1996 Ford Econoline Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Econoline years
- Far more complaints than other years 2nd of 24 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 81 complaints with NHTSA about the 1996 Ford Econoline. That ranks 2nd out of 24 Econoline model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is service brakes, hydraulic (18 complaints, 22%), typically at around 100,000 miles. Complaints mention 6 crashes, 12 fires, 8 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 81owner 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 Econoline 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 | 18 | 22% | 100,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 13 | 16% | 65,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 12 | 15% | 79,362 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 12 | 15% | 111,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 7 | 9% | 113,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 6 | 7% | — | — | — |
| Air Bags | 4 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 4 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Steering | 3 | 4% | 20,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 3 | 4% | 127,919 | — | — |
| Equipment | 2 | 2% | 20,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 | 2% | 40,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 2 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 2 | 2% | 85,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 1% | 50,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1996 Ford Econoline recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
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)
Parking brake:conventional
Problem: The parking brake systems may not hold the vehicles on a 20% grade with foot pedal efforts of 125 pounds or less. This does not meet the requirements of fmvss no. 105, "hydraulic brake systems."
Risk: The vehicle may roll after being parked increasing the risk of a vehicle accident.
Fix: Dealers will adjust the parking brake system on the affected vehicles.
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.
Tl* the contact owns a 1996 ford econoline. The contact stated the door latch would not release open in order to gain access or exit the vehicle due to the faulty door cable. The failure involved both side doors and rear door. The contact purchased the door cable kit and performed the repair…
Tl*the contact owned a 1996 ford econoline. The contact stated that the vehicle caught fire on january 14, 2008 while parked in the driveway. Smoke appeared from the engine and front passenger seat. The fire department extinguished the fire and filed a report. The vehicle was destroyed. The contact…
Tl*the contact owns a 1996 ford econoline. The contact received a safety recall notice for the vehicle speed control:accelerator pedal in february of 2008. Since that time, he has called the dealer five times and was informed to call back the following week. On april 2, 2008, he was informed to…
1996 ford econoline with fused jumper harness recall. Consumer states that the dealer keeps telling him that the parts are not available. Consumer is very upset with the unsatisfactory way this recall is being taken care of. *kb
Tl*the contact owns a 1996 ford econoline. The contact received a recall notice for nhtsa campaign id number 07v336000 (vehicle speed control). The dealer replaced the switch a few months ago; however, ford is currently sending the contact another letter stating that the part they replaced was…
Other Ford Econoline years
← 1995 Econoline · 1997 Econoline →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Econoline | 0 | 1 |
| 2019 Econoline | 1 | 2 |
| 2018 Econoline | 0 | 2 |
| 2017 Econoline | 3 | 1 |
| 2016 Econoline | 3 | 1 |
| 2015 Econoline | 0 | 1 |
| 2014 Econoline | 0 | 1 |
| 2013 Econoline | 0 | 1 |
| 2012 Econoline | 1 | 1 |
| 2011 Econoline | 0 | 1 |
| 2010 Econoline | 1 | 1 |
| 2009 Econoline | 1 | 1 |
| 2007 Econoline | 0 | 2 |
| 2006 Econoline | 0 | 2 |
| 2005 Econoline | 0 | 2 |
| 2003 Econoline | 22 | 2 |
| 2002 Econoline | 23 | 2 |
| 2001 Econoline | 28 | 3 |
| 2000 Econoline | 39 | 3 |
| 1999 Econoline | 84 | 5 |
| 1998 Econoline | 46 | 2 |
| 1997 Econoline | 79 | 2 |
| 1996 | 81 | 3 |
| 1995 Econoline | 73 | 4 |
See all Ford Econoline 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 Econoline?
Owners most often report service brakes, hydraulic, tires, engine and engine cooling problems. The top one, service brakes, hydraulic, accounts for 18 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1996 Ford Econoline?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1996 Ford Econoline a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Econoline model years, the 1996 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.