2004 Ford F-150 Suspension
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
Frame Failure, A licensed technician said my vehicle is dangerous to drive and cannot be fixed because of the advanced rusting of the frame. As I read the history of some Ford Trucks I find this is a continuing problem with no recalls and wonder why they can continue to manufacture faulty, dangerous products
There hasn't been any accidents but the rails underneath of the truck bed are rotting completely off the truck and I feel that would be a safety problem if it collapses and I don't understand why they're so rusty when the rest of the truck is not it this could be a problem!
TOOK TRUCK GET NEW TIRES, MECH SAID, NEEDED NEW COIL SPRINGS, SPRINGS BUSTED. (MECH STATED SEEN MANY FORD F150 SAME PROBLEM, ).
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT NOTICED RUST ON THE REAR AXLE HOUSING. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE AXLE WAS NEARLY RUSTED ALL THE WAY THROUGH AND THAT THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE VIN WAS EXCLUDED FROM NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V608000 (SUSPENSION). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 76,000.
112000 MILES 90% DRIVEN IN SUMMER MONTHS. GARAGED EXTENSIVE RUST AND FRAME DAMAGE FROM CORROSION .BODY AND INTERIOR FLAWLESS ALL SERVICE RECOMMENDATIONS BY FORD FOLLOWED
LOWER CONTROL ARM MOUNT IS BROKEN ,MOUNT IS WELDED TO THE FRAME,I JUST NOTICED IT ON 2-20-2016 WHILE REPLACING MY FRONT SHOCKS.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO VEER TO THE DRIVER SIDE. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE COIL SPRING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. IT WAS UNKNOWN IF THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000.
BOUGHT A 2004 FORD F-150 FROM A NEIGHBOR RECENTLY. FRONT END WAS DROOPING. WENT TO PUT A "LEVELING KIT" ON IT AND FOUND BOTH FRONT COIL SPRINGS BROKE IN THE SAME PLACE. THIS CAN'T BE A COINCIDENCE. CAN'T REALLY AFFORD NEW SPRINGS RIGHT NOW BUT LOOKS LIKE A MANUFACTURE DEFECT. THANKS. *TR
A NEW YORK STATE INSPECTION REVEALED TWO BROKEN SPRINGS ON FRONT END OF 2004 FORD F150. THE COST TO REPLACE IS NOT CHEAP AND AFTER RESEARCHING ONLINE, SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE. FORD MOTOR COMPANY SHOULD RECALL THESE VEHICLES BASED ON SAFETY ISSUE. I HOPE OTHERS WILL DOCUMENT THIS PROBLEM TO HELP RESOLVE THIS ISSUE. *TR
I TOOK MY TRUCK IN FOR STATE INSPECTION AND WAS TOLD THAT BOTH FRONT COIL SPRINGS WERE BROKEN. THEY EXPLAINED THAT THE COATING APPLIED TO THE SPRINGS ACTUALLY CAUSED RUST AND MADE THEM FAIL. I CONSIDER THIS TO BE A MANUFACTURING AND SAFETY DEFECT BUT WAS INFORMED BY THE DEALER AND FORD THAT THEY WOULD NOT CONSIDER ANY HELP TOWARD THE $400 BILL TO REPLACE THEM. I DON'T FEEL THAT A CONSUMER SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR A STRUCTURAL DESIGN FLAW THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. INTERNET RESEARCH SHOWS THIS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM. *TR
FRONT COIL SPRINGS BOTH BROKE IN SAME PLACE. *TR
WE HAVE ALWAYS TAKEN OUR TRUCK TO THE FORD DEALER FOR REGULAR SERVICE. TOOK IT TO A 3RD PARTY MECHANIC TO HAVE BRAKES DONE AND THEY SHOWED US THAT BOTH FRONT COIL SPRINGS WERE BROKEN, COMPLETELY SEVERED AND HAD BEEN THAT WAY FOR QUITE A WHILE EVIDENT BY RUST AND CORROSION AT BREAKING POINT. AFTER READING THE OTHER COMPLAINTS ON HERE THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON DEFECT IN THIS MAKE AND MODEL AND YEAR. I AM DOING SEPARATE COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE SPARK PLUGS AND EXHAUST MANIFOLD ISSUES. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD F150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT BOTH FRONT SUSPENSION SPRINGS WERE BROKEN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 93,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING SERVICED, THE TECHNICIAN DISCOVERED THAT BOTH FRONT COIL SPRINGS WERE FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 90,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A RECURRING FAILURE OF THE HUB AND CALIPERS AS WELL AS THE FRONT AND REAR AXLE SPORADICALLY BECOMING FRACTURED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 46,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 79,000. *TR
BROUGHT TRUCK IN FOR SERVICE DUE TO HIT PULLING TO THE RIGHT AND SEEMED TO BE SITTING LOW. WHEN THE DEALERSHIP REMOVED FRONT WHEELS IT WAS DISCOVERED THE BOTH FRONT COIL SPRINGS HAD BEEN BROKEN. BOTH SPRINGS WERE BROKEN DIAGONAL AT THE BASE WHERE IT SITS IN THE STRUT. WAS TOLD THAT THE SPRINGS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED IN ORDER FOR A PROPER ALIGNMENT TO BE COMPLETED. FURTHER RESEARCH ONLINE SHOWS THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON ISSUE IN THE FORD F-150. TRUCK HAS NEVER BEEN TAKEN OFF ROAD OR DRIVEN HARD. TRUCK IS TAKEN WELL CARE OF. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING SERVICE FOR REGULAR MAINTENANCE, THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR AXLE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO A DESIGN FLAW. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,938. *TR
ON PREPARING TO CHANGE THE BRAKE PADS, I NOTICED THE FRONT LEFT COIL SPRING HAS SNAPPED. AFTER CHECKING ON LINE AND MY LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP, IT SEEMS THIS IS NOT UNCOMMON ON 2004 FORD F150 VEHICLES, AND IT INDICATES THAT FORD IS NOT PREPARED TO ASSIST CUSTOMERS, EVEN THOUGH THEY REALIZE THIS IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. PHOTOGRAPH AVAILABLE IF NEEDED. THE FORD DEALERSHIP ADVISES THEY NEED TO REPLACE BOTH FRONT ROAD SPRINGS AT A COST OF $575.00, BUT THE SHOCK ABSORBERS MIGHT NEED REPLACING ALSO WHICH WOULD BE ADDITIONAL MONIES. A BROKEN ROAD SPRING ON THE FRONT CAN SEVERELY EFFECT THE HANDLING AND SAFETY OF THE DRIVER AND OTHERS ON THE ROAD, AND I BELIEVE FORD SHOULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD F-150. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 42 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE ABNORMALLY. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED THAT THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS WERE FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS OR REPAIRS. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 73,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS HAVING UNRELATED REPAIRS PERFORMED BY AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHEN THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FRONT END COULD NOT BE ALIGNED PROPERLY BECAUSE THE BALL JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 24,500. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
WHILE MY TRUCK WAS BEING SERVICED, IT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION THAT I HAD A BROKEN FRONT PASSENGER SIDE COIL SPRING. THEIR WAS A 2 INCH PIECE OF COIL SPRING HANGING ON BY THE PLASTIC COVERING OF THE SPRING. THE PIECE WAS CORRODED, WHICH TELLS ME THAT IT HAD BEEN BROKEN FOR SOME TIME. I HAVE NOTICED ONLINE THAT THIS IS NOT A UNCOMMON OCCURRENCE. *TR
DURING ACCELERATION THERE IS A SEVERE VIBRATION AND SHAKING. IT ALSO HAPPENS WHEN DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. THE SHAKING IS SO BAD THAT YOU ALMOST LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WOULD VIOLENTLY SHAKE WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO RECUR WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED BOTH FRONT COIL SPRINGS WERE FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 57,200.
NO EVENT LEADING TO FAILURE - TO MY KNOWLEDGE POOR HANDLING, UNEVEN TIRE WEAR, DISCOVERED BOTH FRONT SPRINGS BROKEN AT 120,000 MILES TRUCK IS USED PRETTY MUCH AS A PASSENGER VEHICLE CURRENTLY REPLACING BOTH FRONT SPRINGS. *TR
MY TRUCK IS A 2004 FORD F150 FX4, THE SUSPENSION ON THE FRONT IS BAD. I BOUGHT IT WITH 65,000 MILES AND IT WAS BAD. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE IT AFTER NEARLY HITTING A SEMI HEAD-ON AFTER HITTING A BUMP AND IT ABOUT BOUNCED ME OFF OF THE ROAD. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM THAT I COULDN'T FIGURE OUT AT FIRST. I HAVE CALLED FORD CORPORATE OFFICE WITH NO RETURN PHONE CALL. AFTER LOOKING ON THE INTERNET AT THE FORUMS ABOUT THIS TRUCK AND YEAR, I DETERMINED THAT THIS IS COMMON. I DON'T KNOW IF FORD KNOWS BUT THEY SHOULD. IT HAS COST ME OVER $850 TO GET THE SWAY BAR BUSHINGS REPLACED, TIE ROD ENDS, UPPER AND LOWER CONTROL ARM AND SHOCKS. I DRIVE ALOT A MILES IN A YEAR. *TR
Trend Over Time
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Common problems reported
Quick Summary
The 2004 Ford F-150 has 78 Suspension complaints on file. 2 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.