Most common 2004 Ford F-350 SD problems
Share of the 130 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Ford F-350 SD complaints by model year
Best F-350 SD years: 2014, 2013, 2012. Years to avoid: 2017, 2019, 2020, 2018, 2022. Compare all years →
2004 Ford F-350 SD recalls (2)
Exterior lighting › Brake lights
Ford is recalling certain model year 2011 ranger trucks built from January 25, 2011, through April 25, 2011 at the twin cities assembly plant, and service parts distributed to dealers for certain 2004 through 2011 model year ranger trucks, 2002 through 2005 model year excursion vehicles, and 2002 through 2007 model year f-250,…
Remedy: Dealers will replace the switches free of charge. The safety recall began on August 15, 2011. Owners May contact Ford motor company customer relationship center at 1-866-436-7332.
Electrical system › Wiring
Certain pickup trucks, sport utility vehicles and vans equipped with 6.0l diesel engines May experience stalling without warning while driving and May or May not restart.
Remedy: Dealers will upgrade the fuel injection control module (ficm) wire harness or replaced, and/or have a new injection control pressure (icp)) sensor connector installed free of charge. The recall began on July 22, 2005.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 2004 Ford F-350 SD:
Engine stalling
In a June 7, 2005 letter, Ford notified odi that it would be conducting a safety recall of approximately 180,000 Ford f-super duty, excursion and e-series vehicles equipped with 6.0l diesel engines to correct two wiring related conditions that could result in engine stall (NHTSA recall no. 05v-270, Ford no.
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 F-350 SD owners say
Engine & cooling all 49 →
Tl contact owns a 2004 Ford f-350 SD. While driving 20 MPH, white smoke was emitted from the tail pipe. The contact unhooked the trailer, but the vehicle would not move regardless of what gear it was placed in at the time. The vehicle remained in park for four hours before it was finally able to be moved. A few days later, the vehicle was driven to a nearby repair shop and the mechanic stated that the EGR cooler system was defective and could have blown a head gasket. The dealer will not assume responsibility for the repairs. The vehicle has not been repaired. The current and failure mileages were 125,000.
The truck started to stall on several occasions as I was attempting to get up to road speed of 55 MPH. The truck was losing speed, jerking and black smoke coming out of the exhaust. There were no indications of engine failure to warn me of any problems, ie. Engine light. This occurred on more than once, causing potential traffic hazard. The cam sensor and fuel injection control module needed to be replaced. The repair costs involved were high thank goodness there were no injuries or accidents due to the stalling. Thank you,
Electrical system all 29 →
Dt: consumer stated 2004 Ford f350 super duty was having electrical surge problems. Consumer was complaining to dealership that vehicle had surge problems for the past year and a half. The dealer said that they could not duplicate the problem. Dealer did updated the computer software and the truck ran some what better after that. The problem came back after a week, and went back to having computer surges. The truck was in the dealership for repairs on this issue five times. Same result, the truck would work for a little while, then back to the same surging problems which have been intermittent. The manufacturer has been contacted 5 to 6 times. Ford has not helped in resolving this issue. The lemon law has been looked into by the consumer. The lemon law was denied by the state. Consumer had asked Ford to investigate this problem. …
Tl contact owns a 2004 Ford f-350 SD diesel. The contact was driving approximately 60-70 MPH with a camper in tow as the vehicle stalled with the ABS warning light illuminated. The dashboard also became abnormally dim. After inspecting the vehicle, the contact discovered that the vehicle battery was dead and replaced it with the camper battery. The vehicle was taken to a local repair shop where they performed a diagnostic, but, they were unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle battery was recharged and the failure did not recur for another four months. The vehicle was then taken to the same local mechanic where the mechanic replaced the fuel injector. The computer was removed from the vehicle and taken to an authorized dealer for a reset flash. The vehicle performed as normal until the failure recurred one year later. …
Wheels & tires all 20 →
Bought bfg commercial t/a tires from costco lake elsinore, ca on 05-23-2015 I went back to costco with a handling complaint after a recent camping trip first time on these tires. With my 29 foot travel trailer my truck handles very poorly tire side walls feel very soft makes handling a serious safety issue. Truck feels like its wandering and when trying to stop the trailer the tires feel as if they are trying to come of the rims. My truck is a 2004 Ford f-350 srw truck more than capable of towing this trailer. The trucks mileage at the time of install was 154601 current mileage is 155061 so I have put a total of 460 miles on these tires. Costco would only rebalace and rotate tires without any of my saftey concerns addressed.
Bought bfg commercial t/a tires from costco lake elsinore, ca on 05-23-2015 I went back to costco with a handling complaint after a recent camping trip first time on these tires. With my 29 foot travel trailer my truck handles very poorly tire side walls feel very soft makes handling a serious safety issue. Truck feels like its wandering and when trying to stop the trailer the tires feel as if they are trying to come of the rims. My truck is a 2004 Ford f-350 srw truck more than capable of towing this trailer. The trucks mileage at the time of install was 154601 current mileage is 155061 so I have put a total of 460 miles on these tires. Costco would only rebalace and rotate tires without any of my saftey concerns addressed.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2004 Ford F-350 SD a good car?
Based on 130 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2004 F-350 SD rates average: about as many complaints as a typical year of the F-350 SD 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 F-350 SD?
The engine & cooling — 49 complaints, 38% of all complaints for this model year, most often about engine › diesel. Next are the electrical system (29) and wheels & tires (20).
How many recalls does the 2004 Ford F-350 SD have?
There are 2 recalls for the 2004 Ford F-350 SD, the most recent from July 13, 2011 (brake lights). 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 F-350 SD?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2014, 2013 and 2012. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2017, 2019, 2020, 2018 and 2022. See the full Ford F-350 SD years comparison.
At what mileage do 2004 Ford F-350 SD problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 76,000 miles; 35% 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.