Problems · by component
1996 Ford F-150 power train problems
27 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1996 Ford F-150 cite power train, 8% of all 360 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
27
8% of all complaints
Crashes
3
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
Reported by owners
What owners say about the power train
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE BEGAN ROLLING AFTER BEING PARKED FOR APPROXIMATELY FOUR MINUTES. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A DITCH, WHICH CAUSED MODERATE VEHICLE DAMAGE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY WOULD NOT ASSUME ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE FAILURE BECAUSE THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE VEHICLE IS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REPAIRED. THE CONTACT HAS A COPY OF THE POLICE REPORT. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 187,000. UPDATED 04/21/09. *LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE JUMPED OUT OF GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS IN IDLE AND RUNNING. UPDATED 04/21/09.*JB”
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD F150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CLUTCH WOULD NOT RELEASE WHEN THE SLAVE CYLINDER DEVELOPED A LEAK. HE PULLED UP TO AN INTERSECTION AND DEPRESSED THE CLUTCH PEDAL, BUT THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO MOVE. HE KEPT DEPRESSING THE PEDAL, BUT IT WOULD NOT RELEASE; THEREFORE, HE APPLIED THE BRAKES AND TURNED OFF THE ENGINE SIMULTANEOUSLY TO PREVENT A CRASH. THE SAME FAILURE RECURRED THE FOLLOWING DAY SO THE CONTACT STOPPED DRIVING THE VEHICLE. THROUGH ONLINE RESEARCH, HE NOTICED THAT MANY OTHER CONSUMERS EXPERIENCED THE SAME ISSUE. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER HAVE NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 140,000. UPDATE 12/16/08 *CN UPDATED 12/18/08. *JB”
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED WITH A 15 AMP ELECTRICAL FUSE FOR THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. WHEN THE FUSE BURNS OUT, HE IS UNABLE TO SHIFT THE VEHICLE OUT OF PARK. WHEN HE PLACES THE GEAR FROM PARK TO DRIVE, THE VEHICLE FAILS TO OPERATE OR MOVE. THE FAILURE HAS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SHUT OFF IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD AND ALMOST CAUSED NUMEROUS CRASHES. THE MANUFACTURER IS AWARE OF THE FAILURE, BUT STATED THAT THE CONTACT IS FULLY RESPONSIBLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 100,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,000. UPDATED 09/05/07 *TR”
“DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 7 MPH, THE CLUTCH WAS DEPRESSED TO SLOW THE VEHICLE. UPON DEPRESSING THE CLUTCH, THERE WAS A POPPING NOISE, AND THE CLUTCH PEDAL FELL TO THE FLOOR. UPON INSPECTION, THE CONTACT NOTED THAT THE PLASTIC CLUTCH LINKAGE RETAINER HAD DETACHED AND FALLEN ONTO THE FLOORBOARD. THE CONTACT THEN REACHED BELOW THE FLOOR OF THE VEHICLE, AND FOUND WHAT HE ASSUMED WAS THE CLUTCH LINKAGE RETAINER BUT IT WAS NOT DURABLE ENOUGH TO SERVE AS A SAFE RETAINER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SEEN BY A DEALER. UPDATED 12/5/2006 - THE ITEM INDICATED IS THE SELF LOCKING BUSHING WHICH FORD RELEASE AS A RETAINER TO THE CONSUMER MARKET. *NM”
“DT: 1996 FORD F150 XLT PICK UP TRUCK. THE WHEEL ASSEMBLY AND THE SHAFT ON THE DRIVER SIDE IN THE BACK SLID OUT. THE TRUCK WAS BEING DRIVEN ON A SIDE ROAD ABOUT 35 -40 MPH WHEN THIS HAPPENED. THE MECHANIC TOLD THE CONSUMER THAT THESE VEHICLES WERE DESIGNED TO FAIL. IT WAS REPAIRED AT THE COST OF $1300.00. ALSO, WHILE TRYING TO BACK OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY THE SHIFTER WAS FLOPPING AROUND AND A BOLT FELL OUT AT THE CONSUMER'S FEET. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO INTO ANY GEAR. THE BOLT FELL OUT OF THE STEERING COLUMN WHERE THE TWO HALVES MEET. OF THE TWO BOLTS ONE FELL OUT, AND THE OTHER WAS VERY LOOSE. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO FIX THEM WITH A RETAINING DEVICE WITH LOCK WASHERS ON BOTH BOLTS. THE THIRD PROBLEM, WAS SIMILAR TO THE FIRST PROBLEM. WHILE DRIVING SOMEONE RAN A RED LIGHT AND THE TRUCK WAS HIT ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE. THE WHEEL AND SHAFT DISENGAGED FROM THE REAR AXLE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED, AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK UPDATED 08/02/06. *JB”
“WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH WITH CRUISE, VEHICLE SUDDENLY DROPPED INTO A LOW GEAR AND SLOWED QUICKLY. ALSO, INTERMITENTLY WILL NOT SHIFT OUT OF FIRST GEAR WHEN FIRST STARTED.*AK”
Showing 6 of 27 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.