Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1996 Ford F-150, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Electrical system56
- Fuel system, gasoline42
- Vehicle speed control36
- Service brakes, hydraulic32
- Power train26
- Engine and engine cooling23
- Air bags23
- Tires21
- Suspension21
- Steering20
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 20 injuries and 2 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 43 1996 F-150 vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 27 people died inside them, and 9 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 1996 Ford F-150 failed the safety check 1.21% of the time — 17% less often than the average 1996 passenger car (1.47%). Median odometer at inspection: 150,226 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 10 variants: combined 15.6–18.6 L/100 km (about 13–15 mpg US), CO₂ 359–428 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| F-150 · Pickup truck: Standard · Regular gasoline | 17.3 | 13.5 | 15.6 |
| F-150 · Pickup truck: Standard · Regular gasoline | 17.8 | 13.4 | 15.8 |
| F-150 4X4 · Pickup truck: Standard · Regular gasoline | 18.4 | 14.3 | 16.6 |
| F-150 · Pickup truck: Standard · Regular gasoline | 19.0 | 14.1 | 16.8 |
| F-150 · Pickup truck: Standard · Regular gasoline | 19.0 | 14.2 | 16.9 |
| F-150 4X4 · Pickup truck: Standard · Regular gasoline | 18.4 | 15.0 | 16.9 |
| F-150 4X4 · Pickup truck: Standard · Regular gasoline | 19.1 | 14.4 | 17.0 |
| F-150 4X4 · Pickup truck: Standard · Regular gasoline | 19.9 | 15.0 | 17.7 |
| F-150 · Pickup truck: Standard · Regular gasoline | 20.5 | 15.0 | 18.0 |
| F-150 4X4 · Pickup truck: Standard · Regular gasoline | 21.1 | 15.5 | 18.6 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
1 Transport Canada recall for the 1996 Ford F-150.
| 2005028 14 Feb 2005 | Electrical On certain vehicles, the speed control deactivation switch may overheat, smoke, or burn, potentially resulting in an underhood fire. The condition may occur ei… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH SPEED CONTROL, THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH MAY OVERHEAT, SMOKE, OR BURN.
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."
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Ford told its dealers about the 1996 Ford F-150: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 636076 | SOME BI-FUEL CANG AND LPG VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A NO START CONDITION. *TT |
| 630515 | ENGINE OIL SYSTEM PRIMING PROCEDURES, SERVICE TIPS FOR REPORTS OF PREMATURE ENGINE FAILURE. *TT |
| 627760 | INFORMATION TO AID IN DIAGNOSIS FOR CLARIFICATION OF LOCK-OFF SOLENOID AND SOLENOID TANK VALVE COIL RSISTANCES FOR BI-FUEL VEHICLES. *TT |
| 625715 | BRAKE SHIFT INTERLOCK.*JB |
| 624689 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A FUEL FILL VALVE SEALING CONDITION. *YD |
| 623988 | INFORMATION REGARDING TRANSMISSION FLUID USAGE CHARTS. *SLC |
| 623944 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT HEATER CORE LEAKS. *SLC |
| 616522 | SUBJECT REGARDING CONTAMINATION FROM PRIOR TRANSMISSION CONCERNS OR EXCESS WEAR MAY BE TRAPPED IN THE TRANSMISSION FLUID COOLING SYSTEM. *TT |
| 616520 | A CONDITION MAY EXIST WITH POSSIBLE ELECTRONC DAMAGE OCCURING TO THE COMPUVALVE FROM VOLTAGE SPIKES BETWEEN THE COMPUVALVE CONNECTIONS WHEN CONNECTING OR DISCONNECTING THE MAIN COMPUVALVE HARNESS C4025. *TT |
| 614630 | ALL 4X4 VEHICLES WITH ELECTRONIC SHIFT ONTHE FLY TRANSFER CASES WILL DISPLAY CONTACT PLATE PIDS OPPOSITE OF THE 1999 OR EARLIER WORKSHOP MANUAL INDICATES WHEN USING NGS WITH 15.0 LEVEL OR LATER SOFTWARE. *TT |
| 613864 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A FALSE HIGH SPARK ADVANCE READINGS WHEN USING A NEW GENERATOR STAR (NGS) TESTER. *TT |
| 613350 | SERVICE TIP INFORMATION REGARDING THE REVERSE CLUTCH PISTON AND PISTON SEAL USAGE. *TT |
| 613349 | EXPERIENCING A KNOCKING NOISE WHEN THE ENGINE IS COLD AND UNDER ACCELERATION. *TT |
| 613336 | SUBJECT REGARDING A NEW SINGLE KEY LOCKSETS INSTALLED ON CERTAIN TRIAL VEHICLES. *TT |
| 613332 | SOME 4R70W TRANSMISSIONS WERE BUILT WITH A UNIQUE CASE AND REQUIRE A SPACER TO BE INSTALLED BETWEEN THE LOW / REVERSE SERVO COVER AND RETAINING RING. *TT |
| 613173 | SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH PATS (SECURILOCK) EXCEPT CERTAIN MODELS NOW HAVE AVAILABILITY OF FLEET KEYS THROUGH ROTUNDA. *MJS |
| 613007 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A DRIFT OR PULL TO THE LEFT WHILE BRAKING. *TT |
| 612924 | SOME BI-FUEL VEHICLES MAY REQUIRE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE (PCM) REPLACEMENT DURING SERVICE AND MAY NOT RUN ON CNG OR LPG., RECALIBRATION OF THE PCM/REPLACEMENT. *MJS |
| 612742 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXPERIENCE A CONDITION OF NO 4 X 4 LOW RANGE ENGAGEMENT OR A STUCK IN 4 X 4 LOW RANGE. *MJS |
| 612343 | VEHICLES MAY EXPERIENCE SOLID PARTICLE CONTAMINANTS FROM PRIOR TRANSMISSION CONCERNS OR EXCESS WEAR, MAY BE TRAPPED IN THE TRANSMISSION FLUID COOLING SYSTEM IS NOT PROPERLY FLUSHED, FLUID IN-LINE FILTER KIT. *MJS |
| 612203 | INFORMATION REGARDING THE NEW TRANSMISSION COOLER FLUSHER- SERVICE TIP. *MJS |
| 610785 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A CONDITION OF NO 4X4 LOW RANGE ENGAGEMENT OR A STUCK IN 4X4 LOW RANGE, WITH NO DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES STORED IN THE GEM MODULE. *TT |
| 609737 | TRANSMISSION- E40D/4R100-1989-99-MAIN CONTROLS, SEPARATOR PLATES AND SEPARATOR PLATE GASKETS USAGE CHART. YD |
| 609668 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A CONDITION OF NO 4X4 LOW RANGE ENGAGEMENT OR A STUCK IN 4X4 LOW RANGE, WITH NO (DTC) DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE STORED IN THE GEM. *TT |
| 609551 | A DIRECT REPLACEMENT PART FOR THE EVAPORATIVE EMISSION CANISTER AND BRACKET ASSEMBLY. AK |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES
TIE ROD END FAILURES
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation