RoadVitals

1996 Ford E350 Problems

Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
50
Latest Sep 11, 2017
Components namedHow many of our component categories appear on at least one report for this model year. One report can name several.
12
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
1

What this page shows

Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1996 Ford E350, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Reports by component

Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category

  • Brakes1934.5%
  • Engine47.3%
  • Fuel system47.3%
  • Suspension35.5%
  • Transmission23.6%
  • Exterior lighting11.8%
  • Driver assistance11.8%
  • Electrical11.8%
  • Body & structure11.8%
  • Other / unspecified11.8%
  • Seat belts11.8%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Each component in detail

What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words

Brakes

Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.

19
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

ABS SPORADICALLY CAUSES DIFFICULTY IN PRESSING THE BREAK PEDAL WHILE RHYTHMICALLY PULLING HARD RIGHT. HIGHWAY OR SURFACE SPEEDS. GOOGLE HAS MANY WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND NO FIX. NO CODES ARE THROWN. DEALERS ARE NO HELP. MUST DISABLE THE ABS BY PULLING THE 60AMP FUSE.

NHTSA ID 10898062 · filed Aug 23, 2016

DISCOVERY OF CRACKED FRONT ROTORS ON MY 1996 E-350 MOTORHOME. FIRST CRACKED ROTOR FOUND IN MAY 2007 WITH 35,000 MILES ON VEHICLE. SECOND CRACKED ROTOR FOUND IN SEPTEMBER 2009 WITH 41,000 MILES ON VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ID 10279777 · filed Aug 8, 2009
All 19 reports naming brakes

Tires & wheels

Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.

17
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

WHILE DRIVING AT 45/55 MPH RIGHT FRONT TIRE WENT OUT OF ROUND, AND THE LEFT FRONT TIRE STARTED SHOWING SIGNS OF FATIGUE. WHEN THIS OCCURRED FRONT SHOCKS FAILED, AND THE HYDRAULIC FLUID SPILLED ONTO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THIS RESULTED IN SEVERE FRONTAL VEHICLE DAMAGE. THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK

NHTSA ID 10042686 · filed Oct 9, 2003

CONSUMER STATES THAT VALVE STEMS RECOMMENDED FOR VEHICLE IS NOT EFFECTIVE AFTER 8000 MILES. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS TIRES WOULD BECOME FLAT FOR NO APPARENT REASON. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP, WHO INFORMED CONSUMER OF THE VALVE PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID 10031897 · filed Aug 1, 2003
All 17 reports naming tires & wheels

Engine

Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.

4
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

THIS ISSUE WAS ON A 1996 FORD F350 AMBULANCE ON ROUTE TO EMERGENCY CALL WHEN ENGINE SHUT DOWN AND LOST ALL POWER LIKE IT WAS OUT OF FUEL 7.3 LITER DIESEL AND TANK WAS FULL. HAD UNIT TOWED TO CROSS WOOD FORD IN KERNERSVILLE NC AND $2700.00 LATER AFTER NEW FUEL TANK FUEL PUMP 6 INJECTORS AND TURBO DUE TO LINER INSIDE OF TANK CAME OFF AND CLOGGED THE FUEL SYSTEM AND ENGINE FORD MOTOR COMPANY WAS NO HELP AND SAID SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY THEY WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING TO RESOLVE THE COST ISSUES. *TR

NHTSA ID 10520493 · filed Jun 18, 2013

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID 761336 · filed Apr 29, 2002

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Fuel system

Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.

4
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

APPROXIMATELY 6 TIMES ON A 800 MILE ROAD TRIP WHEN IT WAS 90 DEGREES OR HOTTER IN THE AFTERNOON MY 1996 E350 MOTORHOME WOULD STOP RUNNING AT HIGHWAY SPEED STRANDING US IN A DANGEROUS SITUATION ON I40. AFTER SITTING IDLE FOR 30-60 MINUTES IT WOULD START AND RUN MAYBE 30 MILES AND STOP. IN THE COOL OF THE EVENING OR MORNING IT WOULD RUN AS LONG AS NEEDED. THE PROBLEM IS AN INADEQUATE FUEL PUMP WHICH IS WELL DOCUMENTED ON MANY INTERNET BLOGS. IN MID YEAR 1996 FORD UPGRADED TO A TURBINE FUEL PUMP WHICH I HAVE NOW PAID $450 TO INSTALL. THIS UPGRADE SOLVES THE PROBLEM. I WAS ALSO STRANDED AT MAJOR INTERSECTIONS ALSO. I READ THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM WHICH I CANNOT FIND. MY UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE ORIGINAL FUEL PUMP WAS A GEROTOR WHICH CAUSED CAVITATION OF FUEL WHICH CAUSED AIR TO REACH THE FUEL RAIL CAUSING THE VAPOR LOCK LIKE PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID 11022754 · filed Sep 11, 2017

THIS ISSUE WAS ON A 1996 FORD F350 AMBULANCE ON ROUTE TO EMERGENCY CALL WHEN ENGINE SHUT DOWN AND LOST ALL POWER LIKE IT WAS OUT OF FUEL 7.3 LITER DIESEL AND TANK WAS FULL. HAD UNIT TOWED TO CROSS WOOD FORD IN KERNERSVILLE NC AND $2700.00 LATER AFTER NEW FUEL TANK FUEL PUMP 6 INJECTORS AND TURBO DUE TO LINER INSIDE OF TANK CAME OFF AND CLOGGED THE FUEL SYSTEM AND ENGINE FORD MOTOR COMPANY WAS NO HELP AND SAID SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY THEY WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING TO RESOLVE THE COST ISSUES. *TR

NHTSA ID 10520493 · filed Jun 18, 2013

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Suspension

Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.

3
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

WHILE DRIVING AT 45/55 MPH RIGHT FRONT TIRE WENT OUT OF ROUND, AND THE LEFT FRONT TIRE STARTED SHOWING SIGNS OF FATIGUE. WHEN THIS OCCURRED FRONT SHOCKS FAILED, AND THE HYDRAULIC FLUID SPILLED ONTO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THIS RESULTED IN SEVERE FRONTAL VEHICLE DAMAGE. THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK

NHTSA ID 10042686 · filed Oct 9, 2003

AS WE WERE ENROUTE TO DISNEY WORLD WITH 2 ADULTS AND 2 CHILDREN IN THE MOTORHOME, WE NOTICED A VIBRATION THAT GREW IN INTENSITY AS WE APPROACHED DATONA BEACH LATE IN THE AFTERNOON. WITHIN 5 MILES OF FIRST NOTICING THE VIBRATION, WE PULLED OFF INTERSTATE 95 AND I LOOKED AT ALL OF THE TIRES. AS A FORMER FACTORY SERVICE REP FOR FORD AND A FULLY CERTIFIED ASE MECHANIC FROM MANY YEARS AGO, I SCRUTINIZED THE TIRES INTENSELY WITH MY EYES AND HANDS FINDING NOTHING ABNORMAL. WE DECIDED TO PRESS ON TO DAYTONA BEACH TO FIND A TIRE STORE AND HAVE THE VIBRATION CHECKED OUT. WITHIN 1 MILE OF PULLING ONTO THE FREEWAY AGAIN, THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE SHREDDED AND DAMAGED THE UNDERCARRIAGE AND FENDER PAINT ON THE VEHICLE. WE SUMMONSED A SERVICE TRUCK AND HAD THE SPARE TIRE REPLACED. WHILE IN ORLANDO, WE ORDERED A NEW TIRE AND HAD IT REPLACED. RETURNING HOME WE STOPPED AT A WEIGH STATION TO SEE JUST HOW HEAVY THE VEHICLE WAS WITH JUST THE FOUR OF US IN IT AND FOUND THAT WE WERE WITHIN 300# OF THE MAX GROSS WEIGHT ALLOWED FOR THE FRONT TIRES. THE TIRE PRESSURES HAVE BEEN MAINTAINED CLOSELY AND THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN ALIGNED REGULARLY. THERE WAS NOW ABNORMAL WEAR PATTERNS ON THE TIRE. LAST FALL, THE FRONT TIRES WERE ROTATED WITH THE INSIDE REAR TIRES TO MAINTAIN THE ROTATION PATTERN. *AK( DOT NUMBER: VD1L1XA086 TIRE SIZE: LT22575R16 )

NHTSA ID 726938 · filed Aug 7, 2000

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Transmission

Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.

2
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

SUBJECT VEHICLE IS A FORD E350 SUPERDUTY VAN CHASSIS MANUFACTURED IN MAY 1996 WITH VN [XXX] EQUIPPED WITH A E40D TRANSMISSION. THE TRANSMISSION IN A 1997 CLASS C MOTORHOME STARTED TO LEAK. THE PROBLEM WAS DETECTED BEFORE COMPLETE FAILURE, WHICH COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A FIRE. VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO GARAGE. WHEN TRANSMISSION WAS REBUILT A SEAL HAD TO BE REPLACE. THE OEM PART NUMBER WAS E9TP 7AP48 AA. THE SEAL WAS REPLACE WITH A PART FROM PERCISION INTERNATIONAL WITH PART NUMBER 16601EV, WHICH CAME WITH THE FOLLOWING ADVISORY "THE ORIGINAL DESIGN SILICONE RUBBER IS NOT AS COMPATIBLE WITH NEW FORD MERCRON V FLUID. ALSO IT'S NOT ABLE TO HOLD UP TO THE DEMANDS OF HEAVY DUTY TRUCK APPLICATIONS." IF THIS IS IN FACT THE CASES THE AFFECTED VEHICLES SHOULD BE REVIEWED AND IF NECESSARY RECALLED. *LA INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID 10041552 · filed Oct 9, 2003

ONGOING PROBLEM WITH ABS SYSTEM FAILING TO OPERATE PROPERLY WHILE DRIVING. THE ABS SENSOR LIGHT WOULD COME ON. ALSO, TRANSMISSION FAILS SIMULTANEOUSLY/ONE OR MORE WHEELS WOULD LOCK UP, AND BRAKE PADS FAILED AT 8-10,000 MILES. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ID 833534 · filed Apr 13, 1999

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Exterior lighting

Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

GULF STREAM RV MANIFACTORYING. BUILT THE CLASS C RV ON FORD E-350 CUT A WAY CHASSIS. THE FORD CHASSIS MANUAL STATES THAT IT IS SUPPLIED W/ 2 HAZARD AND TURN LIGHTS ON FRONT AND 2 ON THE BACK (TOTAL OF 4 LIGHTS) AND A FLASHER FOR 2 BULB AND 4 BULB MAX FLASHER #SF-602 THIS IS THE ONLY FLASHER THAT FORD HAS. GULF STREAM ADDED ANOTHER TURN/ HAZARD BULB ON EACH SIDE ON REAR. PLUS TWO TRAILOR LIGHTS. THE FORD REFERENCE MANUEL PAGE 19 TABLE H STATES THAT IF MORE LIGHTS ARE ADDED THEY ARE TO CHANGE THE TURN SIGNAL FLASHER. WITH ONE HAVING THE CORRECT LAMP RAREING. GULF STREAM DIDN'T DO THIS THEY LEFT THE ONE THAT FORD PUT ON AT THE FACTORY. WHEN YOU TURN THE HAZARD FLASHER LIGHT ON IT OVER LOADS THE FLASHER OUT ($38.00 EA) THEN YOU DON'T HAVE FLASHERS. I HAVE BURNT OUT 2 SO FAR. I HAVE CONTACTED GULF STREAM RV ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND THEY GIVE ME THE RUN AROUND ON THIS. THEY SAID I AM THE ONLY ONE THAT HAS THIS PROBLEM. ONLY THE 1996 FORD E-350 USES THIS FLASHER. I CAN'T FIND ANOTHER ONE ANY WHERE THAT WILL WORK IN THE E-350. FORD TOLD ME THAT IS THE ONLY FLASHER THAT WILL WORK AND THAT IT IS A GULF STREAM PROBLEM AND THEY DENY THE PROBLEM. THIS AFFECTS ALL 1996 FORD E350 VANS. DT

NHTSA ID 770404 · filed Dec 3, 2002

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Driver assistance

Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

WHILE DRIVING ON A MOUNTAIN AT APPROXIMATELY 35MPH THROTTLE STUCK WIDE OPEN. HOWEVER, WAS ABLE TO SLOW DOWN ENOUGH TO MAKE A LEFT HAND TURN, THEN SHUT ENGINE OFF. *AK

NHTSA ID 849950 · filed Oct 5, 1999

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Electrical

Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID 761336 · filed Apr 29, 2002

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Body & structure

Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

BOLT ON RUNNING BOARD FAILED CAUSING THEM TO PULL OUT.

NHTSA ID 605556 · filed Oct 27, 1997

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Other / unspecified

Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

CONSUMER STATE WHILE TRAVELING 30 MPH WITHOUT ANY INDICATION VEHICLE SPEAR TIRE CARRIER HAD BROKEN CAUSING SPARE TIRE TO FALL FROM UNDER. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

NHTSA ID 8023188 · filed Nov 22, 2002

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Seat belts

Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT LATCH DOES NOT LOCK. *TR

NHTSA ID 10445627 · filed Jan 27, 2012

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .