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2004 Ford F-350 Recalls & Complaints

3

open safety recalls on record

Serious

216 owner complaints filed · Severity Index 0.79 · updated 2026-08-07

The recalls

Serious11V352000

Exterior Lighting:Tail Lights

NON-FUNCTIONING LIGHTS COULD raises the risk of A CRASH.

Remedy & full details

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.

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, F-350, F-450, AND F-550 TRUCKS FOR FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." THE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH WAS SHIPPED WITH A SUBCOMPONENT (SLIDER) THAT MAY EXPERIENCE DEFORMATION. A MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH WITH A DEFORMED SLIDER MAY MALFUNCTION CAUSING THE TURN SIGNAL, TAIL LIGHTS, HAZARD WARNING SIGNAL FLASHERS AND/OR BRAKE LIGHTS NOT TO ACTIVATE.

Serious07E066000

Equipment:Electrical

IF THE TRAILER LIGHTS ARE NOT WORKING PROPERLY, A VEHICLE CRASH CAN OCCUR.

Remedy & full details

ALL OF THE DEFECTIVE TOW PACKAGES ARE STILL AT THE DISTRIBUTOR LEVEL AND HAVE NOT BEEN SOLD TO ANY CONSUMERS.

CERTAIN CEQUENT 90 DEGREE 7-WAY RIGHT ANGLE ADAPTORS SOLD BY DISTRIBUTORS IN TOW PACKAGES FOR AFTERMARKET SALES TO TOW 5TH WHEEL RV TRAVEL TRAILERS. DUE TO INCORRECT WIRING OF THE HARNESS, THE TRAILER LIGHTS MAY NOT OPERATE PROPERLY.

Serious04V229000

Tires

IF A TIRE WAS OPERATED IN AN OVER-LOADED OR OVER-INFLATED CONDITION, THE TIRE MAY RUPTURE RESULTING IN A RAPID AIR LOSS, WHICH CAN CAUSE A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.

Remedy & full details

DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE ANY INCORRECT LOAD RANGE TIRES. ADDITIONALLY, IF ANY TIRE REQUIRED REPLACEMENT, IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE WHEEL LUG NUT TORQUE BE CHECKED WITHIN 500 MILES AFTER ANY TIRE REPLACEMENT. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON MAY 21, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT. FORD AT 1-800-392-3673.

CERTAIN LARIAT AND KING RANCH MODEL PICKUP TRUCKS FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 120, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS FOR MOTOR VEHICLES OTHER THAN PASSENGER CARS." SOME TRUCKS WERE INADVERTENTLY EQUIPPED WITH AN INCORRECT LOAD RANGE TIRE. THIS WOULD RESULT IN INCORRECT TIRE LOAD RATINGS FOR THE STATED VEHICLE AXLE GROSS AXLE WEIGHT RATING. ALSO, THE TIRE MAY BE INFLATED ABOVE THE DOT LISTED INFLATION PRESSURE.

Complaint volume

216 this model-year 6 median, same year

Volume alone is not a fault rate — popular vehicles attract more reports. Read it next to the severity mix below.

What owners reported happened

17Crashes
7Fires
24Injuries
2Deaths

Across 216 complaints. Severity Index 0.79.

Severity Index weights each complaint's reported outcome (death ×10, injury ×4, fire ×3, crash ×2) and divides by total complaints. It measures how severe reports are, not how often faults occur.

What owners report most

Engine And Engine Cooling24 · 11%Engine And Engine Cooling…19 · 9%Engine16 · 7%Engine And Engine Cooling…14 · 6%Electrical System13 · 6%Power Train · Automatic T…9 · 4%Fuel System, Diesel9 · 4%Vehicle Speed Control9 · 4%
  1. Engine And Engine Cooling — 24 reports
  2. Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Diesel — 19 reports
  3. Engine — 16 reports
  4. Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine — 14 reports
  5. Electrical System — 13 reports
  6. Power Train:Automatic Transmission — 9 reports
  7. Fuel System, Diesel — 9 reports
  8. Vehicle Speed Control — 9 reports
  9. Steering — 8 reports
  10. Tires — 7 reports

What to do

  1. Find your 17-character VIN on the driver's door jamb or the base of the windscreen.
  2. Check it against NHTSA's official lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls — the authoritative record for your exact car.
  3. Book the repair with any franchised dealer. Safety recall work is free, with no time limit and regardless of who owns the car now.

Other model years

1995 (3) · 1996 (4) · 1997 (4) · 1998 (1) · 1999 (13) · 2000 (5) · 2001 (6) · 2002 (3) · 2003 (3) · 2004 · 2005 (3) · 2006 (4) · 2007 (3) · 2008 (7) · 2009 (3) · 2011 (4) · 2012 (4) · 2013 (1) · 2014

Numbers in brackets are open recall campaigns for that year.

Questions

Does an open recall mean the car is unsafe to drive?

Not usually. NHTSA issues a "do not drive" or "park outside" advisory when a defect is dangerous enough to keep you out of the car — those are flagged Critical above. Everything else should be repaired promptly but is not an immediate stop-driving order.

Do I pay for recall repairs?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to fix a safety recall free of charge, including parts and labour, whether or not you are the original owner.

Why are there complaints but no recalls?

Complaints are unverified reports filed by owners. They can prompt an investigation, but many never become recalls — either the fault isn't safety-related or it isn't widespread.