Problems · NHTSA complaints
1996 Ford F-250 problems
Owners filed 187 complaints about the 1996 Ford F-250 with NHTSA between May 1996 and Sep 2023. The most-cited component is tires (36).
Complaints
187
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
10
Reported by owners
Fires
27
Reported by owners
Injuries
3
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Tires36
- Engine and engine cooling32
- Power train18
- Vehicle speed control17
- Steering17
- Service brakes, hydraulic14
- Suspension13
- Electrical system10
- Fuel system, gasoline9
- Fuel/propulsion system5
- Seat belts5
- Seats3
- Structure3
- Wheels3
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 30, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
11
17
14
13
31
21
15
4
2
8
11
6
7
5
2
3
2
3
5
2
1
1
0
1
0
0
1
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 1996 | 11 |
| 1997 | 17 |
| 1998 | 14 |
| 1999 | 13 |
| 2000 | 31 |
| 2001 | 21 |
| 2002 | 15 |
| 2003 | 4 |
| 2004 | 2 |
| 2005 | 8 |
| 2006 | 11 |
| 2007 | 6 |
| 2008 | 7 |
| 2009 | 5 |
| 2010 | 2 |
| 2011 | 3 |
| 2012 | 2 |
| 2013 | 3 |
| 2014 | 5 |
| 2015 | 2 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 1 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Tires
36 reports3 crashes
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD F-250 EQUIPPED WITH UNIROYAL LAREDO TIRES, SIZE: 265/75R16 (NA). WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE RUPTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE TREAD SEPARATED AND THE TIRE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE TIRE WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 185,000 AND THE TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,000. THE DOT NUMBER WAS UNAVAILABLE.”
Engine and engine cooling
32 reports4 fires
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD F250. HIS VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE HE WAS MAKING REPAIRS TO THE ENGINE. THE FIRE SPREAD TO THE WIRING HARNESS AND BURNED THE HIGH PRESSURE OIL LINE. HE HAD TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERIES. THE FORD MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. FORDS LEGAL DEPARTMENT SENT A LETTER DENYING RESPONSIBILITY , BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED BY A FORD DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 210,000.”
Power train
18 reports3 crashes
“UNIT WAS PARKED AND SHIFTER PLACED IN THE "PARK" POSITION. THE TRUCK ROLLED BACK ACROSS THE PARKING LOT AND CAME INTO CONTACT WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. WITNESSES ON THE SCENE VERIFIED THAT THE SHIFTER WAS IN PARK BUT THAT TRANSMISSION WAS NOT ENGAGED IN THAT POSITION. AFTER THIS INCIDENT, IT WAS DETERMINED, BY EXPERIMENT, THAT THE INDICATOR ON THE SHIFTER DID NOT SHOW THE ACTUAL GEAR. WHEN IN "PARK" THE TRUCK WAS ACTUALLY IN EITHER REVERSE OR NEUTRAL. ACCORDING TO OTHER SOURCES, THIS PROBLEM, OF EITHER JUMPING OUT OF PARK OR NOT BEING IN THE GEAR INDICATED, HAS BEEN A PROBLEM WITH FORD AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS IN THE PAST.”
Vehicle speed control
17 reports14 fires3 related recalls
“Cruise control switch began smoking, disconnected it and took it to Awesome Ford of Chehalis, WA for recall service sometime in June or July. Service tech found that brake fluid had wicked its way up electrical harness into cruise control servo, necessitating replacement in order to complete recall service. FoMoCo has been unable/unwilling to replace cruise control servo and is instead requiring that I pull one from a wrecking yard in order to complete recall service.”
Steering
17 reports1 crash
“THIS IS NOT A COMPLAINT BUT TO LET EVERYONE KNOW WHAT I HAVE FOUND TO BE PART OF THE PROBLEM ON THE STEERING NOT RETURNING AFTER A TURN. THE STEERING COLUMN BEARING IN THE TOP OF THE COLUMN IS BAD. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE AT LEAST 20 OF THESE FOR THIS COMPLAINT AND FIXED THE PROBLEM. THE LOCKING OF THE STEERING WHEN BREAKING IS A HYDROBOOST PROBLEM NOT A STEERING PROBLEM. FORD NEED TO RESEARCH THIS AND CORRECT IT BEFORE THERE IS A DEATH BECAUSE OF IT. *TR”
Service brakes, hydraulic
14 reports2 crashes1 fire
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD F-250. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH DOWN A HILL, THE VACUUM PUMP FAILED WHEN THE BRAKES WERE DEPRESSED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE DROVE THROUGH A RED LIGHT AND COULD NOT STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE FINALLY COASTED TO A HALT. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE DID NOT WORK EITHER DUE TO THE WEIGHT OF THE BOAT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PULLING. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE VACUUM PUMP. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 115,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 71,000.”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 30, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.