I sympathize with you. I really think there is more to it. I wonder about the dealer because there is a section in the service manual dealing with poor fuel mileage and what to check and replace.

That is too bad. When the Oct 03 flash came out and took the mileage down, I was mad. I got a free extended warranty out of the deal. I bought a Predator and that helped the situation. Then they came out with this last flash and everything is just as good as when I bought it less the PI. I get 16 around town and 19 on the highway consistently.

You clearly have something amiss. Too bad Ford/dealer won't carry it any further.

 

Does the new flash help the '04 models?

 

Any 04 drivers out there with the latest flash to speak up?

 

I have one of those '04's that only gets 10-11 mpg 7200 miles on it and ford wont do anything about it.
Check engine light came on the other day, tech said that there were no codes, they re flashed ,,,only have 100 miles since then. I will post if anything good comes out of this.

 

Sounds like you need to schmooze the tech and service manager or find a new dealer. The check engine light won't come on without any codes unless you have a faulty instrument cluster.

Here is a bulletin you might be interested in:

2004/05 F-Series/Excursion Check Engine Light On, Codes P2614/P2617, Multiple Driveabilty Problems, Wait to Start or Water in Fuel Lights Flicker:
Trucks built between 9-29-03 and 9-15-04 may exhibit the above conditions as well as misfire, hesitation/stumble, rough idle, and/or lack of power symptoms. These may be caused by the injector harness chafing and shorting to ground under the fuel injection control module, along the intake manifold or on heater hose clamps. If the conditions are intermittent, attempt to duplicate them by wiggling the harness as the engine is running. If a chafed injector wiring harness is confirmed, replace it with a revised harnes, 4C3Z-9C891-AB. Broadcast Message 3285.

 

SBV45
In my case the ford dealer did all the things that are in the book and a few extra but ford cut them off on thw warranty work for mpg related work ,all dealers not just the one that was trying to help I took it to another dealer and they came to me and told me they could not do any work because ford had what they called a cuddle contract with me meaning they offered me a cash settlement for my problems early on when it only got 8 mpg till now as it gets 12.8 hwy empty which they say is all you can hope for.I turned town the cash and asked for the truck to be fixed, and thatsd where I am at now. I agree there is something wrong,some sensor that is just weak and is not doing its job full but at this point I would just be throwing parts at it, as ford has alrerady replaced all the sensors.

 

Try a Predator on 65HP Performance/Economy mode. It helps a couple mpg if you keep your foot out off the floor until someone can figure out how to fix the darn thing. Did you get the latest flash? I don't remember if you said that. I know it helped a lot on mine.

 

Yes I did get the flash it runs better but that is it, the predator has crossed my mind but I tow most of the time and would then have to do guages and exhaust and if that didnt work it would be even more money, tow 8k to 12k most of the time.Dont think I could run the economy mode but thanks for the idea. I guess I will keep using the psd just for towing and drive the toyota for my running around and such,but I do miss the room.

 

I have o 2004 with latest flash. Mileage was terrible. 11-12 mpg. Put new egr valve in (said pine had a 99% flow problem). Now 15.4 average over last three tanks. Now if i can only get the water in fuel light to go out. Have drained several times......no water. It wont come on until after the truck has been running for about 10-20 minutes. Afraid if dealer works on it mileage might go back down.