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1996 Ford F Series

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 14 of 16 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Electrical System. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports5 fire reports1 injury reports

Vehicle Speed Control complaints

3 reports
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105,000 miles · Mar 10, 2010
Vehicle Speed Control

CRUISE CONTROL REFUSES TO DISENGAGE WHEN BRAKES APPLIED. ISSUE REPORTED TO FORD DLR. IN 2002 AND DLR. REFUSED TO REPAIR AS NOT UNDER WARRANTY RECALL AND UNIT OUT OF WARRANTY. I DO NOT TRY TO USE CRUISE CONTROL AS VEHICLE ACCELERATES WITH CONTROL ON AND WILL NOT DISENGAGE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT FORD NEEDS TO CORRECT AT NO …

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CRUISE CONTROL REFUSES TO DISENGAGE WHEN BRAKES APPLIED. ISSUE REPORTED TO FORD DLR. IN 2002 AND DLR. REFUSED TO REPAIR AS NOT UNDER WARRANTY RECALL AND UNIT OUT OF WARRANTY. I DO NOT TRY TO USE CRUISE CONTROL AS VEHICLE ACCELERATES WITH CONTROL ON AND WILL NOT DISENGAGE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT FORD NEEDS TO CORRECT AT NO CHARGE TO ME. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10318450

91,000 miles · Sep 17, 2005
Vehicle Speed ControlFire

ON 1/10/05, I ARRIVED HOME FROM WORK AND PARKED MY VEHICLE AT APPROXIMATELY 6:00 PM. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED UNDER THE CARPORT 15 FEET AWAY FROM MY BEDROOM WINDOW. AT 12:30 AM, MY WIFE AND I HEARD A NOISE, LOOKED OUT THE BLINDS TO FIND FIRE COMING FROM DRIVERS SIDE EDGES OF HOOD. ME AND MY SON RAN OUT TO GET A GARDEN HOSE …

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ON 1/10/05, I ARRIVED HOME FROM WORK AND PARKED MY VEHICLE AT APPROXIMATELY 6:00 PM. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED UNDER THE CARPORT 15 FEET AWAY FROM MY BEDROOM WINDOW. AT 12:30 AM, MY WIFE AND I HEARD A NOISE, LOOKED OUT THE BLINDS TO FIND FIRE COMING FROM DRIVERS SIDE EDGES OF HOOD. ME AND MY SON RAN OUT TO GET A GARDEN HOSE AS MY WIFE CALLED 911. AS I WAS PASSING BY THE VEHICLE THE PAINT WAS BEGINNING TO BURN OFF DIRECTLY ABOVE THE BREAK BOOSTER. I BEGAN SPRAYING THE VEHICLE THROUGH THE RADIATOR GRILL, AS MY SON WAS TRYING TO POP THE HOOD. I SPRAYED AROUND THE EDGES, FLAMES WERE COMING OUT MOSTLY FROM THE DRIVERS SIDE. THEN THE DRIVERS SIDE PLASTIC TIRE WELL BURNED OUT ENOUGH, I WAS ABLE TO GET WATER UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AT 12:34 AM. THEY POPPED THE HOOD USING THEIR CABLE TOOL AND BEGAN TO APPLY WATER. LUCKILY THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED WITHIN ABOUT 15 MINUTES, DUE TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS ONLY A COUPLE OF BLOCKS AWAY. BECAUSE OF THE QUICK RESPONSE OF EXTINGUISHING THE FIRE, YOU CAN DEFINITELY TELL WHERE THE FIRE ORIGINATED. AS YOU CAN TELL BY THE PICTURES I HAVE ENCLOSED, THE AIR FILTER ON THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE SUFFERED HEAT DAMAGE, BUT WERE NOT DESTROYED. ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ENGINE THE RUBBER HOSES AND FUEL LINES WERE STILL INTACT AND NOT BURNED. THE ONLY THING THAT WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED WAS THE BREAK FLUID RESERVOIR, AND THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH. WHEN THE FIREMAN EXAMINED IT, THEY THOUGHT IT MAY HAVE COME FROM THE WIRING HARNESS, THEY HAD NEVER SEEN THE BREAK FLUID RESERVOIR CATCH ON FIRE. I ONLY HAD LIABILITY INSURANCE ON THIS VEHICLE. DUE TO THE EXTENSIVE DAMAGE, I SOLD IT FOR SALVAGE ONLY. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10136840

73,000 miles · Jun 21, 2005
Vehicle Speed ControlFire

DT: CONTACT STATES: A FIRE STARTED WHICH WAS RELATED TO THE CRUISE CONTROL MODULE SITTING ON THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER. THE FIRE STARTED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF IN A PARKING LOT BY ITSELF. SOME OF THE ENGINE EQUIPMENT BURNED. CONSUMER CONTACTED FORD ,AND FORD SAID THE VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER RECALL BECAUSE OF THE YEAR OF…

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DT: CONTACT STATES: A FIRE STARTED WHICH WAS RELATED TO THE CRUISE CONTROL MODULE SITTING ON THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER. THE FIRE STARTED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF IN A PARKING LOT BY ITSELF. SOME OF THE ENGINE EQUIPMENT BURNED. CONSUMER CONTACTED FORD ,AND FORD SAID THE VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER RECALL BECAUSE OF THE YEAR OF THE VEHICLE AND TBE VIN. CONSUMER PAID FOR THE REPAIR OF OUT OF HIS POCKET. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10126048

Official recalls

0

No recalls in this snapshot.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

2

EA96028 · Pinched Wiring Harnesses

Opened Nov 14, 1996 · Closed Jul 25, 1997

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling

wiring harnesses routed along left and/or right frame rails may become pinched between frame and cab.pinched harnesses may suffer loss of insulation integrity which results in a short to ground with the potential for vehicle fire.

PE96041 · Vehicle Electrical Fire

Opened Jun 13, 1996 · Closed Nov 14, 1996

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System

ENGINE WIRING HARNESSBECOMES PINCHED BETWEEN THE VEHICLE CAB AND CHASSIS LEADING TO AN ELECTRICAL SHORT AND FIRE.