Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (accelerator pedal, throttle, sudden acceleration, cruise control).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2004 Ford F-150 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
With my foot on the brake, I put the truck in reverse to begin backing out of a driveway. I applied a little gas to slowly backup around the turn in the drive. As I was rolling backwards, I had my foot on the brake because I was navigating past other parked vehicles. As I was clearing one of the vehicles, the truck suddenly jolted backwards hitting a tree. So then, with my foot on the brake, I put the truck in drive so that I could pull forward away from the tree. As I began to press on the gas pedal and the truck instantly thrust forward, hitting another tree, stopping the truck & knocking the tree over. It happened with such power that the wheels spun down into the mulch bed before I was able to brake, put the truck into park and remove the keys to turn it off. …
Tl* the contact owned a 2004 Ford f-150. After the gear shift was switched into the drive position with the brake pedal engaged, the vehicle accelerated independently. As a result, the contact crashed into a ditch and the vehicle rolled over multiple times. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained a broken hand and arm, a severed finger, and bruising on the body that required medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 100,000.
This 2004 Ford f 150 that I have driven since new as I am about to merge with traffic to get on the xway began to rev up engine . I remove my foot away from the gas to see that the %$#&* is going on. Pat the gas thinking " stuck" still reving up now I am over 60. I use my heels to see if mat or some object May have fall down. No ! I pull over in between some yellow cone ..with all the strength I could put on brakes. With foot still on brake and engine RPM in red I am thinking " what the next thing to do " this truck is not coming down to idling . Come to me " fool put in neutral ". I did . Still RPM in red. I am thinking " turn off ignition" . But at he same time thinking can you . It worked. I placed the truck in park then cranked up and drove of but I can not wait to have this f 150 taken in. …
Tl contact owns a 2004 Ford f150. The vehicle was parked for 1-2 hours and he noticed the fire under the hood. The fire was extinguished. The dealer towed the vehicle to have an investigator diagnose the failure. The investigator concluded that the cause of the fire was the cruise control. The cruise control has not operated normally in over 1 year. Also, the dealer stated that there was a recall on the vehicle. Therefore, they werenot liable for damages. The contact stated that hewas the second owner, and never received a recall notice. The current and failure mileage were 137,000. The contact has pictures of the vehicle. It has not been determined if the vehicle could be repaired. There was no mention of a police or fire report.
After shifting to reverse, the vehicle accelerated at a high rate hitting a house. The consumer had the vehicle towed. The consumer stated that there four sets of skid marks on the pavement. Two skid marks from the rear wheels spinning and two from the front wheels as a result of them dragging from the applied brakes. The consumer request information be documented on the internet due to no computer. The consumer stated that his wife was forced backwards at a high rate of speed hitting a brick wall, jumping the wall and into the neighbors house. The consumer stated that the wheels where still spinning after the accident and dug a hole about 8 inches deep into the flower bed.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Ford f-150. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled and the accelerator pedal hesitated when depressed. As a result, the vehicle made an abnormal puttering sound while in drive. In addition, the electrical system failed. The spark plugs were changed multiple times. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who stated that the spark plugs should not be touched because they were Ford certified spark plugs and tear easily. A special onsite Ford mechanic repaired the spark plugs. The accelerator pedal and stalling failures were not repaired. The manufacturer and dealer were not made aware of the failures. The failure mileage was 233,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Ford f-150. While driving approximately 65 MPH with the cruise control activated, the vehicle involuntary accelerated. In addition, the brake system failed. The contact had to switch the vehicle to neutral and the rpms increased. The contact had to pull over to the side of the road to a complete stop. The contact pulled the fuses to the throttle and cruise control. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired and the failure recurred even with the cruise control deactivated. The contact recurred seven other times. The VIN was unknown. The approximate failure mileage was 79,000.
Most recently,(not including rear end replaced, reverse band on trans replaced, blown spark plug out of engine block) my truck has started to stall out for no reason that I can fathom,1st time was at 65 MPH on a major highway, now more recently at lower speeds, coming to a stop at stop signs lights ect , turning street corners at lower speeds, or coming to a stop in my driveway. I see many complaints of this same problem in forums with no cause or repair that seems to be a root cause. Please help !
Tl contact owns a 2004 Ford f-150. Approximately thirty minutes after parking the vehicle in the garage, the contact heard a noise and found the vehicle on fire. The fire department arrived, but could not determine the origin of the fire. A report was filed. The flames were located in the rear cab of the vehicle. The insurance company declared the vehicle to be destroyed. There were no injuries. The failure mileage was 46,000. Updated 4/23/09 updated 04/27/09.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Ford f-150. The contact stated that the cruise control failed to engage and disengage. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the activation switch needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 67,000. Ma 08/11/15 the consumer stated the local dealer could not determine the cause of the failure. The dealer refunded the diagnostic fee. Updated 1127/2015
Related recalls
Vehicle speed control
On certain pickup trucks, passenger vehicles, sport utility vehicles, and motor homes chassis, the speed control deactivation switch May, under certain conditions, leak internally and then overheat, smoke, or burn.
Remedy: Dealers will install a fused wiring harness. Owners of the passenger cars included in this campaign will be instructed to return their vehicles to their dealers to have the speed control deactivation switch disconnected…
Acceleration complaints in other F-150 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are acceleration problems on the 2004 Ford F-150?
NHTSA has 70 complaints about the speed control & acceleration of the 2004 Ford F-150, 3% of the model year's 2,029 complaints. The component named most often is accelerator pedal (12 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2004 Ford F-150 acceleration problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 07V-336 (vehicle speed control, Aug 3, 2007). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2004 Ford F-150 acceleration problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 40,000 miles, and 41% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 11 crashes, 9 fires and 8 injuries to speed control & acceleration problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.