Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1996 Ford F-250, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Tires35
- Engine and engine cooling28
- Power train19
- Steering17
- Vehicle speed control16
- Service brakes, hydraulic15
- Suspension14
- Electrical system11
- Fuel system, gasoline9
- Seat belts5
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 3 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 23 1996 F-250 vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 8 people died inside them, and 4 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-250 failed the safety check 1.08% of the time — 26% less often than the average 1996 passenger car (1.47%). Median odometer at inspection: 167,890 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 5 variants: combined 15.8–18.1 L/100 km (about 13–15 mpg US), CO₂ 363–416 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| F-250 · Pickup truck: Standard · Regular gasoline | 17.8 | 13.4 | 15.8 |
| F-250 · Pickup truck: Standard · Regular gasoline | 17.7 | 13.7 | 15.9 |
| F-250 · Pickup truck: Standard · Regular gasoline | 18.7 | 14.1 | 16.6 |
| F-250 · Pickup truck: Standard · Regular gasoline | 19.8 | 14.7 | 17.5 |
| F-250 · Pickup truck: Standard · Regular gasoline | 20.6 | 15.0 | 18.1 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
3 Transport Canada recalls for the 1996 Ford F-250.
| 2009292 14 Oct 2009 | Other On certain vehicles, the speed control deactivation switch may overheat, smoke, or burn, potentially resulting in an underhood fire. The condition may occur ei… |
| 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… |
| 1996136 13 Sept 1996 | Structure THE NUMBER 4 CROSSMEMBER GUSSETS WERE INSTALLED WITH UNDERSIZED FASTENERS. THIS GUSSET IS THE ATTACHMENT POINT FOR THE REAR STRAP OF THE MID-SHIP FUEL TANK. THE… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
ON CERTAIN TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH SPEED CONTROL, GASOLINE OR NATURAL GAS ENGINES, THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH MAY OVERHEAT.
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."
THE CROSSMEMBER FRAME GUSSETS WERE INSTALLED WITH UNDERSIZED THREADED FASTENERS FOLLOWING A BREAKDOWN OF THE PRODUCTION RIVET GUN THAT IS GENERALLY USED. THIS GUSSET IS THE ATTACHMENT POINT FOR THE REAR STRAP OF THE MID-SHIP FUEL TANK.
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-250: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 630515 | ENGINE OIL SYSTEM PRIMING PROCEDURES, SERVICE TIPS FOR REPORTS OF PREMATURE ENGINE FAILURE. *TT |
| 625715 | BRAKE SHIFT INTERLOCK.*JB |
| 624689 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A FUEL FILL VALVE SEALING CONDITION. *YD |
| 616551 | OIL LEAK FROM THE FRONT OR REAR CYLINDER HEAD OIL SUPPLY RAIL END PLUGS. *TT |
| 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 |
| 615386 | SERVICE INFORMATION FOR VEHICLES EXHIBITING STALL ON DECELERATION CONDITION. *TT |
| 615371 | INFORMATION ON SUPER DUTY 7.3 DIT DIESEL ENGINE VEHICLES EXHIBITI LACK OF POWER. *TT |
| 615368 | SOME SUPER DUTY VEHICLES WITH 7.3L DIT DIESEL ENGINES MAY EXHIBIT 4X4 LIGHTS ON, 4X4 INOPERATIVE AND / OR MULTIPLE GEM CODES. *TT |
| 615367 | INFORMATION ON SUPER DUTY MODELS WITH 7.3L DIESEL ENGINES EXHIBITING ROUGH IDLE / MISS CONDITION. *TT |
| 615171 | REAR BRAKE DRAG OR EXCESSIVE WEAR ON REAR BRAKES. *TT |
| 615165 | BRIEF INFORMATION CONCERN VEHICLES EXHBITING EXTERNAL OIL LEAKS. *TT |
| 615162 | BRIEF INFORMATION ON VEHICLES EXHIBITING A STALL ON DECELERATION CONDITION. *TT |
| 615155 | BRIEF INFORMATION ON VEHICLES EXHIBITING LACK OF POWER CONDITION. *TT |
| 615154 | BRIEF INFORMATION VEHICLES EXHIBITING HARD START / NO START CONDITION. *TT |
| 615151 | INFORMATION ON VEHICLES EXHIBITING ROUGH IDLE / MISS. *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 |
| 613344 | ON SOME VEHICLES, THE MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP (MIL) MAY ILLUMINATE AND CODE P1411 MAY BE STORED IN MEMORY. *TT |
| 613339 | SUBJECT REGARDING ON-VEHICLE CALIPER-MOUNTED BRAKE ROTOR MACHINING ACCESSORIES FROM ROTUNDA, FOR CERTAIN VEHICLES, ARE NOW AVAILABLE FOR SERVICE USE. *TT |
| 613336 | SUBJECT REGARDING A NEW SINGLE KEY LOCKSETS INSTALLED ON CERTAIN TRIAL VEHICLES. *TT |
| 613195 | SUBJECT REGARDING EXTERNAL OIL LEAKS - REPEAT MESSAGE. *TT |
| 613173 | SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH PATS (SECURILOCK) EXCEPT CERTAIN MODELS NOW HAVE AVAILABILITY OF FLEET KEYS THROUGH ROTUNDA. *MJS |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES
SEPARATED FRONT SUSPENSION
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation