2004 Ford F-350 SD Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe stalling or loss of power while driving, frequently on the 6.0L diesel, along with exhaust smoke and turbo- or EGR-related repairs. A second cluster of complaints concerns tread separation and sidewall failures on tires, many reported at higher mileage, and a third covers fuel tank liner delamination and brake or wiring problems.

1. 1
   Engine cooling

   Stalling or sudden loss of power while driving

   • 64 complaints (49%)
   • median 70,500 mi at 5.2 yrs old (60 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2005–2015

   Owners describe the engine shutting off without warning at highway and lower speeds, sometimes restarting after a short wait and sometimes not. Many complaints mention repeated dealer visits where no fault could be reproduced, with repairs including turbocharger replacement, EGR valve work, cam or injection pressure sensors, and wiring harness replacement. Several owners note the vehicle was not covered by a wiring recall that seemed to match the symptom. Reported from very low mileage up to roughly 150,000 miles, with many between 50,000 and 110,000 miles and often while cruising or accelerating into traffic.

   Recall 05V2700001 related service bulletin

   What to check: Ask for service records showing whether wiring harness, injection control module or turbo work was done, and whether any recall campaign applies to the specific VIN. A scan for stored and pending codes and a long test drive including a hard pull are worthwhile.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I have a 2004 f350 superduty with 6800 miles, it stalls and loses power every time I drive it. While pulling into traffic recently it stalled and almost caused several wrecks. Ford has tried to fix this problem three times with no luck.I also know sevreal other Ford superduty's with the same problem.one of these stalled pulling into traffic , but no wreck.my Ford service demartment has not fixed any of these trucks”

   NHTSA complaint #10125676, filed 2005-06, 250 miles

   “2004 f350 superduty 6.0 diesel 110025 miles on truck. The vehicle will some time sputter one to three times and the engine shuts off sometime starting, sometimes failing to start. While driving at times the engine will just shut off sometimes will restart sometimes it will not. I have had it in to a dealership shop to be fixed and they can not at this time find an answer. I feel this might be similar to a recall notice for other truck of this sort, but my vehicle VIN number does not follow under this according to the dealership. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10349055, filed 2010-08, 109,532 miles
2. 2
   Engine

   Turbocharger faults, smoke and lack of boost

   • 32 complaints (25%)
   • median 67,000 mi at 5.5 yrs old (27 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2005–2015

   Complaints describe repeated turbocharger replacement, turbo hose or pipe failures, black or white smoke, and little power at low speed or under load. Owners report multiple dealer visits and reprogramming without a lasting fix, and some describe the truck going into a limp or low-power state after the work. Reported from under 20,000 miles to around 150,000 miles, with a number of cases under 50,000 miles.

   4 related service bulletins

   What to check: Listen for turbo whistle or flutter on a cold start and during a hard pull, look for oil residue at the charge air pipes, and ask how many turbochargers have been fitted.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “We purchased this truck new to tow our 5th wheel. At 16,000 miles the turbo was replaced under warranty. Now at 31,412 miles, again, the turbo had to be replaced but this time at our expense. This second turbo rusted and was not repairable. Our truck has had all of the recommended maintenance done at the appropriate time/mileage. It has never had any after market equipment used on it or has it been abused in any way. This problem exists because of the poorly engineered and designed engine/EGR system. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10462324, filed 2012-06, 31,412 miles

   “Ford F-350 SD 6.0 l diesel, several times while driving, truck began to surge/cut-off. This happened under load while going uphill. Truck taken to several dealerships cross country during trip. No one able to diagnose or reproduce fault.”

   NHTSA complaint #10169513, filed 2006-09, 20,000 miles
3. 3
   Engine cooling

   EGR cooler and head gasket coolant loss

   • 22 complaints (17%)
   • median 81,300 mi at 5.0 yrs old (19 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2005–2013

   Owners report coolant loss, white smoke from the exhaust, and diagnoses of a failed EGR cooler or head gasket, with some describing the cooler being replaced more than once. Complaints mention head stud replacement being recommended as a lasting repair and oil or coolant mixing after engine work. Repairs were often described as expensive and, in several cases, outside warranty. Reported from around 50,000 to about 150,000 miles, often after towing or sustained highway driving.

   5 related service bulletins

   What to check: Check coolant level and condition for oil or exhaust smell, look for white residue at the tailpipe, and ask for records of EGR cooler, oil cooler or head gasket work.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I own a 2004 f350 super duty Ford 6.0 turbodiesel. I have had to replace the EGR cooler three times starting in 2006. The last problem I had started out like the EGR cooler then I developed and oil lose the when I ask the diesel mech. I was told the it sounded like a head gasket. That same diesel mech. Informed me that in the last 5 years he himself had to repair literally hundreds of 6.0 Ford diesels for the same problem. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10306460, filed 2010-02, 115,905 miles

   “Egr cooler on my Ford f-350 super duty diesel went out a little over a year ago. Truck was under warranty. They fixed it with about a $100 fee. Just today my truck started having the same issue so I took it in and they told me it was the EGR cooler and that because of that issue it has ruined the head gaskets also. The mechanic at Ford told me that most trucks that have this issue will always have this issue recurring every year or so. Wondering why this has not been recalled by Ford. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10347318, filed 2010-08, 53,000 miles
4. 4
   Tires

   Tread separation and tire blowouts

   • 10 complaints (8%)
   • median 59,575 mi at 5.8 yrs old (8 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2007–2014

   Complaints describe the tread separating from tires at highway speeds, sometimes with a loud noise and damage to the fender or bed, and sidewall blisters or blowouts found during inspection. Owners report replacing single tires and later discovering separation on the remaining set. The tires involved are a mix of brands and sizes, and some owners describe poor handling and soft sidewalls while towing. Mostly reported from about 40,000 miles upward, with several complaints above 100,000 miles, and often at highway speeds or while towing.

   What to check: Inspect tire date codes and look for sidewall cracking, blisters or uneven wear; on a truck used for towing, check load rating and age of the whole set rather than just tread depth.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The contact owns a 2004 Ford F-350 SD. While driving 60 MPH, the contact heard a loud bang. The noise was due to the tread coming off the passenger side rear tire, which damaged the fender and the bed. The vehicle was able to be driven and is parked at the contact's residence. The VIN and engine size were unknown. The current and failure mileages were 42,000.”

   NHTSA complaint #10193983, filed 2007-06, 42,000 miles

   “The contact owns a 2004 Ford F-350 SD equipped with bf goodrich rugged terrain tires, sizes lt 265/75/r16. The contact stated that while driving 72 MPH, the rear driver's side tire blew and caused damage to the rear driver's side quarter panel. The contact mentioned that the failure recurred twice before the most recent failure. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The tires were replaced. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10552205, filed 2013-11, 332,000 miles
5. 5
   Fuel system

   Fuel tank liner separation causing low power

   • 20 complaints (15%)
   • median 76,000 mi at 6.2 yrs old (19 state mileage)
   • filed 2005–2015

   Owners describe the truck losing power, running sluggish or rough, then surging, with black smoke on acceleration. Repair shops reportedly found the tank lining coming apart and debris reaching the fuel system, leading to tank cleaning or replacement and in some cases injector and fuel pump work. Several complaints mention waiting for replacement tanks. Reported mostly between about 50,000 and 160,000 miles, usually noticed as a gradual loss of power during acceleration or highway driving.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask whether the fuel tank has been replaced or cleaned and whether injectors were serviced; a fuel pressure check and a look inside the tank filler with a light can reveal liner debris.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My 2004 Ford 350 super duty began irregular fuel feeding while I was driving down rt 95 from va to ga. I pulled off at an exit in kingsland, ga. And got a room at the days inn. While attempting to park in the motel parking lot...with my foot on the brake...the engine surged and the truck moved at least 15-20 feet forward because of the fuel surging. I had my foot on the brake and never touched the accelerator and I could not stop the truck from moving forward. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10313663, filed 2010-02, 52,000 miles

   “I have a 2004 f350 diesel truck. As I was traveling on i75, the vehicle had a sudden loss of power and speed dropped to below 30 MPH. This caused a problem as I was moving substantially slower than surrounding traffic which was a safety problem. Examination of fuel tank by a repair person showed a delamination of the tank. I have had the tank cleaned out but will have to replace the tank. In researching the problem on the internet this seems to be a common problem with 2004 and 2005 Ford trucks.”

   NHTSA complaint #10331032, filed 2010-05, 75,000 miles

Buying note. Budget for a pre-purchase inspection by a shop familiar with the 6.0L diesel, including a code scan, coolant and oil checks, and a boost check, since much of what owners describe involves repeated engine and fuel-system repairs. Verify tire age and condition, and confirm which recall campaigns have been completed for the specific VIN.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.