1996 Ford Ford Truck

Routine

Owners filed 18 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the power train › automatic transmission. No safety recall has been issued.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Tires3
200
Tires › Tread/Belt2
000
Power Train › Automatic Transmission2
000
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine2
000
Structure › Frame and Members1
000
Service Brakes, Air › Antilock1
000
Seat Belts › Front › Anchorage1
000
Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank Assembly1
000
Fuel System, Diesel1
000
Equipment › Electrical › Radio/Tape Deck/Cd Etc.1
000

What owners reported

Newest filings
Fuel System, Diesel
Filed Oct 12, 2010151,000 milesPA

CORROSION IN FORD LCF COMMERCIAL TRUCK FUEL TANKS, TRUCK RUNNING AT 5 MILES PER HOUR AND CONTINUOUS STALLING OF VEHICLE. *TR

Electrical System › Wiring › Front Underhood
Filed Mar 31, 200852,000 milesTX

RECEIVED A NOTICE, SEPTEMBER 2005, FROM FORD MOTOR COMPANY, THAT A DEFECTIVE SWITCH IN THE SPEED CONTROL SYSTEM EXIST ON CERTAIN MODEL VEHICLES, INCLUDING MINE. THE SWITCH CAN CAUSE A FIRE UNDER THE HOOD WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING OR OFF. SWITCHES WILL BE AVAILABLE IN NOVEMBER 2005. AS OF THIS DATE NO AVAILABLE SWITCHES AT ANY DEALER I'VE CALLED. THEY KEEP SAYING NEXT MONTH. CALLED FORD MOTOR CO. AND THEY ARE SAYING THE NEW SWITCHES WILL BE AVAILABLE IN JUNE 2008. *TR

TiresCrash
Filed May 3, 200570 milesCA

TRUCK DAMANGE DUE TO TIRE BLOW-OUT

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Mar 17, 200579,900 milesMA

THE HEAD GASKET OF MY 1996 FORD WINDSTAR VAN FAILED AT 79,900 MILES. THIS FAILURE IN 1995 FORD WINDSTAR VANS RESULTED IN A RECALL WHERE FORD MOTORS REPLACED THE ENGINES OF THOSE VEHICLES. I AM TOLD BY MY FORD PLATINUM MECHANIC THAT THE 1995 AND 1996 WINDSTAR ENGINES ARE THE SAME AND THAT THE GASKETS WERE SUPPLIED BY THE SAME SUPPLIER. MY VAN WAS MANUFACTURED IN OCTOBER, 1995. THIS FAILURE OCCURS IN OTHER FORD MOTORS 3.8 ENGINES, SPECIFICALLY THE CROWN VICTORIA, AND LINCOLN TOWNCAR. *AK

Tires
Filed Aug 29, 2003OK

WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH RIGHT REAR TIRE BLEW OUT DUE TO A SPLIT IN THE SIDEWALL, CAUSING DRIVER TO PULL OVER, OFF THE ROAD.*AK

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Aug 1, 2001TX

TRUCK WAS PURCHASED USED WITH 20,907 MILES. TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED AT 10,000 MILES. THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT AGAIN AT 21, 828 ABOUT 11,000 MILES LATER.

Tires › Tread/Belt
Filed Oct 3, 2000AL

TREAD SEPARATED WHILE DRIVING MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO DRIVE, DEALERS REFUSED TO REPLACE TIRE BECAUSE IT WAS NOT ON RECALL(FIRESTONE FR 480 P235R75/15).*ET

TiresCrash
Filed Sep 30, 2000CA

THIS IS THE LETTER I E-MAILED TO FIRESTONE_CONSUMERS_AFFAIRS, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2000. I HAVE HAD THREE OF MY SIX FIRESTONE TIRES FAIL WITH TREAD SEPARATION. THESE TIRES ARE NOT LISTED ON THE RECALL LIST. I DRIVE A 1996 27' GULFSTREAM CONQUEST 102 MOTOR HOME. I AM A BACHELOR: CONSEQUENTLY, I TRAVEL ALONE AND CARRY A RELATIVELY SMALL LOAD. ALL THREE FAILURES HAVE OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH ON ASPHALT ROADS. THE TEMPERATURE WAS ABOUT 92 TO 95 DEGREES AND THE ROADS WERE SMOOTH, WITHOUT POTHOLES. MY INSTRUCTIONS ON THE DOORFRAME INDICATE MY REAR DUALS SHOULD BE INFLATED TO 80 PSI, THE FRONT TO 60 PSI. I PUT 80 PSI IN THE FRONT ALSO. THE FIRST FIRESTONE LT225/R75-16 M&S STEELTEX RADIAL R4S SEPARATED IN MOVILE, ALABAMA WITH ABOUT 8,000 MILES ON THE MOTOR HOME. THESE ARE ALL ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT TIRES. I CAN'T FIND MY RECEIPT FOR THIS ONE AND THE ONLY INDICATION IS THAT I NOW HAVE A HERCULES TIRE WHERE I DID HAVE A FIRESTONE. THE SECOND FIRESTONE LT225/R75-16 M&S STEELTEX RADIAL R4S SEPARATED ITS TREAD NEAR FERMIE, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA. THIS WAS THE LEFT INSIDE DUAL WITH ABOUT 27,000 MILES ON 08/04/2000. THE TREAD SEPARATED AND I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE ABOUT 4 MILES ON THE OUTSIDE DUAL AND REACH LARRY'S RADIATOR, MECHANICAL AND AUTO BODY, 6678 HWY #3 EAST, FERMIE, B.C., VOB 1MO, PHONE (250) 423-4111 OR (800) 866-8766. THE THIRD FIRESTONE LT225/R75-16 M&S STEELTEX RADIAL R4S SEPARATED ITS TREAD ABOUJT 3 MILES SOUTH OF THOMPSON FALLS, MONTANA ON 08/14/2000 WITH ABOUT 27,000 MILES O

Tires › Tread/Belt
Filed Sep 5, 2000TX

RIGHT REAR TREAD SEPARATED FROM TIRE DAMAGING RIGHT LOWER QUARTER PANEL AND TAIL PIPE. NLM (FIRESTONE 2857516)

Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank Assembly
Filed Aug 30, 2000PA

DEVELOPED LEAKS IN GAS TANK UNDER FRONT RESTRAINING STRAP .WAS REPAIRED AND ANOTHER LEAK DEVELOPED UNDER FRONT STRAP IN SAME AREA.COULD HAVE BEEN A VERY HAZERDOUS SITUATION.SEEMS THAT THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE TANK,SIMILAR TO THE 1995 FORD WINDSTAR RECALL

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Filed Apr 22, 2000NV

WHEN DRIVNG THOUGH A PUDDLE @ SLOW SPEEDS, BATTERY LIGHT BLINKED AND ENGINE SHUT OFF. BROUGHT CAR INTO SHOP, WAS TOLD LOOSE BATTERY CONNECTION. I READ ON YOUR WEB SITE THAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM.

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Oct 2, 1999WA

THIS TRUCK IS EQUIPPED WITH E4 OD AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, WHILE STILL UNDER ORIGINAL WARRENTEE I COMPLAINED OF JERKY AND ROUGH SHIFTING AND WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THE DEALER, THAT THIS WAS NORMAL, TO PROTECT MYSELF AT 32,000 MILES I HAD THE TRANSISSIOM SERVICED AND CHECKED AGAIN FOR DEFECTS, AND WAS TOLD EVERYTHING WAS A-OKAY. THE ROUGH AND JERKY SHIFTING STILL OCCURRED. AT 67,000 MILES THE E4 OD TRANSMISSION FAILED. A REPUTABLE TRANSMISSION AUTHORITY WAS CONTACTED, THE PROBLEM AND THIS IS KNOWN BY FORD MOTOR COMPANY, IS THE TRANSMISSION IN THE E4 OD WHICH WAS STANDARD AT THE TIME FOR THIS MODEL, WAS NOT STURDY ENOUGH TO GET THE PREPORTED 100,000 MILES THAT THE DEALERS BRAG ABOUT. THE TORQUE CONVERTER IS TOO LIGHT WEIGHT FOR THE 7.3 LTR ENGINE AND WAS COMPLETELY DIS INTERGRATED, BY THE POWER OF THE ENGINE. THIS HAD BEEN ON GOING EVEN TO THE ORIGINAL WARRANTY. FORD IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AS THIS E4 OD TRANSMISSION HAS HAD NUMEROUS RECALLS AND SEVICE BULLETINS SINCE IT'S CONCEPTION IN THE EARLY 1990'S.. FORD MOTOR COMPANY SENT ME A FREE 24 /24 EXTENDED WARRANTY DATED ACTIVE 4 DAYS AFTER I PAID $2500 FOR AN OVERHAUL OF THIS E4 OD TRANSMISSION. I HAVE 4 OTHER FORD PRODUCTS IN MY DRIVEWAY AND I'M SO UNHAPPY ABOUT THIS I FEEL LIKE MOVING OVER TO DODGE. MY FAMILY HAS ALWAYS USED FORD PRODUCTS, BUT THIS TIME WE ARE GETTING STUCK WITH A HUGE REPAIR BILL THAT THE FORD DEALER AND FORD MOTOR COMPANY SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR.

Structure › Frame and Members
Filed Dec 14, 1998TX

RIVETS AND BOLTS NEEDED REPLACEMENT IN THE CHASSIS, HOWEVER DEALERSHIP WELDED FRAME INSTEAD.

Seat Belts › Front › Anchorage
Filed Apr 28, 1998CA

SHOULDER BELTS MOUNTED TO WALL, CAUSING BELTS TO CROSS OVER THE AISLE OF VAN, BLOCKING AISLE.

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Apr 8, 1998MI

OIL PAN RUSTED OUT CAUSING LEAKAGE.

Service Brakes, Air › Antilock
Filed Aug 5, 1997KS

WHEN PULLING TRAILERS THE ABS, ON THESE VEHICLES, IS ACTIVE AND IT TAKES APPROXIMATELY 40% MORE BRAKING ROOM TO STOP. THIS HAS BEEN OBSERVED ON THE FORD AND DODGE ONE TON PICK-UP TRUCKS.

Engine and Engine Cooling › Cooling System
Filed Apr 23, 1996NJ

HOLE IN ENGINE CYLINDER DUE TO NOT ADDING CHEMNICAL ADDITIVE TO COOLANT SYSTEM. *DH

Equipment › Electrical › Radio/Tape Deck/Cd Etc.
Filed Mar 25, 1996FL

DRIVER HAS TO TAKE EYES OFF ROAD TO ADJUST RADIO DUE TO THE RADIO MISSING ITS KNOBS. *DH

18 of 18 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2002
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
200312000Routine
200237000Routine
200120010Routine
200025020Routine
199933010Routine
199825020Routine
199734030Routine
1996 — this page18000Routine
199521000Routine
199415000Routine
19937000Routine
199210020Routine
19919010Routine
19908010Routine

Compare every Ford Truck year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Most recent recall on file: none. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.