1996 Ford E-150 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other E-150 years
- Far more complaints than other years 5th of 24 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 59 complaints with NHTSA about the 1996 Ford E-150. That ranks 5th out of 24 E-150 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine and engine cooling (11 complaints, 19%), typically at around 130,000 miles. Complaints mention 6 crashes, 8 fires, 101 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 59owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 6complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1996 Ford E-150 problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 11 | 19% | 130,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 11 | 19% | 147,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 10 | 17% | 120,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 6 | 10% | 120,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 5 | 8% | — | — | — |
| Suspension | 5 | 8% | — | — | — |
| Tires | 5 | 8% | 30,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 4 | 7% | 112,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 4 | 7% | 85,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 3 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Air Bags | 2 | 3% | 112,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 2 | 3% | 130,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 2 | 3% | 124,778 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1996 Ford E-150 recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Vehicle speed control
Problem: Ford is recalling model years 1995-2003 windstar, 2000-2003 excursion diesel, 1993-1997 and 1999-2003 f-250 sd through f-550 sd diesel, 1992-2003 e-150 through e-550, 1995-2002 explorer, 1997 and 2002 mercury mountaineer, 1995-1997 and 2001-2003 ranger, and 1994 f53 vehicles equipped with the texas instruments speed control deactivation switch (scds). The scds may leak internally and then overheat, smoke, or burn.
Risk: A vehicle fire could occur with or without the engine running.
Fix: Ford will notify owners that dealers will install a fused wiring harness in line with the scds. On 1999-2003 windstar vehicles with a leaking scds, dealers will also inspect the abs control module connector and repair as necessary. Repairs will be completed free of charge. The safety recall began on october 27, 2009. Owners may contact ford at 1-888-222-2751.
Vehicle speed control:cruise control
Problem: Ford is recalling 225,000 my 1992-2003 econoline, my 1993-1995 taurus sho, my 1992-1998 crown victoria, my 1993 bronco, f-series, my 1995-1997 f-series super duty stripped chassis, my 1992-1998 mercury grand marquis, and my 1992-1995 lincoln town car vehicles. The affected vehicles were previously repaired using a wiring harness that is not compatible with the vehicle circuit polarity.
Risk: As a result, the fuse is located in the output circuit rather than in the intended input power feed circuit, and may not offer the intended protection in the event of an electrical short to ground.
Fix: Dealers will install a new wiring harness, or replace the mating electrical component. The recall began on february 18, 2008. Owners may contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.
Vehicle speed control
Problem: On certain trucks equipped with speed control, gasoline or natural gas engines, the speed control deactivation switch may overheat.
Risk: Overheating could result in smoke or burn and an underhood fire.
Fix: Dealers will install a fused wiring harness into the speed control system free of charge. The recall began on august 7, 2006. Owners may contact ford at 1-866-436-7332. (note: also see recalls 05v017 and 05v388)
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Engine compartment fires (EA05005) — opened Mar 22, 2005, closed Aug 2, 2006, led to recall 05V388000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
My vehicle according the nhtsa has recall #09v399000 for the brake system speed control which can catch on fire even in the garage with the vehicle off. I asked ford to repair this because i just bought this vehicle and they claim there are no recalls on this vehicle, and i know there is and i know…
Vehicle was parked, and upon entering noticed the smell of an electrical fire. Started the vehicle, odometer was inoperable and vehicle would not shift out of park. Upon further inspection, found a blown 15 amp fuse in the fuse panel. Replaced fuse, odometer came back on and vehicle shifted out of…
A chrome color grille about 2.5 feet wide and 6" tall flew off the front of our 1996 f150 ford van while we were driving at highway speed. I noticed other similar ford vans that have also lost the same front grill part. We were going 55 mph down a 2 lane highway and a large truck was going the…
Tl*the contact owns a 1996 ford e-150. Whenever the contact starts the engine and depresses the accelerator pedal, the engine becomes stuck at a high rpm and will not return to the idle position. The failure causes the vehicle to either surge forward or backwards depending on what gear it is in at…
1996 ford e-150 serpentine belt, air conditioning compressor. Electrical system, ignition module replaced, abs light illuminated when brakes were applied, tie rods replaced, fuel pump replaced. *kb
Other Ford E-150 years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 E-150 | 0 | 1 |
| 2021 E-150 | 1 | 0 |
| 2016 E-150 | 8 | 1 |
| 2015 E-150 | 8 | 1 |
| 2014 E-150 | 6 | 6 |
| 2013 E-150 | 19 | 6 |
| 2012 E-150 | 12 | 8 |
| 2011 E-150 | 23 | 11 |
| 2010 E-150 | 10 | 7 |
| 2009 E-150 | 7 | 12 |
| 2008 E-150 | 11 | 17 |
| 2007 E-150 | 12 | 18 |
| 2006 E-150 | 17 | 14 |
| 2005 E-150 | 16 | 2 |
| 2004 E-150 | 33 | 5 |
| 2003 E-150 | 21 | 5 |
| 2002 E-150 | 28 | 3 |
| 2001 E-150 | 37 | 4 |
| 2000 E-150 | 50 | 6 |
| 1999 E-150 | 83 | 6 |
| 1998 E-150 | 60 | 5 |
| 1997 E-150 | 102 | 6 |
| 1996 | 59 | 3 |
| 1995 E-150 | 71 | 3 |
See all Ford E-150 problems by year, every Ford model, or the Ford VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1996 Ford E-150?
Owners most often report engine and engine cooling, service brakes, hydraulic, electrical system problems. The top one, engine and engine cooling, accounts for 11 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1996 Ford E-150?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1996 Ford E-150 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other E-150 model years, the 1996 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.