2004 Ford F-150 Structure
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
MY TRUCK HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE BED JUMPING UP AND DOWN AS IT GOES DOWN THE ROAD. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS WHEN YOU GOING AROUND A CORNER. I HAVE BROUGHT THIS PROBLEM UP TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES, AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THE WAS THE WAY THE VEHICLE WAS SUPPOSE TO PERFORM. NO, IT WAS NOT RIGHT FOR A VEHICLE TO PERFORM THIS WAY. *AK
I BOUGHT MY FORD F150 4X4 FLARESIDE 2004 LAST NOVEMBER 30,2004. DROVE IT HOME,NOTICE A STRONG VIBRATION IN THE STEERING WHEEL AND SHAKING OF THE WHOLE TRUCK AT SPEED BETWEEN 35-65 MILES. I TOLD THE SERVICE MANAGER ABOUT THE PROBLEM WHO TOLD ME THAT THEY CANNOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT UNTIL THEY HEAR ANYTHING FROM FORD HEADQUARTERS. AT 1800 MILES, MY TRUCK SHAKES SO BAD THAT I FELT LIKE SOMETHING MASSAGING MY CALF MUSCLES AND MY BACK, WORSE AT SPEED OF 55-65 MPH. I HAVE TO EITHER SLOW DOWN OR SPEED UP TO 70-75 MPH TO REMEDIED THE SHAKING. I HAVE CALLED FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE 3X AND ALSO BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR TIRE ROTATION AND BALANCE, THEN ROAD FORCE TIRE BALANCE AND THEN INSTALLATION OF A DAMPNER. IT DID NOT WORKED! I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AGAIN 1/11/05. THEY CANNOT GAVE ME A GOOD WAY TO FIX THE SAID PROBLEM. THIS IS CAUSING A LOT OF DISCOMFORT ON MY DAILY HOUR DRIVE TO WORK AND ANXIETY OF HOW SAFE AM I ON CONTINUING TO DRIVE THIS BUILD TOUGH VEHICLE AS ADVERTISED. I AM PLANNING TO FILE A LEMON TO GET MY MONEY BACK. DISPUTE SETTLEMENT BOARD IS OUT OF THE OPTION. *JB
PURCHASED 04 FORD F150 FX4 4X4 12/18/04. SINCE PURCHASE, ALONG WITH TWO OTHER NEW TEST DRIVEN EQUIVALENTS, NOTICED EXCESSIVE WIND NOISE AT 40 MPH. BEST WAY TO DESCRIBE THIS IS IT SOUNDS SIMILAR TO THE HEAT/COOL FAN AT HIGH (E.G. SETTING 4) SPEED. IT IS LOUD AND VERY IRRETATING. FOR THE PROBLEM TO BE RESOLVED, IT WOULD BE THE SAME AS WHEN YOU TURN OFF THE HEAT/COOL FAN AT HIGH. NOTE: THE HEAT/COOL ANALOGY IS FOR COMPARISON PURPOSES ONLY, IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. NUMEROUS OTHER 'COMPLAINTS' HAVE BEEN LOGGED ON FORD TRUCK ENTHUSIASTS WEB SITE SO I AM NOT ALONE. IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE ENGINE NOISE, MORE LIKE WIND/AIR ENTERING THE ENGINE AND MAKING IT'S WAY INTO THE CAB SOMEWHERE IN THE FRONT/BOTTOM OF THE DASH IS MY BEST GUESS. IT DOESN'T APPEAR TO BE A LEAK IN THE WINDSHIELD ANYWHERE, BUT THEN AGAIN, BASED ON ONE PERSON ON THE FORD TRUCK ENTHUSIASTS THREAD HAD THE PROBLEM FIXED AT A DEALER VIA A THIRD PARTY AUTO GLASS PERSON SEALING UP THE TOP OF THE WINDOW. THE EXACT SOLUTION IS SKETCHY BUT IT'S THE ONLY RESOLUTION I'VE SEEN. IN FACT, THAT PERSON GAVE THE DEALER CONTACT INFORMATION IF ONE HAS QUESTIONS: LEN - THE SERVICE MANAGERAT AT WOODY SANDER FORD, CINCINNATI, OH (513)541-5586. I ABSOLUTE HATE WIND NOISE AND IT IS SIGNIFICANT AND THUS A SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM MUST BE MADE BY FORD! I'LL BE DOING MUCH MORE INVESTIGATION... AT THIS TIME, I FELT IT NECESSARY TO FILE A COMPLAINT SINCE ONE DOES NOT YET EXIST. I DECIDED TO PURCHASE THE VEHICLE NONE-THE-LESS FIGURING THE FIX CANNOT BE THAT DIFFICULT AND I LIKED THE TRUCK OUTSIDE OF THAT ONE PROBLEM.*AK
TAILGATE CABLES DO NOT SUPPORT EVENLY, ONE CABLE APPEARS LONGER THAN THE OTHER BUT IT IS NOT. *BF *TC
WHILE DRIVING MY 2004 FORD F-150 CREW CAB WITH THE TAILGATE DOWN @ 10MPH I WENT OVER A SMALL SPEED BUMP. THE TAILGATE SEPERATED FROM THE TRUCK. WHEN I WENT TO FORD DEALER THEY SAID, "YEAH, IT SHOULDN'T COME OFF THAT EASY" BUT THEY REFUSE TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER SAID TO HOLD ON BECAUSE HE FELT HE WOULD SEE ALOT OF THIS. THE GATE IS SPRING LOADED MAKING IT "BOUNCE" WHEN IT IS DOWN. *AK
THE BUMPER RUSTED FROM THE INSIDE. CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED THAT THIS COULD BE SERIOUS PROBLEM. TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND WAS TOLD THIS WAS A NORMAL THING, THE BUMPER RUSTING THROUGH FROM THE INSIDE.*AK
I HAVE OWNED MY 2004 F-150 SUPERCAB 4X4 LARIAT FOR APPROXIMATELY 5 WEEKS. THE VEHICLE HAD A VERY BAD SHAKE IN THE REAR END AT APPROXIMATELY 59 MILES AN HOUR. DEALER INSTALLED A "DAMPNER", WHICH WAS SUPPOSED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. INSTALLATION OF THE DAMPNER ONLY RELOCATED THE VIBRATION TO 54-55 MILES AN HOUR. AT TIMES, THE VIBRATION IS SO BAD, I MUST SLOW DOWN OR SPEED UP SO I CAN SEE OUT OF THE REAR VIEW MIRROR. THE DEALERSHIP AND THE FORD REGIONAL SERVICE TECHNICIAN HAVE TOLD ME THAT THE NEW MODEL OF F-150 HAS A MUCH STIFFER FRAME AND THAT IS THE CAUSE OF THE VIBRATION. THEY GO ON TO SAY THAT THIS RIDE VIBRATION IS NORMAL THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE LINE OF THE F-150S. WHEN IT RAINS AND THE VEHICLE IS HOPPING UP AND DOWN IN THE REAR, I AM HONESTLY AFRAID THAT IF I HYDROPLANE THE LEAST AMOUNT, I WILL LOSE CONTROL OF THE TRUCK AND HAVE AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE ASKED REPEATEDLY FOR THIS PROBLEM TO BE RESOLVED, BUT THEY SAY THEY HAVE DONE ALL THEY CAN AND THAT THIS IS THE NORMAL RIDE OG THE VEHICLE. I JUST DON'T BELIEVE IT.*AK
PURCHASED '04 F-150 IN OCTOBER OR '03. AT SPEEDS, THE VIBRATION WAS SO BAD THAT MY HANDS SHOOK ON THE WHEEL, AND I COULD SEE THE HOOD MOVING. TWO TRIPS TO THE DEALER TO CHANGE TIRES AND BALANCE, ETC. DID NOTHING, THEN A PARTICULAR MECHANIC GOT ON IT AND FOUND OUT ABOUT THE DAMPER FIX. HE INSTALLED IT AND THERE IS GREAT IMPROVEMENT. I AM AMAZED THAT THE TRUCK CONTINUES TO BE SOLD WITH NO EFFORT TO CORRECT THE VIBRATION PROBLEMS, PARTICULARLY WHEN THE ADVERTISING CONTINUES TO SAY THAT IT IS SUCH A REMARKABLE VEHICLE. I ALSO HAD A SIDEWALL BLOW OUT AND IT WAS TOUGH TO FIND REPLACEMENT GENERAL TIRE IN THE CORRECT SIZE. MY COMPLAINT ISN'T THE DEALER, ITS THE DESIGNERS. I'LL BE INTERESTED TO SEE IF CHANGES ARE MADE IN THE 2005.*AK
WHILE DRIVING WITH THE REAR WINDOW OPEN, THE VEHICLE VIBRATED. THE DRIVER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR ANALYSIS. *PH EXTREME VIBRATION OF THE CAB WAS ENCOUNTERED UPON LEAVING EITHER OR BOTH REAR DOOR WINDOWS BELOW 30%WHILE DRIVING ABOVE 35 MPH. THE VIBRATION INCREASED WHEN THE SPEED INCREASED AND WAS MOST PREVALENT ABOVE 50 MPH. THE VIBRATION SEEMD TO BE CAUSED BY AIR PRESSURE ENTERING THE VEHICLE. *CB *JB
THE CONSUMER OWNS A NEW 2004 FORD F-150. THE CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE ODOMETER, TRIPOMETER, OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE GAUGE AND COMPASS WERE MOVED TO A SMALL PANEL INSIDE THE SPEEDOMETER WINDOW. ON THE PREVIOUS MODEL THE GAUGES WERE VISIBLE. ON THIS MODEL THE GAUGES CAN ONLY BE SEEN AT NIGHT OR ON DARK DAYS. ON BRIGHT DAYS IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO READ THE DISPLAYS. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK *NM
2004 FORD F150 2X4 REGULAR CAB FLAIRSIDE EVERE VIBRATION AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 45 AND 55 MPH. SEEMS TO BE IN REAR END OF VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP (MARSHAL MIZE FORD CHATTANOOGA, TN) STATES THEY CANNOT FIND PROBLEM BUT THERE IS A PROBLEM ACCORDING TO FORD ENGINEERING TSB 40303. SERVICE MANAGER STATED HE HEARD OF SOME VIBRATION ISSUES. FORD NEEDS A RECALL.*AK
WHILE LOADING THE VEHICLE TAILGATE FELL OFF. *AK
THE CONSUMER STATED THE MANUFACTURER INSTALLED A THIN METAL COOLING COIL ON THE FRONT FRAME MEMBER, WHICH WAS 13 INCHES FROM THE GROUND. THIS COIL COULD BE DAMAGED IF THE TRUCK GOES THROW A PUDDLE,WHICH WOULD RESULT IN STEERING FAILURE. *JB
Trend Over Time
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Common problems reported
Quick Summary
The 2004 Ford F-150 has 63 Structure complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.