Most common 2004 Ford E-150 problems
Share of the 33 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Ford E-150 complaints by model year
Best E-150 years: 2009, 2014, 2015. Years to avoid: 2001, 1997, 1999, 1995, 1996. Compare all years →
2004 Ford E-150 recalls (4)
Equipment adaptive/mobility
Van conversions is recalling 52 my 2004-2007 Ford e-150, e-250 e-350 and my 2006 GM savanna 3500 vans built on Ford and GM chassis and equipped with ricon platform style wheelchair lifts. These lifts fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no.
Remedy: Van conversions is working with ricon to correct the wheelchair lifts free of charge (please see 07e097). Owners May contact ricon at 1-818-267-3000 or van conversions at 610-837-0707.
Equipment adaptive/mobility
Van conversions is recalling 74 my 2004-2007 Ford e-150, e-250 e-350 and my 2006 GM savanna 3500 vans built on Ford and GM chassis and equipped with ricon platform style wheelchair lifts. These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no.
Remedy: Van conversions is working with ricon to correct the wheelchair lifts free of charge (please see 07e095). Owners May contact ricon at 1-818-267-3000 or van conversions at 610-837-0707.
Electrical system › Wiring
On certain vans, a diode in the anti-lock braking system (ABS) module May experience an electrical short.
Remedy: Dealers will install a new fuse in the ABS circuit and install a heat shield over the ABS module. The recall began on October 15, 2004. Owners should contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673.
Engine and engine cooling
On certain vans, the air filter element material process resulted in an air filter paper element that can smolder or burn. This change in filter paper composition combined with the configuration of the air induction system, May allow hot carbon particles to contact the air filter element during certain driving conditions that…
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the air filter element. The recall began September 27, 2004. Owners should contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2004 Ford E-150:
Spark plug ejection from cylinder head
On September 6, 2005, odi received a petition requesting that the agency investigate allegations of engine spark plug ejection in certain model year 1997 through 2004 Ford vehicles with triton v-8 and v-10 engines.odi received a total of 474 non-duplicative complaints on the subject vehicles where the complainant, or the dealer repairing the vehicle, reported that a spark plug detached from the cylinder and/or…
What 2004 Ford E-150 owners say
Brakes
We purchased our 2004 Ford expedition in July, took it to florida on vacation and while driving on the interstate it started shuddering. When we finally got it stopped (the brakes just wouldn't work) we checked for a flat tire - nothing. The next occurance was the first week of September, we took it inot the dealer, they found a diagnostic code and did something to it. It happened several more times. We continued to take it in.. They said they couldn't find a diagnostic code. On March 16th, the day before it was scheduled to go in for this again, I drove over a rough spot on the street, and once again, it started shuddering. I immediately put the brakes on - I was standing on them - to no avail - a block and a half after it started shuddering, and excellerating, I hit a truck and injured my neck. When I contacted Ford motor company the first time, they blew me off. …
During the winter months our 2004, Ford, e150, van has had occasional yet complete brake failure several times. Typically, it has happened when it was very cold -10f and typically slower speeds 10-15mph but today it was 30 f and speeds were 45-50 MPH as we were coming down a mountain pass in colorado. We almost rear ended a semi and almost took another car head on but they had moved into the far lane. Before reaching the brake failure run off we were able to down shift and eventually the brakes came back to complete working order. The van has been brought in several times to Ford dealership and each time same answer, we can't reproduce the problem so they haven't done anything.
Speed control & acceleration
Tl contact owns a 2004 Ford econoline e150. He received a safety recall notification letter in August 2007 on the Ford vehicle speed control. The information provided in the letter is fraudulent and misleading and the dealer lead him to believe that a repair was going to be made during his appointment. The contact was later informed after the switch was disconnected that the part was not available. He has called Ford every month since receiving the notification in August and every month he has been told that the parts would be available the following month. He has also tried more than one Ford dealership and he received the same response. If he cannot have his car repaired that he would like to negotiate a refund. There are no failures at this time. The current mileage was 48,000. Updated 01/17/08 updated 01/17/08
When driving on a highway with the vehicle speed cruise control on, the component will shut off without warning. I have brought the auto back to the dealer twice with this complaint, both times I was told that the problem was fixed. Both times the component failed again while in use. I will be bringing the auto in to the dealer again in two days for the same repair. I see that Ford motors has been aware of this problem publicly since oct. 01, 2004.
Transmission & drivetrain
The contact owns a 2004 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while parked when the vehicle suddenly rolled backwards downhill the contact's son attempted to get into the vehicle to make it stop. The trailer's jackknife stopped the vehicle from going onto the road. The contact manually moved the vehicle back into their garage. The contact stated their son did receive injuries to their head, left or right leg (the contact was unsure of the exact leg), and their left or right arm (the contact was unsure of the exact arm). Medical attention was needed. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and opened a case. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to file a safety complaint. The failure mileage was 74,000.
At the point I reach 40 MPH truck shifts to neutral, have to pull over safely and take truck out of overdrive to get home. Very dangerous when traveling at that rate of speed. Did some of my own investigating and found many website have angry people who also own same vehicles with very low mileage. I saw the range of miles between 44,000 miles to 150,000 miles. Please refer to www.carcomplaints.com just to start with, there are many other websites for this model you can see. Please help.
2004 Ford E-150 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.6L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 13 / 18 / 15 |
| 5.4L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 13 / 16 / 14 |
EPA ratings. Class: Van.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2004 Ford E-150 a good car?
Based on 33 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2004 E-150 rates average: 1.3× as many complaints as a typical year of the E-150 at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2004 Ford E-150?
The brakes — 8 complaints, 24% of all complaints for this model year, most often about foundation components › hoses, lines/piping, and fittings. Next are the speed control & acceleration (4) and transmission & drivetrain (4).
How many recalls does the 2004 Ford E-150 have?
There are 4 recalls for the 2004 Ford E-150, the most recent from March 27, 2009 (equipment adaptive/mobility). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Ford E-150?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2009, 2014 and 2015. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2001, 1997, 1999, 1995 and 1996. See the full Ford E-150 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2004 Ford E-150 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 70,000 miles; 41% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.