Your vehicle report
1996 Ford F-350
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 130
- Received Apr 1996 to Sep 2014
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Tires blow out or tread separates24 complaints · 18% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Vehicle catches fire from wiring12 complaints · 9.2% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up9 complaints · 6.9% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #06V286000On certain trucks equipped with speed control, gasoline or natural gas engines, the speed control deactivation switch may overheat.
- Recall #96V161000The certification labels on the involved vehicles has incorrect rear tire inflation pressure designations. This does not comply with FMVSS no. 120, "tire selection and rims for motor vehicles other than passenger cars."
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 9 crashes, 15 fires, 5 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 13 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Steering, suspension & tires
- Tires blow out or tread separates
- Steering wanders or pulls at highway speed
- Steering wheel shakes violently at highway speed
1 more problem
Body, doors & glass
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 1996 | 17 |
| 1997 | 12 |
| 1998 | 12 |
| 1999 | 11 |
| 2000 | 28 |
| 2001 | 12 |
| 2002 | 4 |
| 2003 | 8 |
| 2004 | 3 |
| 2005 | 9 |
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2007 | 4 |
| 2008 | 4 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2015 | 0 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 130 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 24 | 18% | – | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 12 | 9.2% | – | |
| Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up | 9 | 6.9% | – | |
| Front brake rotors warp and wear early | 7 | 5.4% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 4 | 3.1% | – | |
| Steering wanders or pulls at highway speed | 4 | 3.1% | – | |
| Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline | 3 | 2.3% | – | |
| Ford F-150 transmission unexpectedly downshifts or jerks | 3 | 2.3% | – | |
| Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines | 3 | 2.3% | – | |
| Steering wheel shakes violently at highway speed | 3 | 2.3% | – | |
| Fuel pump fails and engine stalls | 3 | 2.3% | – | |
| Power steering cuts out while driving | 3 | 2.3% | – | |
| Transmission fails or loses power while driving | 3 | 2.3% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #06V286000August 1, 20061,200,000 vehicles affected
vehicle speed control
On certain trucks equipped with speed control, gasoline or natural gas engines, the speed control deactivation switch may overheat.
Overheating could result in smoke or burn and an underhood fire.
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)
NHTSA recall #96V161000August 29, 1996134,770 vehicles affected
equipment: other: labels
The certification labels on the involved vehicles has incorrect rear tire inflation pressure designations. This does not comply with FMVSS no. 120, "tire selection and rims for motor vehicles other than passenger cars."
Incorrect inflation pressures could cause premature wear of the rear tires. .
Remedy
Owners will be provided with correct certification labels and instructions for installing these labels. Dealers Can install this label if the owner so desires.
NHTSA recall #96V146000August 1, 1996200 vehicles affected
structure: frame and members
The crossmember frame gussets were installed with undersized threaded fasteners following a breakdown of the production rivet gun that is generally used. This gusset is the attachment point for the rear strap of the mid-ship fuel tank.
The subject fasteners Can separate causing in the rear strap of the affected fuel tank to become disconnected. A loose or disconnected rear strap allows the fuel tank to possibly contact the road surface increasing the risk of a vehicle fire.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the crossmember gusset fasteners with the specified alternative fasteners (bolts).
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 1996 Ford F-350.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN