RoadVitals

1996 Ford F Series 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.
16
Latest Sep 11, 2015
Components namedHow many of our component categories appear on at least one report for this model year. One report can name several.
6
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.
5

What this page shows

Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1996 Ford F Series, 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

  • Electrical426.7%
  • Fuel system426.7%
  • Driver assistance320.0%
  • Engine213.3%
  • Body & structure16.7%
  • Steering16.7%

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

Electrical

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

4
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

TRUCK WAS DRIVEN THEN PARKED, 15 MINUTES LATER WHILE MOWING THE GRASS, I LOOKED OVER AT THE PARKED TRUCKAND IT WAS ON FIRE. THE FIRE STARTED AT THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER AND IT WAS A TOTAL LOSS.

NHTSA ID 10763253 · filed Sep 11, 2015

MY SONS TRUCK 1996 FORD F150 CAUGHT FIRE SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY IT HAD BEEN SITTING THERE A LITTLE OVER TWO HOURS. IT STARTED ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE UNDER THE HOOD. THE TRUCK IS TOTALED, MY SOFIC AND GUTTER WAS DESTROYED MY GARAGE. MY 2005 CAR-MATE TRAILER HAS HEAT DAMAGE ON THE FRONT OF IT AND DESTROYED MY NEIGHBORS FENCE AND BUSHES. *NM

NHTSA ID 10135457 · filed Sep 6, 2005

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

OPENED REAR TANK CAP AND FUEL SPURTED OUT AND WOULD NOT STOP HAD TO PUT CAP BACK ON, I NEVER USE THIS TANK ONLY REFUEL IN THE FRONT TANK. *TR

NHTSA ID 10604890 · filed Jun 20, 2014

GASOLINE IS LEAKING OUT OF THE FRONT FUEL CAP OF MY 1996 FORD F-150 TRUCK. MY TRUCK HAS DUAL TANKS. I CONSIDER THIS TO BE A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM THAT COULD CAUSE A FIRE OR EXPLOSION. MY RESEARCH ONLINE FOUND NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 91V146000. THIS IS THE PROBLEM MY TRUCK IS HAVING BUT IT IS NOT CURRENTLY COVERED UNDER THIS RECALL. I AM WRITING THIS SUNDAY EVENING SO I AM WAITING TILL MORNING TO CONTACT FORD AND REPORT THIS PROBLEM TO THEM. THE RECALL THAT I FOUND CALLED FOR REPLACEMENT OF THE DUAL FUEL TANK SELECTOR VALVE ON 1989 FORD F-150'S. BUT SINCE I AM HAVING THE EXACT SAME DEFECT AND THE EFFECT OF SUCH AN EQUIPMENT FAILURE IS LIFE THREATENING I BELIEVE THE RECALL NEEDS TO BE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE ALL FORD VEHICLES THAT HAVE DUAL FUEL TANKS. *TR

NHTSA ID 10435413 · filed Nov 13, 2011

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.

3
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

CRUISE CONTROL REFUSES TO DISENGAGE WHEN BRAKES APPLIED. ISSUE REPORTED TO FORD DLR. IN 2002 AND DLR. REFUSED TO REPAIR AS NOT UNDER WARRANTY RECALL AND UNIT OUT OF WARRANTY. I DO NOT TRY TO USE CRUISE CONTROL AS VEHICLE ACCELERATES WITH CONTROL ON AND WILL NOT DISENGAGE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT FORD NEEDS TO CORRECT AT NO CHARGE TO ME. *TR

NHTSA ID 10318450 · filed Mar 10, 2010

ON 1/10/05, I ARRIVED HOME FROM WORK AND PARKED MY VEHICLE AT APPROXIMATELY 6:00 PM. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED UNDER THE CARPORT 15 FEET AWAY FROM MY BEDROOM WINDOW. AT 12:30 AM, MY WIFE AND I HEARD A NOISE, LOOKED OUT THE BLINDS TO FIND FIRE COMING FROM DRIVERS SIDE EDGES OF HOOD. ME AND MY SON RAN OUT TO GET A GARDEN HOSE AS MY WIFE CALLED 911. AS I WAS PASSING BY THE VEHICLE THE PAINT WAS BEGINNING TO BURN OFF DIRECTLY ABOVE THE BREAK BOOSTER. I BEGAN SPRAYING THE VEHICLE THROUGH THE RADIATOR GRILL, AS MY SON WAS TRYING TO POP THE HOOD. I SPRAYED AROUND THE EDGES, FLAMES WERE COMING OUT MOSTLY FROM THE DRIVERS SIDE. THEN THE DRIVERS SIDE PLASTIC TIRE WELL BURNED OUT ENOUGH, I WAS ABLE TO GET WATER UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AT 12:34 AM. THEY POPPED THE HOOD USING THEIR CABLE TOOL AND BEGAN TO APPLY WATER. LUCKILY THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED WITHIN ABOUT 15 MINUTES, DUE TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS ONLY A COUPLE OF BLOCKS AWAY. BECAUSE OF THE QUICK RESPONSE OF EXTINGUISHING THE FIRE, YOU CAN DEFINITELY TELL WHERE THE FIRE ORIGINATED. AS YOU CAN TELL BY THE PICTURES I HAVE ENCLOSED, THE AIR FILTER ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE SUFFERED HEAT DAMAGE, BUT WERE NOT DESTROYED. ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ENGINE THE RUBBER HOSES AND FUEL LINES WERE STILL INTACT AND NOT BURNED. THE ONLY THING THAT WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED WAS THE BREAK FLUID RESERVOIR, AND THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH. WHEN THE FIREMAN EXAMINED IT, THEY THOUGHT IT MAY HAVE COME FROM THE WIRING HARNESS, THEY HAD NEVER SEEN THE BREAK FLUID RESERVOIR CATCH ON FIRE. I ONLY HAD LIABILITY INSURANCE ON THIS VEHICLE. DUE TO THE EXTENSIVE DAMAGE, I SOLD IT FOR SALVAGE ONLY. *JB

NHTSA ID 10136840 · filed Sep 17, 2005

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

Engine

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

2
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

NYS VEHICLE INSPECTION REQUIRES EMISSION TESTING ON 96 & NEWER MODELS. I HAD MY OXYGEN SENSORS REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES & TWICE IN ONE YEARS TIME. THE OXYGEN SENSORS THAT FORD MAKES ARE DEFECTIVE. IT COSTS ME OVER $500 EACH TIME TO REPLACE THESE SENSORS. *AK

NHTSA ID 10112578 · filed Mar 5, 2005

MY F150 ONLY HAS 65000 MILES AND IS 7 YRS. OLD AND DTHE OIL PAN IS RUSTED OUT. FROM THE SOUNDS OF IT, THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH FROD TRUCKS BASED ON INFO. POSTED ON A WEBSDSITE BULLETIN BOARD. I THINK FORD SHOULD TAKE CARE OF THIS.*AK

NHTSA ID 10021331 · filed Jun 10, 2003

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

I HAVE TRIED NUMEROUS TIMES TO REPLACE MY DOOR HANDLES FROM THE INSIDE OF MY TRUCK. THEY KEEP BREAKING, AND NOW I AM DRIVING A TRUCK THAT I CAN ONLY OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE AFTER ROLLING MY WINDOWS DOWN. I HAVE TALKED TO FORD ABOUT THIS DEFECT, WHICH I CONSIDER A HIGH SAFETY ISSUE IN AN EMERGENCY. THEY SAY THEY HAVE A BETTER DESIGN BUT WILL COST ME $250 EACH TO REPLACE. I KNOW I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE THAT HAS THIS PROBLEM SO WHY ISN'T IT SOMETHING THAT FORD SHOULD REPLACE FREE? MEANWHILE.. I CAN'T AFFORD $500 FOR TWO DOOR HANDLES, PLUS LABOR, ONTOP OF THE COST OF THE ONES I HAVE ALREADY BOUGHT, AND TRIED REPLACING MYSELF. *TR

NHTSA ID 10545636 · filed Sep 27, 2013

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

Steering

Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

1996 FORD F 150 AUTO TRANS W/ OVERDRIVE CRUISE & TILT, THE PROBLEM IS STEERING COLUMN FAILURE FIRST TIME WAS ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO AND AGAIN NOW 11/30/2007. THE 1ST TIME AT ABOUT 78,000 MI. AND THE MILEAGE NOW IS 179,000 MI THE DESCRIPTION OF THE FAILURE STARTS AS POPPING SOUNDS ALONG WITH THE SOUNDS OF A RUSTY SCREEN DOOR SPRING THEN IT GETS WORSE TO THE POINT THAT THE STEERING WHEEL HANGS AND IT TAKES BOTH HANDS TO FREE IT. (TRUST ME THIS WILL SCARE THE HECK OUT OF YOU TURNING IN A BUSY INTERSECTION) EVENTUALLY IT WILL LOCK UP COMPLETELY. *TR

NHTSA ID 10210392 · filed Nov 30, 2007

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 .