FordF-6502004Overview/ford/f-650/2004/base/
650 platform

2004 Ford F-650

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2004 F.

Transmission Automatic 4-spd

The 2004 Ford F-650 is built on Ford's dedicated 650 medium-duty platform, paired with a four-speed automatic transmission and EPA-rated fuel economy of 11 mpg city, 15 mpg highway, and 13 mpg combined. Where the truck earns a researcher's attention, however, is less in its straightforward mechanical specification than in its ownership record: across the model's 1999–2022 production span, annual complaint counts have generally stayed in the low single digits, ranging from a 2001 peak of ten down to a single complaint logged in 2012, with zero recalls on file for the 2004 model year specifically. The 2004 example itself has accumulated fourteen owner complaints—led by issues in the electrical system—a figure that exceeds any single year in the platform's documented history. For any buyer or fleet operator weighing long-term dependability, that combination of a higher-than-typical complaint count and a clean recall record makes 2004 a year that warrants a closer look before committing.

Model year2025202420232004

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

EPA fuel economy11/15/13 mpgEPA · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length172.8 in
Overall width70.1 in
Overall height69.3 in
Wheelbase103.1 in
Curb weight3181 lb
Track (front / rear)60.6 / 59.8 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)59/41

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined11 / 15 / 13 mpg
DrivetrainRear-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelNatural Gas

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the F of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

8.9–9.9 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 8.90 sec — 2004 F-150 FX4 SuperCrew (5.6 ft. Bed)
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2004F-150 FX4 SuperCrew (5.6 ft. Bed) 5.4L V88.90 sec16.30 sec300 hp4x4
2004F-150 Lariat SuperCrew (5.6 ft. Bed) 5.4L V89.30 sec17.00 sec300 hp4x4
2004F-150 Lariat SuperCrew (5.6 ft. Bed) 5.4L V89.90 sec17.40 sec300 hp4x4
2003F-150 Harley-Davidson SuperCrew (5.4 ft. Bed) 5.4L Supercharger V85.96 sec14.39 sec340 hpRWD
2003F-150 Lariat SuperCab Styleside (6.6 ft. Bed) 5.4L V88.20 sec16.30 sec260 hpRWD
2002F-150 Lariat SuperCab (6.6 ft. Bed) 5.4L V89.30 sec16.70 sec260 hp4x4
2007F-150 FX4 SuperCab (5.6 ft. Bed) 5.4L V88.80 sec16.70 sec300 hp4x4
2000F-150 XLT SuperCab (6.6 ft. Bed) 5.4L V88.90 sec16.70 sec260 hp4x4

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

Torque the oil drain plug to 18.0 ft-lbs.

Engine torques

Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug18.0 ft-lbs

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
133 ft. lbs., Step 2: 5033 ft. lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
14 ft. lbs., Step 2: 694 ft. lbs
Main Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
190 ft. lbs., Step 2: 120 ft. lbs., Step 3: 17090 ft. lbs

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2004 model falls in a low‑complaint, low‑recall window that follows a brief peak in 2000‑2001 (5 complaints/6 recalls and 10 complaints/3 recalls respectively) and precedes an even quieter stretch from 2003 onward (0‑2 complaints and 0‑1 recall per year). Across the generation, the total‑service‑bulletin (TSB) count drops sharply from 79 in 2000 to the low‑teens by 2003, indicating fewer documented service‑issues as the platform matures. For 2004 specifically, the only recorded complaints involve the electrical system (3), service brakes (2), and engine (2), with no crash or fire reports, and there were no federal recalls that year. This pattern suggests that by 2004 the model’s most significant reliability concerns had largely stabilized, making it a comparatively safe year to purchase used.

0
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
15
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
14
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 0 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 14 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Electrical System3
Service Brakes2
Engine1
Unknown Or Other,Engine1
Fuel System, Diesel,Engine1
Engine & Engine Cooling,Power Train,Engine1
Steering,Suspension,Service Brakes1
Electrical System,Exterior Lighting,Vehicle Speed Control1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 15 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
SSM 460852016-09-21Engine And Engine CoolingThe Powertrain Control/Emissions Diagnosis (PC/ED) manual has been revised for diagnosing…
ASI-444082014-02-01Equipment Adaptive/MobilityFORD: THE RESTRAINT CONTROL MODULE (RCM) WHEN USING VCM II, WOULD HAVE AN ERROR CODE 35…
TSB-12-7-42012-07-10EngineFORD/LINCOLN/MERCURY: IF BATTERY WAS DISCONNECTED OR DEAD, VEHICLES/TRUCKS MAY EXPERIENCE…
TSB-10-12-62010-06-11Fuel System, GasolineFORD: RUNS ROUGH, LACKS POWER, HARD START, NO START. SOME VEHICLES AND TRUCKS EQUIPPED…
TSB-09-15-62009-12-09Engine And Engine CoolingFORD: SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE 6.0L ENGINE MAY EXPERIENCE A P006A, P132, P0401 OR…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific F. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

Does the 2004 F have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 0 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the F get?

EPA figures are 11 city / 15 highway / 13 combined mpg.