1996 Ford E-150 Recalls, Complaints & Specs

3 safety recalls list the 1996 Ford E-150, and owners have filed 59 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.

safety recalls

owner complaints to NHTSA

6 / 8

complaints citing a crash / fire

13–14

MPG combined (EPA)

3 safety recalls for the 1996 Ford E-150

Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.

Vehicle speed control

NHTSA 09V399000 Reported October 13, 2009 4,500,000 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

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…

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…
Cruise control (vehicle speed control)

NHTSA 08V051000 Reported February 4, 2008 225,000 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

Ford is recalling 225,000 my 1992-2003 econoline, my 1993-1995 taurus sho, my 1992-1998 crown victoria, my 1993 bronco, f-series, my 1995-1997 f-series super duty stripped chassis, my 1992-1998 mercury grand marquis, and my 1992-1995 lincoln town car vehicles. The affected vehicles were previously repaired using a wiring harness that is…

Remedy: Dealers will install a new wiring harness, or replace the mating electrical component. The recall began on february 18, 2008. Owners may contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.
Vehicle speed control

NHTSA 06V286000 Reported August 1, 2006 1,200,000 vehicles potentially affected FORD MOTOR COMPANY

On certain trucks equipped with speed control, gasoline or natural gas engines, the speed control deactivation switch may overheat.

Remedy: Dealers will install a fused wiring harness into the speed control system free of charge. The recall began on august 7, 2006. Owners may contact ford at 1-866-436-7332. (note: also see recalls 05v017 and 05v388)

59 owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Owners of the 1996 Ford E-150 have filed 59 complaints with NHTSA; 6 describe a crash and 8 describe a fire. Reports cite 101 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 115,043 miles. Complaints peaked in 2003 with 9 filed that year.

Most-reported components

Service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip7
Engine and engine cooling: gasoline5
Electrical system4
Steering: gear box (other than rack and pinion)3
Tires3
Vehicle speed control3
Vehicle speed control: cruise control3
Electrical system: fuses and circuit breakers2

What owners are reporting

“My vehicle according the NHTSA has recall #09v399000 for the brake system speed control which can catch on fire even in the garage with the vehicle off. I asked ford to repair this because i just boug”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, April 28, 2014 · Service brakes

“Vehicle was parked, and upon entering noticed the smell of an electrical fire. Started the vehicle, odometer was inoperable and vehicle would not shift out of park. Upon further inspection, found a bl”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, April 21, 2013 · Service brakes

Fuel economy and specs

EPA ratings for the 1996 Ford E150 Club Wagon. Ranges cover every tested configuration.

Combined	13–14 mpg
City / Highway	11–12 / 15–17
Fuel	Regular
EPA class	Vans
Engine	6/8 cyl, 4.9/5/5.8 L
Transmission	Automatic 4-spd

Compare Ford E-150 model years

Recall and complaint counts for every Ford E-150 model year in NHTSA's database.

Model year	Recalls	Complaints
1989 Ford E-150	0	1
1990 Ford E-150	0	2
1991 Ford E-150	1	15
1992 Ford E-150	4	64
1993 Ford E-150	4	71
1994 Ford E-150	7	121
1995 Ford E-150	3	71
1996 Ford E-150	3	59
1997 Ford E-150	5	102
1998 Ford E-150	4	60
1999 Ford E-150	5	83
2000 Ford E-150	5	50
2001 Ford E-150	4	37
2002 Ford E-150	3	28
2003 Ford E-150	5	21
2004 Ford E-150	4	33
2005 Ford E-150	2	16
2006 Ford E-150	13	16
2007 Ford E-150	17	12
2008 Ford E-150	16	11
2009 Ford E-150	11	7
2010 Ford E-150	6	10
2011 Ford E-150	10	23
2012 Ford E-150	7	12
2013 Ford E-150	5	19
2014 Ford E-150	6	6
2015 Ford E-150	1	8
2016 Ford E-150	1	8
2021 Ford E-150	0	1
2023 Ford E-150	1	0

Checking a specific 1996 Ford E-150

How do I know if my 1996 Ford E-150 has an open recall?

Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 3 campaigns currently list the 1996 Ford E-150; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.

Is the recall repair free?

Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Ford dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 06V286000).

What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?

A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.

Other Ford models

F-15037,961 complaints
Explorer34,566 complaints
Escape27,430 complaints
Fusion22,405 complaints
Focus22,096 complaints
Taurus18,159 complaints
Windstar14,158 complaints
Edge14,065 complaints

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.