Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (service brakes, ABS, rotors and pads, parking brake).
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).
I have a suspect that keeps adding air in brake lines of this vehicle. Police gave me permanent case number, but the guy is still breathing. Idk what to do, as he has done it on all our cars and on this F150 about 4 different times. The name of suspect is [redacted] .
Electrical malfunction with fuses , problems with brake light, engine light and air bag light . Some fuses blown out after brake light fuse popped wipers don't work at all air bog turns on and off every day not sure why
I was pulling a trailer over the continental divide with my family and stopped to get gas in leadville, colorado. As I was pumping gas I saw smoke coming from under my truck bed. I looked under the truck and saw flames near my spare tire. I stopped pumping gas and ran to get a fire extinguisher. After the fire was out I observed that my tail-pipe had broken away from my muffler. The heat from my exhaust had melted the rubber coating on my rear right brake cable. The heat had also melted some plastic near my spare tire. The mechanic in leadville who welded my tail pipe back to the muffler told me the melted plastic came from an evaporative fuel emissions system mounted near my spare tire. (bad place to put it if you ask me) my truck bed-liner also started to melt from the heat. …
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.
ABS brake system. My brake system began to fail in May 2015 and has done it ever since. When I push the brake pedal brakes fade to floor. I have nearly had several accidents due to brake failure. I took it to my local dealer (sackelaris Ford in camdenton, mo) and they analyzed it for an outrageous fee and stated the problem was either the master cylinder or the haydraulic control unit on ABS. I had the master cylinder replaced with a new mc and it hasn't helped. My brake pedal still fades to floor. I checked on the internet to see if this problem was a 2004 f150 f4 common problem. It is and a shocking pervasive one. Numerous accounts of this problem were posted on the internet. So I asked the dealer if there were any recalls for this and there isn't. I called the Ford customer service department and they corroborated there were no recalls. …
I drove the truck home from the automatic car wash (with underflush) and I parked it in my garage. I left for a 10 day vacation an hour after I parked it. When I came home 10 days later I found the truck hood and cab covered in black soot. The entire garage also had a thin film of black soot. As it turns out, the antilock brake control module caught on fire some time after I parked the truck. It caused $4000 damage between the brake control module and other related components. I have a full extended warranty which covered the repairs (initially the dealership told me the warranty would not cover the repair, but I challenged that decision, and the ESP people agreed with me).
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.
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 Ford f-150. While the vehicle was parked, the brake lines fractured more than twice. The contact mentioned that the brake lines had extensive rust and corrosion. The contact stated that the rear driver side brake line fractured on the first occasion. On the second occasion, the rear passenger side brake line fractured. The parts were replaced, but the failure recurred with both rear brake lines. The VIN was not available. The manufacturer was notified of the failures. The approximate failure mileage was 40,000.
Dt: the contact's wife was driving the vehicle and the brakes were not working properly. While traveling down hill there where no brakes. This, in turn, caused the contact's vehicle to rear end another vehicle. This accident involved four other vehicles which sustained damages. This crash was a frontal impact .upon impact, the air bags did not deploy. There were no warning lights prior to the accident. The vehicle was towed to a body shop for inspection .the vehicle was under warranty.
Truck was sold with defective parts on the driver side of vehicle. Steering knuckle, ABS sensors, etc. Having to be replaced 2 weeks after buying. Repair shop said vehicle was not maintained, sold in this condition when it could've been noticed and fixed. While driving a week after purchase truck lost steering and braking functionality on the highway and had to be pulled to the side of the road.. Towed to mechanic, oils not be driven
Brake complaints in other F-150 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are brake problems on the 2004 Ford F-150?
NHTSA has 139 complaints about the brakes of the 2004 Ford F-150, 7% of the model year's 2,029 complaints. The component named most often is foundation components › disc › rotor (27 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2004 Ford F-150 brake problems?
No. NHTSA lists no brakes recall for the 2004 Ford F-150, though it has 5 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2004 Ford F-150 brake problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 24,000 miles, and 50% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 8 crashes, 3 fires and 6 injuries to brakes 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.