As the title states, my uncle is in the market for a 2004 F150 with the 5.4, it has 80 000km's so far is all I know about it. He has asked me if I know of any problems to watch out for with these years and also any noises that are considered to be normal with these trucks. Any info would be greatly appreciated, thank you in advance.

 

Diesel sound while idling is normal...but not really desired. It is the Cam Phasers


5.4 engines - have the dealer change the plugs before he buys. the plugs can/will stick and can cause an expensive nightmare for him

grinding ratcheting noise - the 4x4 system on the 04-05 trucks had vacuum issues. easy to fix, but it can be a bugger to track down the culprit. also, if the truck is driven alot with that noise present, it may require a new hub




they're pretty solid. those above are the biggest things that come to mind.