11th generation · P221 · 5,617 complaints, 4,834 with mileage
Owners filed 5,617 complaints with NHTSA about the 2004–2008 Ford F-150, and 4,834 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 30,000 and 93,550 miles. The median is 60,000 miles.
The most-reported areas are visibility equipment (20.4% of complaints, typically around 60,000 miles), the transmission and driveline (9.2% of complaints, typically around 50,000 miles), the engine (7.9% of complaints, typically around 105,250 miles).
2 recall campaigns cover this generation.
| System | Complaints | Share | Typical mileage | Middle half |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visibility | 1,144 | 20.4% | 60,000 | 41,000–79,000 |
| Power Train | 517 | 9.2% | 50,000 | 12,700–88,000 |
| Engine | 441 | 7.9% | 105,250 | 75,000–140,000 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 423 | 7.5% | 66,500 | 35,000–96,000 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 323 | 5.8% | 18,200 | 5,290–38,891 |
| Electrical System | 304 | 5.4% | 65,000 | 30,000–100,960 |
| Air Bags | 294 | 5.2% | 77,500 | 45,000–112,000 |
| Structure | 281 | 5.0% | 73,000 | 42,000–115,000 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 253 | 4.5% | 43,500 | 9,000–78,000 |
| Steering | 250 | 4.5% | 61,917 | 31,000–94,000 |
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 2,431 | 2,084 |
| 2005 | 1,364 | 1,174 |
| 2006 | 742 | 633 |
| 2007 | 625 | 553 |
| 2008 | 455 | 390 |
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 60,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
Visibility equipment accounts for 20.4% of complaints (1,144 reports, 1,057 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 60,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 41,000 and 79,000 miles.
The transmission and driveline accounts for 9.2% of complaints (517 reports, 437 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 50,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 12,700 and 88,000 miles.
The engine accounts for 7.9% of complaints (441 reports, 388 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 105,250 miles, considerably beyond the vehicle's overall median. That pattern is consistent with normal service life rather than a defect, though it matters for anyone buying an example already near that mileage. The middle half of these reports falls between 75,000 and 140,000 miles.
The engine and its cooling system accounts for 7.5% of complaints (423 reports, 384 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 66,500 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 35,000 and 96,000 miles.
The hydraulic brake circuit accounts for 5.8% of complaints (323 reports, 273 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 18,200 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 5,290 and 38,891 miles.
The electrical system accounts for 5.4% of complaints (304 reports, 259 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 65,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 30,000 and 100,960 miles.
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2004 model year drew the most — 2,431 complaints — while 2008 drew the fewest at 455. The median year sits at 742.
That makes 2004 an outlier: roughly 3.3 times the median year of this generation. A single year standing that far apart usually reflects either a first-year issue that was later corrected, or a component change introduced for that year. Anyone shopping this generation has a straightforward reason to prefer a different year, all else being equal.
NHTSA records 2 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.
Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.
Of the 5,617 complaints filed against this generation, 337 reported a crash; 147 reported a fire; 318 reported an injury; 16 reported a fatality. Crash-involved reports represent 6.0% of the total.
These are owner-reported outcomes, not verified investigations, and they are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. They are included because the distinction between a fault that strands a car and a fault that causes a collision is the one that matters most, and it is not visible in a complaint count alone.
For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 30,000 and 93,550 miles, with a median of 60,000. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.
On inspection, visibility equipment and the transmission and driveline are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The transmission and driveline in particular shows a median failure mileage of 50,000, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
5.4L 3-valve Triton two-piece spark plugs seize and break off in the cylinder head on removal. Carbon builds in the gap between the plug shell and the head; the porcelain-tipped lower section separates from the upper body during service. Ford reverted to a one-piece plug for 2008.
5.4L 3V variable cam timing phaser rattle and timing chain tensioner/guide wear, producing a cold-start rattle and eventual cam timing codes.
Fuel pump driver module corrosion causing intermittent stall and no-start.
| Campaign | Date | Component |
|---|---|---|
| 11V385000 | 2011-09-12 | Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Tank Assembly:Mounting |
| 11V107000 | 2011-03-23 | Air Bags:Frontal:Driver Side:Inflator Module |