2004 Ford F-450 SD problems & reliability
33 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2004 Ford F-450 SD, alongside 2 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel System, Diesel → | 14 | 42% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 7 | 21% |
| Electrical System | 3 | 9% |
| Fuel System, Other | 3 | 9% |
| Power Train | 3 | 9% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 | 6% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 2 | 6% |
| Engine | 1 | 3% |
| Equipment | 1 | 3% |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 3% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
All 15 reported components →Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Among the 24 complaints that included a usable odometer reading, the median reported incident mileage was 53,551 miles (middle 50% between 24,793 and 80,250 miles).
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Tl* the contact owns a 2004 ford f-450 sd. The contact stated that the vehicle suddenly stalled. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was found that the fuel tank lining had failed. The vehicle was being repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and informed the contact that the vehicle was not included in…”
Electrical System · filed Jan 6, 2014
“10/17/13 I was driving on the interstate with a load of cattle running fine and just lost power going on the interstate going from 65 to 10 miles an hour. Traffic zipping by. I thought it was the fuel filters but it done the same after I changed them. I took it to a garage and he said he the tank liner was coming…”
Fuel System, Diesel · filed Nov 3, 2013
“Vehicle looses power, no acceleration, occurs most frequently under heavy load or high acceleration demand, told by ford dealer the problem is caused by de-laminating fuel tank resulting in fuel tank coating entering the fuel system and obstructing diesel fuel flow to motor when high demand for duel occurs. Near…”
Engine · filed Nov 3, 2012
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- ENGINE STALLING
Engineering Analysis EA05003 · opened Feb 15, 2005 · closed Nov 2, 2005 · led to recall 05V270000
Technical service bulletins
128 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2004 Ford F-450 SD. The 10 most recent:
When performing any transmission fluid changes or topoffs involving MERCON SP, MERCON LV has replaced all versions of MERCON SP and can be used going forward. Mixing MERCON LV and MERCON SP in the same transmission is…
SSM 51909 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 7, 2023
This SKU is a Transmission Line. The customer communication requested return of unsold inventory to inspect the connector. The transmission line connector may have an incorrect thread size, which will prevent it from…
RFI20210210_624- · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 10, 2021
This SKU is a Spare Tire Hoist. Test results identified that the pull force parameter was not within specification, as a precautionary measure unsold inventory was requested to be returned for testing and containment…
DOR-U2J7Y-02 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 13, 2020
This SKU is a Spare Tire Hoist. Test results identified that the pull force parameter was not within specification, as a precautionary measure unsold inventory was requested to be returned for testing and containment…
DOR-C2C6H-02 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 13, 2020
Some 2002-2008 F-Super Duty, F-150 and Mark LT vehicles may exhibit concern during or after programing the VSM. The programming may fail or vehicle symptoms such as inoperative door locks, dome lamps, door ajar…
SSM 48157 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 2, 2019
Ford: when shifting between park, reverse and/or during 2-3 shift, an intermittent clunk occurs with a torqshift transmission. Model 2003-2014 f-super duty, e series, excursion, f-53 motorhome chassis, low cab forward…
ASI-44534 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 1, 2014
Ford: the restraint control module (rcm) when using vcm ii, would have an error code 35 and diagnostic trouble code (dtc) b1035, and difficulty attempting programmable module installation (pmi). Model 2001-2004 f-super…
ASI-44408 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 1, 2014
Ford: on some trucks, there is a no crank situation and if voltage on transmission range sensor at pin 21, is less than 5 volts, disconnect the engine cooling fan clutch, electronically, and recheck voltage. Model…
ASI-44404 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 1, 2014
Dtc's p006a or p132b - lacks power, surge, or flutter after field service action 06e17. *kb
06246 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 25, 2007
Repeat turbocharger or vgt replacement. *tt
19245 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 1, 2006
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2004 Ford F-450 SD has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2004 Ford F-450 SD?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Owners most often reported problems around 53,551 miles — worth a pre-purchase inspection if the car is near that mileage.