The contact owned a 1996 Ford F-150. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number:Â 05V017000 (Vehicle Speed Control). The contact stated that while parked in the driveway, she observed fire between the finder and the hood. The heat from the fire rippled the front of the garage causing property damage. The vehicle was not diagnosed and the origin of the fire was not determined. The fire was extinguished by the fire department. The vehicle was towed to an unknown impound lot. It was unknown if a police report or fire department report was filed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.
The worst 1996 Ford F-150 problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Electrical56
- Fuel system53
- Acceleration36
- Brakes34
- Engine26
- Transmission26
- Airbags23
- Suspension21
- Tires21
- Steering20
- Seats9
- Body7
- Wheels6
- Lights5
- Visibility4
- Seat belts3
- Driver assistance1
Specific symptoms reported on the 1996 Ford F-150
Fire or smoke 53Adaptive cruise 24ABS 14Tire blowout 13Fuel leak 11No deployment 10Fuel pump 9Pulling 9Ball joint 5
Recalls 2
Vehicle speed control
- What is wrong
- On certain pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles equipped with speed control, the speed control deactivation switch may overheat, smoke, or burn.
- Risk
- A fire at the switch could occur.
- Remedy
- By letter dated september 12, 2005, owners were instructed to return their vehicles to their dealers to have the speed control deactivation switch disconnected. Owners who have had their speed control deactivated are being notified that parts will be available and advised to make an appointment to reconnect the speed control beginning in february 2006. Owners who did not have their speed control deactivated are being notified to have their system remedied beginning in february 2006. Owners are urged to avail themselves of the free disconnect service as soon as possible because of the significant risk of fire. Owners may contact ford at 1‑800‑392‑3673. (note: also see recalls 05v017 and 06v286)
Recall number 05V388000 · Recall details
Equipment: other: labels
- What is wrong
- The certification labels on the involved vehicles has incorrect rear tire inflation pressure designations. This does not comply with fmvss no. 120, "tire selection and rims for motor vehicles other than passenger cars."
- Risk
- Incorrect inflation pressures could cause premature wear of the rear tires. .
- Remedy
- Owners will be provided with correct certification labels and instructions for installing these labels. Dealers can install this label if the owner so desires.
Recall number 96V161000 · Recall details
See all 2 recalls for the 1996 Ford F-150
Defect investigations
Engine compartment fires
Ea05-005 is closed with ford?s actions in recalls 05v‑017, 05v‑388, and 06v‑286, recalling approximately 6.7 million vehicles equipped with texas instruments speed control deactivation switches (scds).the brake systems in these recalled vehicles generate a vacuum that can potentially cause the scds to fail and, in certain switch installation orientations, catch fire.ford is also including the entire population of 1998 explorers.ford has informed odi that testing to determine the cause of failures in the 1998 explorers will continue after this investigation is closed.odi believes that the vehicles exhibiting the factors causing scds failure described in this report correlate well with the observed failure rates on these vehicles by model and model year.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by the federal safety agency that a safety-related defect does not exist in the non-recalled vehicles manufactured with scds that are not included in ford?s recalls.odi will continue to monitor the non-recalled population for incidence of engine compartment fires.the agency reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.see attached closing report for details.
EA05005
Tie rod end failures
There is no summary currently available
PE98024
Technical service bulletins for the 1996 Ford F-150 121
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Rear leaf spring noise
- Aftermarket wiring alterations - service tip
- New transmission cooler flusher - service tips
- Compressed natural gas (CNG)
- Vehicles without the coolant lock-off may exhibit a no start condition
- Lamp-brake-invadvertent disabling of brake shift interlock
- Some bi-fuel cang and lpg vehicles may exhibit a no start condition
- Engine oil system priming procedures, service tips for reports of premature engine failure
- Information to aid in diagnosis for clarification of lock-off solenoid and solenoid tank valve coil...
- Brake shift interlock
1996 Ford F-150 fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.9L 6‑cyl | RWD | 12-14 | 17-18 | 14-15 |
| 5.0L 8‑cyl | RWD | 12-14 | 17 | 14-15 |
| 4.9L 6‑cyl | 4WD | 12-13 | 16 | 13-14 |
| 5.0L 8‑cyl | 4WD | 11-13 | 16 | 13-14 |
| 5.8L 8‑cyl | RWD | 11 | 16 | 13 |
| 5.8L 8‑cyl | 4WD | 11 | 15 | 12 |
What 1996 Ford F-150 owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
The contact owns a 1996 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at unknown speeds, the speedometer became inoperable. The driver was unable to accurately determine the speed. There were no warning lights illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 218,000.
I am unsure of what happened. This truck was sitting in my driveway and caught fire. While on fire it kept trying to start even though no one was in it and the keys were no where near it. The fire truck was called out due to the trucks proximity to the home and the fire was put out. There has not been any insoection done on the vehicle since it is burnt to a crisp.
The contact owns a 1996 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the vehicle started to shutoff and restart independently. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was diagnosed by an independent mechanic. The mechanic informed the contact that the rear tank’s fuel pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that there was no open recall associated with the VIN for the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000. The contact stated there is an issue with the front fuel tank feeding fuel into the rear tank when the rear tank pump is not operational and having to switch the fuel supply over to the front tank. When the rear tank is full from the front tank feed, it spills over out of the rear tank fill spout, and runs out on the ground.
The front fuel tank is overflowing when I run the vehicle with the rear tank. The return fuel is always to the front tank causing it to overflow its a hazardous situation.
The brake fluid pressure sensor is leaking on to the electrical main computer wires its also leaking from the electrical harness coming from the brake fluid pressure sensor causing the brake tail lights to fail intermittently during vehicle operation
Tl* the contact owns a 1996 ford f-150. The contact stated that the driver's side seat beat anchor rusted and detached resulting in the seat belt dragging on the ground. The vehicle was not taken to the local dealer. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure but offered no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 151,000.
Fuel from rear tank fills front tank.it can overflow causing a fire.
About 10 years ago, kelly ford in emmaus, pa removed my drivers airbag and told me it would be replaced. It was never replaced. Kelly sold the dealership and I never heard another thing about it.
I had trouble turning the ignition switch with the original key,when the power steering stopped working after maybe 2 years something broke in the steering column that caused the steering wheel to flop around and a few years after that the steering wheel broke off of the steering column.
Compare the 1996 Ford F-150
F-150 vs Chevrolet Silverado 1500F-150 vs Ram 1500F-150 vs GMC Sierra 1500F-150 vs Toyota TundraF-150 vs Nissan Titan
Other model years
1990199119921993199419951996199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023202420252026
Questions about the 1996 Ford F-150
Is the 1996 Ford F-150 reliable?
Owners have filed 324 complaints about the 1996 Ford F-150, fewer than a typical F-150 model year.
What is the most common problem with the 1996 Ford F-150?
Electrical system, with 56 complaints, typically around 100,500 miles. Next is fuel system (53).
How many recalls does the 1996 Ford F-150 have?
2 recalls, covering vehicle speed control and equipment.
What year does the Ford F-150 have the most electrical problems?
The Ford F-150 model years with the most electrical complaints are 2013 (324 complaints), 2011 (235 complaints) and 1997 (198 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 1996 Ford F-150 get?
Official estimates for the 1996 Ford F-150 range from 12 to 15 mpg combined. The most efficient version (4.9L 6-cyl, RWD) gets 12-14 city and 17-18 highway.
VIN decoder
See the problems and recalls for an exact car
Buying a used 1996 Ford F-150?
Check the exact car before you pay: accidents, salvage or flood titles, odometer readings and previous owners.
Check its historyFord F-150 in the news
- Ford recalls 2026-2027 F-150, 2026 F-250 SD and 2026 F-350 SD and other models over hinge and attachments problem (30,123 vehicles)
- Ford recalls 2026 F-150, 2025-2026 F-250 SD and 2025-2026 F-350 SD and other models over instrument cluster/panel problem (102,159 vehicles)
- Ford recalls 2025-2027 F-150 over seats problem (2,276 vehicles)