There are 50 owner-reported engine complaints for the 2004 Ford F-150in NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
The contact owns a 2004 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds, the vehicle shuddered and failed to accelerate while the accelerator pedal was depressed. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact pulled over to the shoulder of the roadway and was able to restart the vehicle. The contact scanned the vehicle with a scanner and retrieved an unknown camshaft phaser error code. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
The contact owns a 2004 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact observed the spark plug being ejected from the fuel compartment. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who was unable to diagnose the failure. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 150,000.
THROTTLE BODY CAUSES VEHICLE TO STOP DEAD WHEN SLOWING DOWN ON CITY STREET.
WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY I NOTICE A NOISE AND A LOSE OF POWER PULL OFF AND HAD TRUCK TOWED TO DEALER THEY CALLED ME TOLD ME NEEDED NEW MOTOR I WAS SHOCKED ONLY HAS 154000 MILES ON IT WHAT THE HELL DEALER TOLD ME $9000 TO REPLACE MOTOR WHAT TOLD THEM I WOULD BE THERE TO PICK UP TRUCK WITH TOW TRUCK WELL THEY CALLED ME BACK SAID $7000 STILL WAY TO MUCH BUT I NEED THE TRUCK CANT BUY A NEW ONE SO I HAD TO GET 2 LOANS TO REPLACE MY MOTOR THEN I FIND OUT THE MOTOR IN A 2004 F 150 HAS A MAJOR ISSUES BUT THE DEALER NEVER TOLD ME ANYTHING OF THE SORT SO NOW I HAVE A TRUCK WITH THE SAME MOTOR AS BEFORE THAT COST ME A LARGE AMOUNT OF MONEY I DIDN'T HAVE FORD SHOULD STEP UP AND TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM SO NOW I HAVE 2 LOANS TO PAY OFF HOPE TO HELL THIS MOTOR LAST AND THEY WONDER WHY PEOPLE GO POSTAL IF FORD DOSENT RESOLVE THIS I WILL NEVER BUY A FORD PRODUCT AGAIN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD F-150. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE EGR VALVE AND THE FUEL INJECTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION AND CHECK ENGINE INDICATORS ILLUMINATED AND WERE REPLACED IN 2018. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 15,000.
2004 FORD F-150 ENGINE IS BAD. THE 5.4 LITER ENGINE. I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE USED 3 YEARS AGO AND NOW THE ENGINE IS RUINED. MY HUSBAND RESEARCHED AND ALSO CONSULTED WITH SEVERAL MECHANICS AND FOUND THAT THESE ENGINES WERE KNOWN FOR THE CAM PHASERS GOING BAD SO FORD STOPPED PUTTING THIS ENGINE IN THE VEHICLES IN 2007. THE LAST TIME I DROVE THIS VEHICLE AA I WAS MAKING A RIGHT TURN, THE TRUCK CUT OFF ON ME IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD WHICH IS VERY DANGEROUS. WE OWE $8,000 ON THIS FORD WHICH IS NOW NO FOOD. SITS IN OUR YARD. WE WANT ACTION. FORD NEEDS TO STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT.
CAM PHAZER IS OUT LEANING OUT THE TIMING, CAUSING THE MOTOR TO KNOCK AND IDLE AT 500 RPMS CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO COMPLETELY STOP IN TRAFFIC OR AT A STOP LIGHT. I AM TOLD AT MINIMUM A TIMING CHAIN KIT, PHASER, MIGHT FIX THE PROBLEM IF NOT I WOULD NEED A NEW ENGINE AT 5000.00 DOLLARS THIS NEEDS TO BE A RECALL FIX MY TRUCK ONLY HAS 116454.MILES ON IT AND SHOULD NOT NEED THIS KINK OF REPAIRS YET. OR SHOULD BE COVERED BY FORD THROUGH A MALFUNCTION OF EQUIPMENT THAT WAS INSTALLED AND THERE FOR MALFUNCTIONED PREMATURELY
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS - RPMS ON ENGINE BEGIN TO FLUCTUATE BETWEEN 2000 AND 750. AT NEXT STOP, ENGINE DIES, BUT WILL IMMEDIATELY RESTART. NO ENGINE MALFUNCTION CODES WHEN CHECKED WITH AN OBD II READER, AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT DOES NOT ILLUMINATE.
2 TIMES IN THE LAST 6 MONTHS, MOST RECENTLY ON 2/27/17 MY VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AS IF THE GAS PEDDLE WAS BEING HELD TO THE FLOOR. I WAS STOPPED AT A LIGHT THIS TIME AND HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, SO I WAS ABLE TO PREVENT MY VEHICLE FROM LURCHING INTO THE INTERSECTION. I PLACED THE TRUCK INTO NEUTRAL AND SHUT OFF THE IGNITION. WHEN RESTARTED THE VEHICLE FUNCTIONED NORMALLY. THE FIRST TIME THIS OCCURRED (ABOUT 6 MONTHS AGO) I WAS SLOWLY ENTERING A PARKING LOT WHEN THE TRUCK SUDDENLY ACCELERATED.
I PURCHASED MY 2004 F150 WITH 10,000 MILES ON THE ENGINE IN DECEMBER OF 2004. I NOW HAVE 130,000 MILES ON THE ENGINE AND IM TOLD THE ENGINE IS JUNK. I CHANGED THE OIL RELIGIOUSLY EVERY 3000 MILES AND I EVEN HAD THE SPARK PLUGS TAKEN OUT AND THE ENGINE COMPLETELY CLEANED INTERNALLY. I LOVE THIS TRUCK AND AM FINDING IT HARD TO BELEIVE THAT AT 130,000 MILES ITS JUNK. THE CAMS ARE NOT GETTING OIL AND ITS CAUSING THE ENGINE TO RATTLE AND MAKE LOUD NOISES, WHEN I DRIVE THE TRUCK ON THE HIGHWAY AT 65 OR 70 MILES AN HOUR IT RUNS GREAT BUT AS SOON AS I SLOW DOWN ON THE RAMP, THE NOISE AND RATTLE START. THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. THE MECHANIC SAYS I NEED A NEW ENGINE. THE WARNING WAS CAM RETARDED. THE REST OF THE TRUCK IS IN GREAT CONDITION. THE INTERIOR LOOKS ALMOST NEW. I KEPT MY TRUCK CLEAN INSIDE AND OUTSIDE. I EVEN KEPT MY FLOORS SCRUBED AND CLEAN. I JUST HAD TO SELL MY HOUSE BECAUSE OF MY HEALTH AND NOW MY ONLY VEHICLE WENT TO HELL. IS ANYONE PAYING ATTENTION TO THESE COMPLAINTS AND TRYING TO FIX THEM. I'M TOLD THIS ENGINE IS NOTED FOR THIS PROBLEM. REALLY!!! 130,000 MILES ON A PICKUP TRUCK IS NOTHING. WHY ARE THESE ENGINES THAT WERE PUT IN THESE TRUCKS BREAKING DOWN AND NOTHING IS BEING DONE ABOUT IT? AFTER THIS EXPERIENCE WITH BUYING A NEW VEHICLE, I KNOW I'LL NEVER PURCHASE A NEW VEHICLE AGAIN. ESPECIALLY NOT A FORD. I BELIEVE THAT THE FORD COMPANY IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM, BUT ISN'T CONCERNED WITH THE CONSUMERS PROBLEM, BECAUSE NOTHING IS BEING DONE TO HELP THE CONSUMER FIX THE PROBLEM. I THE CONSUMER AM SHOCKED THAT I HAVE TO JUNK MY VEHICLE WITH THE LOW MILEAGE. I'M TOLD $8000.00 FOR A NEW ENGINE. WOW!!! NOT POSSIBLE FOR ME TO EVEN CONSIDER. PLEASE PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS PROBLEM AND HELP THE CONSUMER WITH A RESOLUTION. I DON'T WANT TO JUNK MY TRUCK!
MY FORD F 150 HAS THROWN A ROD & THE MOTOR IS KNOCKING BADLY, TO MY UNDERSTANDING ALL 2004 FORD F150 3V HAVE A BAD MOTOR IN ALL TRUCKS, EVERY TRUCK I KNOW HAVE THIS PROBLEM. YOU EXCHANGE THIS MOTOR TO A LATER OR EARLY MOTOR IT WON'T WORK I BEING TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP MECH. I BELIEVE FORD SHOULD BE HELD TO RECALL & REPLACE THESE MOTORS. *JS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD F-150. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING AND WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE AIR CONDITIONING COMPRESSOR AND PLENUM KIT NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 84,000. UPDATED 03/21/17*LJ *CN
TRING TO PASS SMOG BUT TRUCK HAS MISFIRE WITCH CAUSED MOTOR TO SHAKE SPEWING GAS AT 76 IN OAKLAND CA THANK GOD MY ROOMATE SPOTTED IT AS WE'RE LEAVING PUMP OR WE COULD HAVE BLOWN UP OR WORSE AFTER A STRUGGLE WE WERE ABLE TO GET THE TRUCK OUT OF GEAR AND PUSH IT OUT OF THE PUMP AREA .
THE #3 SPARK PLUG HAS BLOWN FREE OF THE CYLINDER HEAD. THIS IS THE 2ND PLUG THAT HAS BLOWN FREE IN 1 1/2 YEARS FOR THIS TRUCK. THE LAST WAS EITHER THE #7 OR #8 PLUG. BOTH HAPPENED ON DECELERATION WHILE AT HIGHWAY SPEED.
I RECENTLY PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE AND NOW I AM HAVING THE SPARK PLUGS REPLACED. 3 OUT OF THE 8 BROKE IN THE ENGINE. THIS DEFECT HAS AFFECTED NUMEROUS OTHER OWNERS. THE REPAIR COSTS ARE EXTREMELY HIGH FOR A NORMAL SIMPLE REPAIR. THIS SOUNDS LIKE A DESIGN DEFECT AND A RECALL SHOULD BE INITIATED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD F-150. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE CAM SHAFT PHASER WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 162,000.
DRIVING 70MPH, HIGHWAY 41N-WISCONSIN, JUST NORTH OF OSHKOSH, LEGAL SPEED LIMIT, 35 DEGREE WEATHER, NEARING END OF A 90 MILE TRIP WITH WIFE AND GRANDDAUGHTER, EARLY EVENING, WHEN I HEARD A NOISE/THUD, THEN HAD DASH ENGINE WARNING LIGHTS AND ALARMS GO OFF AS WELL AS SEVERE VIBRATING AND NOISES UNDER THE HOOD WITH LOSS OF POWER. MANAGED TO GET MY 4X4 TRUCK OUT OF CENTER LANE AND INTO EMERGENCY LANE WITHOUT BEING HIT. TRIED RESTARTING ENGINE A COUPLE OF TIMES, WHICH IT DID, BUT I SHUT IT DOWN IMMEDIATELY BOTH TIMES BECAUSE OF SEVERE VIBRATION AND NOISE. AFTER ARRANGING FOR EMERGENCY ROAD SERVICE AND A POLICE OFFICER TO PROTECT MY BACKSIDE FROM TRAFFIC APPROACHING FROM THE REAR, THE TRUCK WAS TOWED TO MY FORD DEALERSHIP OF 12 YEARS. I HAD PURCHASED MY TRUCK THERE NEW AND DID ALL MY MAINTENANCE THERE, EXCEPT MAYBE A COUPLE OF OIL CHANGES WHEN I HAVE BEEN OUT OF STATE. THERE THE TRUCK WAS DIAGNOSED TO HAVE CAM PHASER FAILURE AND NEEDED A 5,000+ ENGINE REPLACEMENT @ 130,000 MILES. UNBELIEVABLE. I'VE HAD THE CRACKED WINDSHIELD, THE REAR SEAL ISSUES, THE VARIOUS ELECTRONIC FAILURES AND YES, THE FORD SPARK PLUG ISSUE WITH BROKEN PLUGS DURING A MAINTENANCE CHANGE. I STILL LOVED MY TRUCK UNTIL IT NEARLY CAUSED MY FAMILY AND I SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH, OR POSSIBLY SOME OTHER UNDESERVING SOUL. I'M NOT REPLACING THE ENGINE AND AM TRYING TO EXTRACT WHATEVER REMAINING VALUE EXISTS. THE DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN INDIFFERENT TO THE SITUATION AND HAS DONE LITTLE. SO YES, I'M LIVID ABOUT THE MONEY AND THE LOSS OF IT, BUT AM ALSO LIVID AND CONCERNED AS TO WHO HAS TO BE HURT OR WORSE YET KILLED BEFORE SOMETHING IS DONE. THERE ARE LITERALLY 100S/1000S OF CAM PHASER COMPLAINTS FOR THE TRITON 5..4L THAT I HAVE READ THROUGH AS WELL AS HAVING TALKED TO A FEW MECHANICS SINCE THE INCIDENT. THANK YOU FORD FOR TAKING MY MONEY AND JEOPARDIZING MY FAMILY'S SAFETY. I AM NO LONGER A FORD CUSTOMER! *TR
HAD OWNED THE TRUCK FOR ABOUT 2 MONTHS BEFORE THE ENGINE STARTED KNOCKING, STALING, AND WOULD JUST COMPLETELY SHAKE SO BAD THE TRUCK WOULD SHUT OFF LIKE IT WAS OUTTA GAS! HAD THE CAM SHAFTS REPLACED, FIXED THE PROBLEM FOR ABOUT 15 DAYS, THEN KNOCKING STARTED UP AGAIN..LONG STORY SHORT- ENGINE ENDED UP BLOWING UP! $5000.00 LATER FOR A REMANUFACTURED ENGINE WITH CORRECTED PARTS THAT SHOULD OF BEEN CORRECTED IN THE FIRST PLACE BY FORD! SELLING FAULTY PARTS THAT COULD NOT ONLY HARM MY FAMILY WHILE DRIVING BUT OTHERS ON THE ROADWAYS AS WELL... FORD NEEDS TO OWN UP AND CORRECT THEIR MISTAKES! I WILL NEVER PURCHASE A FORD VEHICLE AGAIN!
BLEW THE SPARK PLUG CLEAN OUT OF MOTOR LEAVING NO THREADS WHILE SITTING AT A STOP LIGHT
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MOTOR IN THE THREE VALVE ENGINE FAILED BECAUSE THE CAM TOWER COLLAPSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,300.
Showing 1–20 of 50 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026