1996 Ford E-350 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other E-350 years
- Far more complaints than other years 10th of 33 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 50 complaints with NHTSA about the 1996 Ford E-350. That ranks 10th out of 33 E-350 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is service brakes, hydraulic (17 complaints, 34%), typically at around 35,869 miles. Complaints mention 1 fire, 1 injury. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 50owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1996 Ford E-350 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 17 | 34% | 35,869 | — | — |
| Tires | 17 | 34% | 21,600 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 3 | 6% | — | — | — |
| Suspension | 3 | 6% | 19,700 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 | 4% | 77,320 | — | — |
| Power Train | 2 | 4% | 42,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Engine | 1 | 2% | 109,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 2% | 33,500 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Diesel | 1 | 2% | 109,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 2% | 345,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 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-350 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
- Alleged brake hose failures (PE02070) — opened Oct 1, 2002, closed Jan 9, 2003.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
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…
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.
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…
Drivers side seat belt latch does not lock. *tr
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
Other Ford E-350 years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2027 E-350 | 0 | 1 |
| 2026 E-350 | 0 | 1 |
| 2025 E-350 | 2 | 1 |
| 2024 E-350 | 2 | 1 |
| 2023 E-350 | 2 | 2 |
| 2022 E-350 | 14 | 3 |
| 2021 E-350 | 22 | 6 |
| 2020 E-350 | 2 | 0 |
| 2019 E-350 | 3 | 0 |
| 2018 E-350 | 3 | 4 |
| 2017 E-350 | 13 | 4 |
| 2016 E-350 | 5 | 3 |
| 2015 E-350 | 7 | 2 |
| 2014 E-350 | 17 | 11 |
| 2013 E-350 | 13 | 9 |
| 2012 E-350 | 16 | 12 |
| 2011 E-350 | 19 | 18 |
| 2010 E-350 | 17 | 16 |
| 2009 E-350 | 10 | 25 |
| 2008 E-350 | 39 | 30 |
| 2007 E-350 | 18 | 33 |
| 2006 E-350 | 53 | 37 |
| 2005 E-350 | 55 | 14 |
| 2004 E-350 | 46 | 9 |
| 2003 E-350 | 46 | 7 |
| 2002 E-350 | 53 | 5 |
| 2001 E-350 | 52 | 4 |
| 2000 E-350 | 59 | 8 |
| 1999 E-350 | 72 | 9 |
| 1998 E-350 | 63 | 8 |
| 1997 E-350 | 79 | 5 |
| 1996 | 50 | 3 |
| 1995 E-350 | 69 | 3 |
See all Ford E-350 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-350?
Owners most often report service brakes, hydraulic, tires, engine and engine cooling problems. The top one, service brakes, hydraulic, accounts for 17 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1996 Ford E-350?
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-350 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other E-350 model years, the 1996 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.