Alternator/generator/regulator problems of the 2004 Ford F-150

My husband was driving home this past Sunday and was starting to turn into the drive when the left passenger window fell down into the door. He had not put it down or up - it just fell down. This is now the 4th window we have replaced in this truck. The other three have been replaced, to the tune of $350. 00 each. When I brought this to the attention of the service manager at the local Ford dealership, he said there was nothing that he could do - the window regulators just break. I contacted the Ford 800 number and was told the same thing - nothing to be done - just a broken part - even though it happens a lot. He said there was no recall on it so there was no help they could give. So, I guess I'll be paying another $350. 00 and pray they don't start dropping again since Ford won't admit they have a problem.

On my 2004 Ford f150 XLT lariat supercab, the passenger rear window regulator has now failed. The driver's one went first (within three years of ownership), then the front passenger one (a few months later) then the rear passenger one ( about a year after the first) and now this. All four regulators have had to be replaced from the original factory installed ones. This latest one occurred while the truck sat parked in the driveway unoccupied; all the others happened on the roadway while the vehicle was in motion.

Replaced two window regulators in vehicle. Driver's windown and passenger window.

Driver side power window, this is the forth time I have to have window repair on my truck, previous time before last one, was in July only 4 months ago I had to pay almost $300 to repair window, and now last time paid $425 dollars to repair that very same window and this time is the window regulator. Window will make a loud noise and drop, unable to bring it up or closed again.

In late-June 2012 a loud clunk/thud/pop/small explosion occurred in the passenger-side door of my 2004 Ford F-150 regular cab truck, while the vehicle was stopped and idling, and the window dropped into the door frame. When I returned home I removed the door panel and discovered that a small piece of molded plastic, 1 1/8" x 1 7/8" (probable cost to Ford about 39 cents) on the window regulator had disintegrated/failed, allowing the regulator cable to release the window. I have found a replacement window regulator on the internet for $70 (Ford charges $175 for the part) and will repair the defective item myself. I notified Ford of the failure of a less-than-quality plastic piece on the regulator and asked for reimbursement. Ford responded: "there are no factory warranties or programs in effect on your vehicle that would provide financial assistance for your current vehicle concern. " however, they did add: "recommend that you keep your repair receipts in case Ford initiates a recall or customer satisfaction program in the future based on customer feedback or further engineering review of similar complaints. " I see from the large number of complaints on this website by Ford truck owners that I am but one of hundreds who have been affected, and obviously, there will be hundreds more; the odds are very high that the majority of the plastic pieces on Ford truck window regulators will fail sooner or later, and I seriously doubt that the 2004 Ford F-150 truck is the only model year that contains plastic parts in the window regulators. $70 to replace a failed piece of plastic that initially probably cost Ford about 39 cents to produce is a sad commentary on quality.

I leave my windows up on the truck. It is cold (winter time) truck was in the garage. I went to the garage and the window on the passenger side was down. I cranked the truck, pushed the button and the window would not come up. I took the truck to the dealer they said the front door window regulator had to be replaced. This cost $344. 66 to replace the regulator. Since the first replacement, the two back windows have done the same thing. I assume if my truck is having this problem others are also. This appears to be a defect and the company should pay for the repairs.

Failure of second window regulator in two years. Driving down the road this time and nearly swerved off the roadway after I thought that the passenger side rear window had been shot out. Turns out it was the regulator failing. Ford needs to recall this part as a safety hazzard before somebody is hurt in a crash caused by the failure of the regulators. Ford knows they have a problem but apparently will not recall or offer a fix.

While driving in up state NY, going about 30-35 mph, my rear passenger window started to open for no reason. By the time I was able to pull over the window was completely open and fell down into the door. I was unable to close the window and the Ford dealership I brought the car to look at to try and fix it told me the regulator was broken and needed to be replaced. The dealership was able to get the window closed and taped it shut. I was 300 miles from home and I had to get home to try and get the window fixed. This is the second time this has happened to me. About 2 years ago the same thing happened to the drivers window and I had to get the regulator replaced Ford needs to own up to it's default and announce a recall on all it's window regulators.

All 4 windows regulators broke within a span of 4 months. Window regulators have a steel cable which adheres to a plastic pulley--who designed this poor compatibility? common sense will tell you that this is not condusive to wear and tear for electric windows. Vehicle is in excellent shape accept for this problem which as a consumer is unacceptable due to inferior products used. Aluminum or another type of metal should have been used for the pulley--definetly not plastic. Reported to Ford--can't and won't do anything about this but tell me to take to Ford dealer for repairs and pay an outrageous amt for the labor and regulator. I spoke with a local Ford service manager and he revealed to me that Ford knows this is a problem with several of their vehicles and also the lincolns but because of the cost incurred by issuing a recall that they chose to "wash it under the rug". This is an unacceptable excuse as far as I am concerned. 4 window regulators in a 4 month span to break--something needs to be addressed and brought to Ford's management and design departments.

2004 Ford F-150 window regulator failure 2nd in 6 months/ both rear windows on supercrew truck.

On 25 March 2011, I encountered a loud pop in the door on the driver-side of my 2004 Ford F-150 regular cab truck, and the window disappeared into the door frame. I removed the door panel and discovered that the cable mechanism within the window regulator had failed. Without further delay I turned the truck into my Ford dealer to have the window regulator repaired, and received a repair bill of $301. 86 (the regulator alone cost $159. 36); the Ford advisor stated that they had the part in stock since the window regulator failure was a common occurrence. I did not inspect the regulator to determine why the cable mechanism had failed. . Read more...

While driving in parking lot (approx. Speed 5mph) driver side window fell into door and would not respond to electric window operation. Window regulator replaced by Ford dealer. Within three months same exact thing happened to the drivers side rear window, result failed window regulator. At this moment vehicle is at Ford dealer being repaired.

Window regulator failure, third occurrence within a year. First incident was left rear window, then right rear window now right front. All three incidents occurred while driving, causing a hazardous distraction to the driver. Two incidents happened in foul weather further disrupting the driver.

2004 Ford f150 supercrew. Window regulator failure, resulting in a loud crashing sound while driving the vehicle; once almost resulting in a crash. This has happened with 3 regulators now.

No significant events lead up to. . . . 3 out of 4 windows on my 2004 Ford f150 fx4 had to be replaced because out of the blue they come crashing down. I have spent about 700 dollars so far on this defect and have to go in tomorrow to get my passenger side window fixed which will put me over 1000. Ford needs to recall these window regulators and I should get every penny I have spent on these pathetic devices back. Come on Ford, really? I feel like I and everybody else in this same situation have been taken advantage of for Ford to make an extra buck. Who is going to be the one to raise the [xxx] flagged and take Ford to the bank on this one. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

I have lost 4 window regulators over the space of 2 years. I have replaced the drivers front , pass front twice pass rear once. I currently have a broom handle holding up drivers rear. This has gotten very old and tiresome. I worked for Ford dealerships for 27 years and I am very disappointed with the apparent disregard of quality is job 1.

While I was driving the truck on local roads, the passenger side electrically controlled window which was fully up suddenly slowly receded down into the door of the truck and now cannot be raised back up. The window is not broken, and the noise when I press the window control seems to indicate that the motor is still working properly. I have called several repair shops (and the dealer), and the conclusion so far (hearing the description but without inspecting the vehicle) is that the window regulator needs to be replaced.

While driving on the freeway my passenger side window unexpectedly fell through the door. When I pressed the button to open the window a tad the regulator broke and the window began to fall. A week later the second back passenger window came crashing down also. Thankfully it was while I was at the store and the car was stationary. I had to fix this out of pocket last week for about 700. 00 for both windows, the repair guy at Ford said this wasn't covered or issued as a recall. Now fastforward to yesterday, my side driver window comes falling down and I had to use a doorstop to hold it up. I feel this is a widespread issue that Ford has not come to terms with. This should have been a recall issued years ago. Checking the internet there a numerous sites where angry customers of Ford are experiencing this problem way to frequently. (ex. . Read more...

Driver side window fell into door while driving due to power window regulator failure.

First incident: August, 2009 I was driving down the highway going approximately 65 miles an hour when the back passenger side window started decending without anyone pushing the button. I was then unable to use the window again. My infant son was in the back seat next to the window and it was raining. I took the vehicle to the Ford dealership and had the window regulator replaced. Second incident: January, 2010 once again I was driving and the front passenger side window went down without prompting and never worked again. I am an attorney and was on my way to the courthouse and was forced to leave my car unattended for a short amount of time and obtain continuances on all of my cases that day in order to have my window repaired. I was informed that it was the window regulator and the part needed replaced. Third incident: August, 2011 same scenerio, my husband was driving the vehicle on the highway at approx. 55 mph when his window decended without prompting and we were unable to make the window work again. I had to have the window regulator replaced. Besides the cost of repairs ($350. 00 each window), I believe that this is a safety hazard. I had an infant by the window in the first incident and driving at speed the window could have shattered. Also, all incidents occured while I was driving and proved quite distracting. It could have caused an accident. Last, because I was unable to make the window(s) go back up I had to leave my vehicle unsecured.

The contact owns a 2004 Ford F-150. The contact attempted to place the vehicle into reverse and heard a loud noise. Afterwards, the vehicle would only move forward. She took the vehicle to the dealer and they stated that the transmission gears failed. The dealer replaced the gear position indicator; however, the vehicle would not start after the repair was made. The contact had to recharge the battery in order to start the vehicle. The vehicle was returned to the dealer and they stated that the alternator failed. The alternator was replaced; however, on June 16, 2008, the vehicle would not start again. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and they stated that the transmission needed to be replaced. The failure mileage was 30,000 and current was mileage 46,000.

Currently own a 2004 Ford f150 fx4. The driver side window suddenly fell off the track while driving and into the door, thankfully it didn't shatter. Took it to the dealership, wasn't covered under warranty. It was the window regulator. Cost around $500 to fix it. A year later the driver side window fell of track when shutting the door and fell down into it. Don't really have the money to fix it, so we rigged it to stay up, however it falls slowly while driving and we have to keep pushing it up. Now the rear passenger window has fallen down- where our child sits and this is becoming a problem. $1500 to fix 3 windows in 2 years is not acceptable on something that is clearly a defect. Ford claims they are waiting for the NHTSA to require the recall from Ford, until that happens they wont correct the problem. This is a safety issue as well as a consumer issue. Please continue to advise Ford of this defect and urge the recall.

I have a 2004 f150 with 22,000 miles on it and every window regulator in the truck has gone out and send the window crashing down. This is the fourth one. Ford will not recall it, it is a know issue. The dealership told me, "lady its you and thousands like you. ".

The contact owns a 2004 Ford F-150. While driving 20 mph, the battery light illuminated and the alternator gauge dropped. The dealer stated that the alternator caused the failure and they made the replacement. Approximately one year later, while driving 20 mph, the failure recurred. The dealer replaced the alternator again. The contact stated that the failure occurred two more times under the same circumstances. The dealer stated that the alternator was the cause of each failure. The failure mileage was 8,100 and current mileage is 26,200. Updated01/07/08 the windshield wiper blades and a fuse was replaced.