Problems · by component

1996 Ford F-150 engine and engine cooling problems

28 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1996 Ford F-150 cite engine and engine cooling, 8% of all 360 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
28
8% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
6
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the engine and engine cooling

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD F-150. SHE NOTICED THAT THERE WERE FIRE BALLS UNDER THE VEHICLE, NEAR THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WHEEL AND FLOOR BOARD. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, THE ABS LIGHT FUSE WAS REPLACED CONTINUOSLY. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 140000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 19, 2009Engine and engine coolingFire reportedODI 10288968
“FIRST MY ENGINE SEEMED TO OVERHEAT A BIT THEN EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE IT WOULD SOUND LIKE THE ENGINE WAS GRINDING ON SOMETHING AND WOULDN'T STOP.. SOUNDED LIKE A BUNCH OF CHAINS IN MY HOOD. BUT THEN ON OCCASIONS THE STUPID THING WOULDN'T SHUT OFF WHEN IT WAS MAKING THE CHAIN SOUND, EVEN WITH MY KEY OUT. IT JUST HAPPENED AGAIN AND NOW THE THING SMELLS LIKE SOMETHING IS BURNING AND I HAVE NO POWER WHAT SO EVER IN MY VEHICLE. BEFORE WHEN IT FINALLY SHUT OFF IT SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS ABOUT TO SPARK. THEN IT WAS MAKING A CLICKING NOISE THAT WASN'T COOL. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 10, 2008Engine and engine coolingODI 10245079
“MY FORD F-150 PICKUP TRUCK CAUGHT FIRE AFTER IT HAD BEEN PARKED FOR APPROXIMATELY TWO HOURS. THE FIRE APPEARS TO HAVE ORIGINATED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT NEAR THE MASTER CYLINDER. THE DAMAGE WAS SEVERE AND IF NOT FOR A VIGILANT NEIGHBOR, WOULD HAVE SPREAD TO MY HOUSE. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 11, 2008Engine and engine coolingFire reportedODI 10234037
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD F150. ON OCTOBER 4, 2007, THE VEHICLE BURST INTO FLAMES WHILE PARKED ON THE SIDE OF THE HOUSE. A TREE AND SOME OF THE GRASS CAUGHT FIRE. A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DETERMINE IF THE FIRE WAS DUE TO RECALL NUMBER 05S28 BECAUSE OF THE EXTENSIVE FIRE DAMAGE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 119,934. UPDATED 01/02/08 *BF THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE FIRE WAS RELATED TO THE RECALL REGARDING THE CRUISE CONTROL. FORD STATED THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY EVIDENCE THAT THE FIRE WAS RELATED TO THE RECALL. UPDATED”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 29, 2007Engine and engine cooling, Vehicle speed controlFire reportedODI 10207352
“DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH WAS LEAKING FLUID. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL ON OTHER FORD VEHICLES. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER, THE REPAIR WERE MADE FOR A FEE. ALSO EVERY 25000 MILES, THE OIL PAN GASKET NEEDED TO BE CHANGED DUE A SMALL LEAK. THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. THIRD, THE EXHAUST AND INTAKE MANIFOLDS WERE LEAKING CAUSING A NOXIOUS SMELL INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO THE SAME SERVICE DEALER. THE DEALER REPLACED BOTH MANIFOLDS, AND DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS AN OIL LEAK DRIPPING ONTO THE EXHAUST SYSTEM.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 22, 2006Engine and engine cooling, Vehicle speed controlODI 10160448
“ON SUNDAY DECEMBER 11, 2005 WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY I EXPIRED A SUDDEN SPIKE IN TEMPERATURE ON MY 1996 FORD CROWN VICTORIA. AFTER TAKING MY CAR TO A FORD DEALERSHIP I WAS INFORMED THAT MY "PLASTIC" INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD CRACKED. I HAVE RESEARCHED THE CURRENT INVESTIGATION AND HAD NEVER RECEIVED ANY SORT OF CUSTOMER NOTIFICATION FROM FORD. I HEARD ABOUT THE MANIFOLD ISSUE FROM A FELLOW EMPLOYEE. THE TOTAL COST OF REPAIRS FOR THIS FAULTY MANIFOLD WAS $978.00. I FEEL IF THEY KNEW THEY NEEDED TO UPDATE IT WITH AN ALUMINUM MANIFOLD THAN THEY KNEW THE PLASTIC ONES WERE FAULTY.*JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 14, 2005Engine and engine coolingODI 10145182

Showing 6 of 28 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 7, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.