FaultScore

2004 Ford F-350 brake problems

11 of the 216 complaints about the 2004 Ford F-350 are about the braking system — 5% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 16,619 miles.

C

11

Complaints

1

Crashes

0

Fires

1

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Service Brakes 3 27.3%
Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip 2 18.2%
Rotor 2 18.2%
Service Brakes, Hydraulic 2 18.2%
Caliper 1 9.1%
Hoses, Lines/Piping, AND Fittings 1 9.1%

Brakes across every Ford F-350 year

1991 10 2.3%
1992 15 3.5%
1993 35 8.2%
1994 44 10.3%
1995 54 12.6%
1996 33 7.7%
1997 40 9.3%
1999 88 20.6%
2000 44 10.3%
2001 28 6.5%
2002 11 2.6%
2004 11 2.6%
2008 15 3.5%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

at 268,000 miles Littleton, CO Crash 1 injured

SERVICE BRAKES

TAKATA INFLATORS; MY VEHICLE STARTED ALL TYPES OF PROBLEMS INTERMITTENT ONES THAT COST ME SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS NEVER FIXING THE PROBLEM THIS IS WERE IT ALL BEGAN,,.MY VEHICLE DIED GOING UP FAIRLY STEEP HILL TO GRAVE YARD, IT IMMEDIATELY ROLLED BACK SHOVING A FAMILY MEMBERS VEHICLE DOWN HILL A WAYS UNTIL THEY TURNED AWAY FROM THE CLIFF EDGE LEAVING ME ALL ALONE.UNTIL GOING THROUGH A RUN OFF DITCH STOPPING OVER IT INTO 2 TREES. I HAD NO STEERING NO BRAKES AND THANK GOD THE TREES WERE THERE TO STOP MY TRUCK IF NOT THEIR WAS A 100 FOOT CLIFF NEXT.. I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT RECALLS OR SUCH I JUST TRIED TO FIX MY TRUCK PROBLEM BY PROBLEM AS SYMPTOMS CAME ON I HAVE ALL TYPES OF RECENT RECEIPTS THAT ALL CAME FROM SILVERISH DARK MAYBE EVEN GRAY MATTER STUFF IN THE TANK. WHEN I GET MY BANK STATEMENT I WILL ITEMIZE ALL AND SUBMIT THEM WHEN FINAL COST IS OVER.

NHTSA complaint #11190120 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 91,000 miles Bowie, MD

SERVICE BRAKES

WHILE APPLYING BRAKES IN AN ATTEMPT TO STOP, THE BRAKE PEDAL UNEXPECTEDLY WENT DIRECTLY TO THE FLOOR, THUS DISALLOWING THE TRUCK TO STOP. THE PEDAL WAS ABLE TO BE PUMPED,UP ENOUGH IN ORDER TO STOP THE TRUCK, BUT ONLY ONE TIME. ATTEMPTS TO PUMP THE PEDAL AND INCREASE THE PRESSURE ENOUGH FOR FUTURE ATTEMPTS AT STOPPING THE TRUCK WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE BY CERTIFIED MECHANICS REVEALED RUST BUILDUP ON/NEAR A WEAK SPOT ON ONE OF THE BRAIDED, FLEXIBLE FRONT BRAKE LINES WHICH HAD BURSTED, VIRTUALLY MAKING THE BRAKES USELESS BY DISALLOWING PRESSURE TO BE BUILT UP IN THE SYSTEM. A FURTHER INSPECTION OF THE SYSTEM REVEALED A SECOND BRAIDED, FLEXIBLE BRAKE LINE THAT WAS SHOWING SIGNS OF RUST BUILDUP AND EMINENT FAILURE. THE POINT OF FAILURE ON BOTH LINES WAS THE FLEXIBLE, BRAIDED SECTION ITSELF, JUST ADJACENT TO WHERE IT CONNECTED WITH THE PRE-MOLDED PORTION OF EACH LINE.

NHTSA complaint #10748350 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 73,251 miles Lexington, KY

SERVICE BRAKES

ENGINE BEGAN BUCKING, SUDDEN POWER LOSS AND POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKE LOSS. MECHANIC CONCLUSION WAS THAT THE LINING OF THE FUEL TANK HAD DISLODGED AND CAUSED THE ENGINE TO FOUL, CAUSING A SUDDEN POWER LOSS. DEALER SAID THEY HAD NEVER HEARD OF THE PROBLEM BUT WE LATER LEARNED THEY WERE VERY FAMILIAR WITH IT, HAD DONE DOZENS OF REPAIRS (REPLACEMENT OF TANK WITH POLY TANK) AND THAT A "SECRET" REPAIR BULLETIN HAD BEEN ISSUED TY FORD TO ALL DEALERS. THIS ISSUE IS NOW THE SUBJECT OF A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT IN NEW JERSEY. GOOGLE "FORD FUEL TANK LINING" FOR MORE INFO ON THE SUIT, BUT BY NOT ISSUING A RECALL THIS ISSUE IS A POTENTIAL SAFETY CONCERN. HAD WE BEEN IN HEAVIER TRAFFIC AND UNABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD THERE MAY HAVE BEEN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT.

NHTSA complaint #10498450 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 123,000 miles Miamiville, OH

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD F-350. UPON ENTERING THE VEHICLE HE APPLIED PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL AND IT EXTENDED TO THE FLOOR. HE STEPPED OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED BRAKE FLUID LEAKING FROM UNDERNEATH. HE ALSO NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE LINES WERE COMPLETELY COVERED WITH RUST. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT EXAMINED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 123,000.

NHTSA complaint #10359292 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Pana, IL

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

2004 FORD F350 CREWCAB REAR SEAL HAS BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES, TURBO UNIT HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE. *KB ***NAR*** THE REAR ABS SENSOR WAS REPLACED.

NHTSA complaint #10162638 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 24,987 miles North Scituate, RI

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR

AT JUST UNDER 25,000 MILES, MY ROTORS WERE WARPED ON MY 2004 F350 DIESEL DUALLY (4X4 8'BED CREW CAB). I DO HAUL TRAILERS UNDER 8000 LBS OCCASIONALLY BUT THERE HAS BEEN NO UNDO STRESS ON THIS TRUCK TO WARRANT SUCH A CONDITION SO EARLY. EVEN THOUGH MY BRAKES WERE "IN THE GREEN" AT MY LAST OIL CHANGE AT 20,000 MILES, AFTER MY COMPLAINT THEY SAID MY BRAKES WERE NOW IN THE RED - ALONG WITH MY WARPED ROTORS. THIS DEFINITELY SEEMS LIKE A DEFECT.

NHTSA complaint #10156676 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 4,000 miles Scranton, PA

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER

WHEN TRUCK ORIGINALLY PURCHASED BUBBLE ON TIRE, AND DEALER SAID THEY ALL COME THAT WAY, TIRE WENT FLAT WHILE PARKED ABOUT A MONTH LATER, NO HOLES, WE WERE TOLD TIRE WAS NO GOOD, HAD TO BE REPLACED. TRUCK KEPT STALLING, LOSS OF BRAKES AND STEERING WHILE NAVIGATING DOWNHILL, SOLENOID ASSEMBLY REPLACED. 2 DAYS LATER KEPT STALLING. DEALER HAD TRUCK 21 DAYS TO REBUILD TRANSMISSION, AGAIN SOLENOID ASSEMBLY REPLACED AFTER THAT REPLACED WIRING HARNESS. SINCE THEN, CALIPER BROKE AND BRAKES WENT, TURBO HAS BEEN REPLACED. VEHICLE HAS REPEATEDLY STALLED, NOISES FROM REAR END WITH NO DX. NOW ENGINE SMOKING, LOSS OF POWER, RPMS JUMP WHILE IDLING. TRUCK HAS ALSO REPEATEDLY CHANGED GEARS AUTOMATICALLY, IE WHILE AT RED LIGHT TRUCK WOULD JUMP TO 3RD AND THEN TRUCK WOULD STALL.

NHTSA complaint #10153745 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 10 miles Boise, ID

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

BREAKING SYSTEM WILL NOT STOP THE TRUCK UNDER NORMAL LOAD AND DRIVING CONDITIONS. F350 - SD- V10 GAS. THE STOPING DISTANCE IS TWO TIMES THAT OF THE F350 - SD - DIESELS IN OUR FLEET. THE TRUCK IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. FORD FIELD SERVICE ENGINEE UNWILLING TO TO SOLVE PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #10086457 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 7,000 miles Houston, TX

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

THE BOLTS THAT HOLD THE BRACKETS FOR THE TOP SUPPORT OF THE AIR SUSPENSION SYSTEM CONTINUOUSLY BREAK. THIS OCCURRED IN FIVE VEHICLE (AMBULANCES) SO FAR, VIN NUMBERS: [XXX], [XXX], [XXX], [XXX], AND [XXX]. TOOK THE VEHICLES TO BE REPAIRED AT FORD DEALERSHIP. *AK THERE WERE 2 UNITS WITH BRACKET FAILURE, ALSO HAD BROKEN BRAKE LINES WHICH CAUSED THE BRAKES TO FAIL. THE BRAKE LIGHT ON THE DASH AND THE BRAKE LINE WAS NOT ATTACHED PROPERLY. THE REAR SUSPENSION BRACKET HAD BROKEN. *SC INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA complaint #10087266 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 8,251 miles Altamont, NY

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

WHILE DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL IT WAS HARD FOR THE CONSUMER TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #10079953 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 8,251 miles Altamont, NY

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR

WHILE DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL IT WAS HARD FOR THE CONSUMER TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #10079953 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 2004 Ford F-350 problems

← Full 2004 Ford F-350 report