1996 Ford F-250 SD: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
11 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
104,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1996 model year. Data snapshot: . 9 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Engine And Engine Cooling is the most frequently named component, appearing in 2 of 11 complaints (18.2%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 3 | 27.3% |
| Engine operation | 1 | 9.1% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 1 | 9.1% |
| Steering behavior | 1 | 9.1% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 9.1% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 2 |
| Tires | 2 |
| Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood | 1 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Diesel | 1 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe | 1 |
| Fuel System, Diesel | 1 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings | 1 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 |
Engine And Engine Cooling: 2; Tires: 2; Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood: 1; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Diesel: 1; Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe: 1; Fuel System, Diesel: 1; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings: 1; Vehicle Speed Control: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 0 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 3 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 4 |
| 150,000 and above | 2 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 3; 100,000 to 149,999: 4; 150,000 and above: 2
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (4). 2 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2003 | 1 |
| 2005 | 1 |
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2007 | 3 |
| 2008 | 1 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 1 |
2003: 1; 2005: 1; 2006: 1; 2007: 3; 2008: 1; 2009: 1; 2012: 1; 2013: 1; 2014: 1
Pattern summary
Engine And Engine Cooling leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 3 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 1 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 1 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10032902 · 2003-08-15 (August 15, 2003)
EXHAUST MANIFOLD BOLTS BREAKING AND NOT GASKET ON EXHAUST MANIFOLD. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 76,232 miles reported. Look up ODI 10032902 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10139260 · 2005-10-11 (October 11, 2005)
DT: THE CONTACT STATED ON FEBRUARY 27, 2004 THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. IT STARTED IN THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH. FORD F250 1996. THERE WAS NO FOREWARNING, THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED TEN TO TWELVE HOURS. FORD REPAIRED THE VEHICLE AT CONTACT'S EXPENSE. HOWEVER, THE INSURANCE COMPANY COVERED A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF IT. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10139260 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10170798 · 2006-10-13 (October 13, 2006)
1996 F-250 CAUGHT FIRE IN MY DRIVEWAY WHILE ON VACATION, AND AFTER NOT BEING USED FOR 4 DAYS. FIRE INVESTIGATORS DETERMINED THE FIRES CAUSE AND ORIGIN TO BE THE SPEED DEACTIVATION SWITCH WHICH I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE TO HAVE REPAIRED. NOTICE WAS REC'D IN LATE AUGUST 2006, APPOINTMENT MADE FOR OCTOBER 11 2006 AND TRUCK BURNED OCTOBER 8 2006. FORD QUALITY CONTROL STATES THEY CAN DO THE INVESTIGATION THRU PICTURES E- MAILED TO CORP. HEADQUARTERS, THEN STATES AFTER SEEING THE PICTURES THAT THE TRUCK IS TOO BADLY DAMAGED TO DETERMINE FIRE CAU…
Owner-reported narrative. 104,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10170798 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10180898 · 2007-01-27 (January 27, 2007)
TRUCK STALLED OR QUIT FOR NO APPARENT REASON WHILE DRIVING. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 180,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10180898 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10202582 · 2007-09-11 (September 11, 2007)
I HAVE A 1996 FORD F-250 HEAVY DUTY PICKUP WHICH I PURCHASED NEW AND ALL THE BRAKE LINES ARE COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH. I WAS TESTING THE BRAKES AFTER ADJUSTING THEM IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE WHEN THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. ALL THE FLUID WAS BLOWN OUT OF THE RUSTED LINE ON THE FRONT BRAKES, AFTER I REPAIRED THEM AND WAS BLEEDING THE AIR FROM THEM, WHILE HOLDING DOWN ON THE PEDAL ANOTHER LINE ON THE REAR BRAKES BLEW OUT. IN SHORT, I SPENT 10 HRS. REPLACING ALL THE BRAKE LINES THAT WERE RUSTED OUT. I HAVE OLDER CARS AND TRUCKS AND HAVE NEVER HAD THI…
Owner-reported narrative. 100,700 miles reported. Look up ODI 10202582 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10212199 · 2007-12-18 (December 18, 2007)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD F250 HD. THE CAM SENSOR WAS REPLACED ON OCTOBER 28, 2003. THE CONTACT BELIEVES THAT THE REPLACEMENT PART IS FAULTY AND WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. THERE IS A SAFETY RECALL ON THE CAM SENSOR, BUT IT DOES NOT APPLY TO HIS VEHICLE YEAR. THERE HAS BEEN NO RECENT FAILURE TO DATE. THE RECALL NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 113,800 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE IN 2003 WAS 96,228. UPDATED 01/17/08 *BF UPDATED 01/17/08 *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 96,228 miles reported. Look up ODI 10212199 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10240855 · 2008-09-04 (September 4, 2008)
WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC MY CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR FAILED WITHOUT WARNING CAUSING MY DIESEL ENGINE TO SHUT OFF, LEAVING ME WITH NO STEERING AND BRAKING ABILITY. THIS ACTION ALMOST CAUSED A TRAFFIC ACCIDENT. MY TRUCK WAS TOWED TO MY LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AND THE CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR WAS REPLACED. I RETAINED THE SENSOR THAT WAS REPLACED. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 90,848 miles reported. Look up ODI 10240855 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10272941 · 2009-06-05 (June 5, 2009)
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD F250. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FILTER HOUSING CRACKED AND LEAKED DIESEL FLUID FROM THE TOP OF THE ENGINE DOWN INTO THE VEHICLE. HE WAS CONCERNED THAT THE LEAK COULD CAUSE A FIRE. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC ASSUMED THAT THE FUEL PUMP WAS CAUSING THE LEAK. AFTER THE REPAIRS WERE COMPLETED, THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE FUEL HOUSING CRACKED AND CAUSED THE LEAK. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE LESS THAN 230,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 230,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10272941 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
1 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
09V399000 · Vehicle Speed Control
Reported: 2009-10-13 (October 13, 2009)
FORD IS RECALLING MODEL YEARS 1995-2003 WINDSTAR, 2000-2003 EXCURSION DIESEL, 1993-1997 AND 1999-2003 F-250 SD THROUGH F-550 SD DIESEL, 1992-2003 E-150 THROUGH E-550, 1995-2002 EXPLORER, 1997 AND 2002 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER, 1995-1997 AND 2001-2003 RANGER, AND 1994 F53 VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE TEXAS INSTRUMENTS SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH (SCDS). THE SCDS MAY LEAK INTERNALLY AND THEN OVERHEAT, SMOKE, OR BURN.
Consequence: A VEHICLE FIRE COULD OCCUR WITH OR WITHOUT THE ENGINE RUNNING.
Remedy: FORD WILL NOTIFY OWNERS THAT DEALERS WILL INSTALL A FUSED WIRING HARNESS IN LINE WITH THE SCDS. ON 1999-2003 WINDSTAR VEHICLES WITH A LEAKING SCDS, DEALERS WILL ALSO INSPECT THE ABS CONTROL MODULE CONNECTOR AND REPAIR AS NECESSARY. REPAIRS WILL BE COMPLETED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 27, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-888-222-2751.
NHTSA campaign record ↗