns cover this model year
Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.
Check a VIN on NHTSA.govEQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
Safety investigations
NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.
ENGINE STALLING
IN A JUNE 7, 2005 LETTER, FORD NOTIFIED ODI THAT IT WOULD BE CONDUCTING A SAFETY RECALL OF APPROXIMATELY 180,000 FORD F-SUPER DUTY, EXCURSION AND E-SERIES VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 6.0L DIESEL ENGINES TO CORRECT TWO WIRING RELATED CONDITIONS THAT COULD RESULT IN ENGINE STALL (NHTSA RECALL NO. 05V-270, FORD NO. 05S34).THE AFFECTED VEHICLES WERE BUILT BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 29, 2003 AND MAY 31, 2004.ACCORDING TO FORD, VEHICLES WITH THE CONDITIONS MAY STALL WITHOUT WARNING AND MAY OR MAY NOT RESTART.FORD WILL INSTRUCT OWNERS OF VEHICLES INCLUDED IN THE RECALL TO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO A DEALER TO HAVE THE FUEL INJECTOR CONTROL MODULE WIRE HARNESS UPGRADED OR REPLACED AND OR HAVE A NEW INJECTION CONTROL PRESSURE SENSOR CONNECTOR INSTALLED.DURING A MAY 2005 PRESENTATION TO ODI, FORD IDENTIFIED A NUMBER OF POTENTIAL FAILURE MECHANISMS THAT COULD AFFECT ENGINE PERFORMANCE IN VARIOUS SEGMENTS OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLE POPULATION, INCLUDING THE WIRING CONDITIONS ADDRESSED BY 05V-270.THE WIRING CONDITIONS, WHICH BOTH AFFECT ENGINE FUELING, WERE THE MOST LIKELY CONDITIONS TO RESULT IN ENGINE STALL.THE RECALLED VEHICLES COMPRISE APPROXIMATELY 43% OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLE POPULATION AND ACCOUNT FOR 75 OF THE 113 ODI REPORTS THAT HAVE A VALID VIN (66%).THE VOQ COMPLAINT RATE FOR THE RECALL POPULATION IS 45/100K WHILE THE RATE FOR VEHICLES OUTSIDE THE RECALL POPULATION IS 17/100K AND THEIR TREND (BY DATE OF RECEIPT) IS DECLINING.BASED ON THE ANALYSIS, ODI BELIEVES FORD?S ACTIONS ARE SUFFICIENT TO ADDRESS THE CURRENT SAFETY RISKS AND THE INVESTIGATION IS THUS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.FURTHER ACTION WILL BE TAKEN IF WARRANTED BY FUTURE CIRCUMSTANCES.
Recent owner complaints
Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD F-450 SD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS FOUND THAT THE FUEL TANK LINING HAD FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS BEING REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 05V270000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 71,000.
- NHTSA ID
- 10558711
- Incident
- Dec 23, 2013
- Mileage
- 71,000 mi
10/17/13 I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE WITH A LOAD OF CATTLE RUNNING FINE AND JUST LOST POWER GOING ON THE INTERSTATE GOING FROM 65 TO 10 MILES AN HOUR. TRAFFIC ZIPPING BY. I THOUGHT IT WAS THE FUEL FILTERS BUT IT DONE THE SAME AFTER I CHANGED THEM. I TOOK IT TO A GARAGE AND HE SAID HE THE TANK LINER WAS COMING APART NOW IT MESSED UP MY INJECTORS, AND I THINK FORD SHOULD HAVE A RECALL ON SOMETHING LIKE THAT BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED OR SEVERLY HURT!!!! IT IS IN THE SHOP NOW AND I THINK FORD SHOULD PAY SOMETHING ON THIS. *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 10550664
- Incident
- Oct 17, 2013
VEHICLE LOOSES POWER, NO ACCELERATION, OCCURS MOST FREQUENTLY UNDER HEAVY LOAD OR HIGH ACCELERATION DEMAND, TOLD BY FORD DEALER THE PROBLEM IS CAUSED BY DE-LAMINATING FUEL TANK RESULTING IN FUEL TANK COATING ENTERING THE FUEL SYSTEM AND OBSTRUCTING DIESEL FUEL FLOW TO MOTOR WHEN HIGH DEMAND FOR DUEL OCCURS. NEAR COLLISION AT FREEWAY SPEEDS AND WAS VERY DANGEROUS TO PULL OVER WHEN THERE WAS NO SHOULDER. FORD DEALER STATES THE COST TO REPAIR IS OVER $3,500.00 AND OPEN ENDED DEPENDING ON WHETHER THE FUEL TANK COATING ENTERED THE MOTOR OR INJECTORS. THEY WANT TO START BY REPLACING THE HARNESS, FUEL TANK AND FUEL PUMP AND GO FROM THERE. FORD REFUSES TO HONOR THIS CLEAR MANUFACTURING DEFECT. *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 10483254
- Incident
- Nov 1, 2012
- Mileage
- 59,000 mi
AT APPX. 80,000 MILES ON OUR 2004 F450 SD FUEL TANK DELAMINATED CAUSING FUEL SYSTEM FAILURE WHICH RESULTED IN SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER. WE HAVE ALWAYS PURCHASED HIGH QUALITY DIESEL FROM REPUTATABLE GAS STATIONS (CHEVRON, SHELL). VEHICLE REPAIRED AT FORD AND HAD CONTACTED FORD MOTOR COMPANY REGARDING REIMBURSEMENT OF COST AND WAS DECLINED. *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 10448794
- Incident
- Jan 16, 2012
- Mileage
- 80,000 mi
TRUCK FAILS TO MAINTAIN SPEED (ACTS FUEL STARVED) AND IS AT RISK OF STALLING IN TRAFFIC. VEHICLE HAS BEEN MAINTAIN COMPLETELY AT FORD DEALERSHIP AND HAS HAD NO AFTERMARKET ADJUSTMENTS. AFTER TAKING THIS TRUCK TO THE FORD DEALER (PARR FORD IN BREMERTON, WA) WE HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED THAT THE FUEL TANK IS DELAMINATING AND CAUSING PARTICLES TO CLOG THE FUEL SYSTEM. AS WE HAUL A LARGE TRAILER WITH THIS VEHICLE (AS I'M SURE OTHER CONSUMERS DO AS WELL) THIS CAN RESULT IN A CATASTROPHIC OUTCOME AS STALLING RESULTS IN LACK OF STEERING ABILITIES AND CAN LEAVE VEHICLE VULNERABLE IN TRAFFIC. FORD NEEDS TO RECOGNIZE THIS ISSUE IMMEDIATELY AND CORRECT VEHICLES CURRENTLY ON THE ROAD AT THEIR COST. *TR
- NHTSA ID
- 10445180
- Incident
- Jan 17, 2012
- Mileage
- 80,000 mi
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD F-450. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AFTER THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE THE DEALER PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC THAT LOCATED THE FAILURE AS THE FUEL LINER DELAMINATING. THE DEALER REPLACED THE FUEL TANK AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 200,000. UPDATED 01/11/12
- NHTSA ID
- 10437565
- Incident
- Mar 23, 2011
- Mileage
- 200,000 mi
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 F-450 SD. WHILE DRIVING, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD LOOSE POWER AND WOULD STALL INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS DELAMINATION FOUND IN THE FUEL TANK LINING, WHICH WAS FLAKING OFF AND CAUSING A LEAK IN THE FUEL FILTER AND FUEL PUMP. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 34,000.
- NHTSA ID
- 10412436
- Incident
- Jul 1, 2011
2004 FORD F450 AMBULANCE. CONSUMER STATES DEFECTIVE OF THE FUEL TANK *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED AS A RESULT OF A SERIOUS STRUCTURAL DEFECT OF THE FUEL TANK, THE VEHICLE STALLED DURING SEVERAL EMERGENCY CALLS. THE COATING IN THE INTERIOR DIESEL FUEL TANK CORRODED AND COLLECTED AS SEDIMENT, WHICH EXTRACTED INTO THE FUEL SYSTEM. THE FUEL LINE BECAME CLOGGED AND DAMAGED THE FUEL PUMP AND VALVES. *JB UPDATED 03/01/12 *BF UPDATED 03/16/12 UPDATED 04/18/12
- NHTSA ID
- 10403298
- Incident
- May 2, 2011
Manufacturer communications
A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
When performing any transmission fluid changes or topoffs involving MERCON SP, MERCON LV has replaced all versions of MERCON SP and can be used going forward. Mixing MERCON LV and MERCON SP in the same transmission is acceptable. After 30-Jun-2023, MERCON SP ATF will no longer be manufactured and will only be available until inventory depletes.
POWER TRAIN
This SKU is a Transmission Line. The customer communication requested return of unsold inventory to inspect the connector. The transmission line connector may have an incorrect thread size, which will prevent it from being installed.
EQUIPMENT
This SKU is a Spare Tire Hoist. Test results identified that the pull force parameter was not within specification, as a precautionary measure unsold inventory was requested to be returned for testing and containment. We don't have evidence that these test results have contributed to a product failure.
EQUIPMENT
This SKU is a Spare Tire Hoist. Test results identified that the pull force parameter was not within specification, as a precautionary measure unsold inventory was requested to be returned for testing and containment. We don't have evidence that these test results have contributed to a product failure.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Some 2002-2008 F-Super Duty, F-150 and Mark LT vehicles may exhibit concern during or after programing the VSM. The programming may fail or vehicle symptoms such as inoperative door locks, dome lamps, door ajar indicators or auto lamps may occur after successful programing. To ensure the VSM is configured correctly, use the Integrated Diagnostic System (IDS) scan tool and select the blue ball and socket icon in the upper left corner. Select the utility knife in the bottom left corner. Select Update/Special Function and enter 53061 in the blue box then press the tick mark. The screen will go back to the system utilities page. Navigate to the toolbox tab and run the Programmable Module Installation (PMI) on the VSM. The procedure will prompt you to manually enter the as-built into the VSM. Obtain the as-built data from PTS > OASIS > As-Built.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
FORD: WHEN SHIFTING BETWEEN PARK, REVERSE AND/OR DURING 2-3 SHIFT, AN INTERMITTENT CLUNK OCCURS WITH A TORQSHIFT TRANSMISSION. MODEL 2003-2014 F-SUPER DUTY, E SERIES, EXCURSION, F-53 MOTORHOME CHASSIS, LOW CAB FORWARD. *PE
Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.
Compare model years
Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model
| Year | Complaints | Recalls | Investigations | Issue Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — |
| 2025 | 2 | 4 | 0 | — |
| 2024 | 7 | 3 | 0 | — |
| 2023 | 5 | 13 | 0 | — |
| 2022 | 24 | 14 | 0 | 57.7 |
| 2021 | 17 | 12 | 2 | 62.6 |
| 2020 | 0 | 10 | 3 | — |
| 2019 | 3 | 9 | 3 | — |
| 2018 | 0 | 7 | 3 | — |
| 2017 | 1 | 11 | 3 | — |
| 2016 | 1 | 3 | 1 | — |
| 2015 | 1 | 4 | 2 | — |
| 2014 | 1 | 4 | 1 | — |
| 2013 | 2 | 8 | 1 | — |
| 2012 | 3 | 7 | 1 | — |
| 2011 | 6 | 8 | 1 | — |
| 2010 | 3 | 6 | 0 | — |
| 2009 | 3 | 5 | 0 | — |
| 2008 | 68 | 3 | 0 | 46.3 |
| 2007 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 40.0 |
| 2006 | 35 | 2 | 0 | 45.5 |
| 2005 | 40 | 5 | 0 | 43.8 |
| 2004Viewing | 33 | 3 | 1 | 50.5 |
| 2003 | 16 | 6 | 3 | 49.1 |
| 2002 | 14 | 6 | 3 | 50.1 |
| 2001 | 23 | 9 | 7 | 64.3 |
| 2000 | 43 | 7 | 5 | 62.1 |
| 1999 | 66 | 11 | 5 | 62.6 |
| 1998 | 1 | 2 | 2 | — |
| 1997 | 4 | 4 | 1 | — |
| 1996 | 2 | 2 | 1 | — |
| 1995 | 2 | 2 | 1 | — |
| 1994 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — |
| 1993 | 5 | 4 | 2 | — |
| 1992 | 3 | 2 | 2 | — |
| 1991 | 6 | 1 | 1 | — |
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.