Vehicle Speed Control
NHTSA campaign 06V286000 · 2006 · reported 08/01/2006
OVERHEATING COULD RESULT IN SMOKE OR BURN AND AN UNDERHOOD FIRE. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
PARK-IT: NO · PARK-OUTSIDE: NO · OVER-THE-AIR FIX: NO
1996 Ford F-250 Problems & Recalls
Built from official NHTSA complaint and recall data · data through 07/14/2026
High complaint levelIts most-reported problem — Tires — runs 4.2× the fleet median for that category across the 390 model-years tracked on this site.
176Complaints
5Recalls
10Crashes
25Fires
3Injured
0Deaths
Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint & recall data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.
Is this problem acknowledged?
The most-reported problem — Tires (9.7% of complaints) — has no NHTSA recall or open investigation on file.
Tires complaints here are 4.2× the median for that category across the 390 model-years tracked on this site.
2 of the 6 most-reported categories on this page are backed by a recall or open investigation; the other 4 rest on owner reports alone.
| Complaint category | Reports | Official status | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tires | 17 · 9.7% | No official action | — |
| Tires:tread/belt | 17 · 9.7% | No official action | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control:cruise Control | 9 · 5.1% | Recalled | Recall 06V286000 · Recall 05V388000 |
| Suspension:front | 8 · 4.5% | Investigation closed | PE96052 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 7 · 4% | Recalled | Recall 06V286000 · Recall 05V388000 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:diesel | 7 · 4% | No official action | — |
Recalled = an NHTSA safety recall covers this category, so a free repair exists. Under investigation = NHTSA has an open probe but no recall yet. Investigation closed = NHTSA examined it and closed the probe — this is not a defect finding; where a closed probe led to a recall we name the campaign. Not available = recall or investigation data could not be confirmed for this vehicle — it is not a “no”. Categories are matched by NHTSA's top-level component. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Complaints by component
Percentages are the share of the 176 complaints citing each component; one complaint can cite several components. “Unspecified / other” is NHTSA’s own catch-all category — we show it rather than hide it.
Recalls — 5 campaigns
Exterior Lighting
NHTSA campaign 06E049000 · 2006 · reported 05/24/2006
WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT WARNING. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
PARK-IT: NO · PARK-OUTSIDE: NO · OVER-THE-AIR FIX: NO
Vehicle Speed Control
NHTSA campaign 05V388000 · 2005 · reported 09/07/2005
A FIRE AT THE SWITCH COULD OCCUR. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
PARK-IT: NO · PARK-OUTSIDE: NO · OVER-THE-AIR FIX: NO
Structure:frame And Members
NHTSA campaign 96V146000 · 1996 · reported 08/01/1996
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. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
PARK-IT: NO · PARK-OUTSIDE: NO · OVER-THE-AIR FIX: NO
Equipment:other:labels
NHTSA campaign 96V161000 · 1996 · reported 08/29/1996
INCORRECT INFLATION PRESSURES COULD CAUSE PREMATURE WEAR OF THE REAR TIRES. . Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
PARK-IT: NO · PARK-OUTSIDE: NO · OVER-THE-AIR FIX: NO
Park it Park outside Specimen badges — shown on a recall card only when NHTSA sets the flag. None of the campaigns above carries either flag. Always check your own vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What owners report
“THE TIRE TREAD SEPARATED (FELT VIBRATION) I TRAVELED APPRX 200 YARDS AND THEN THE TIRE BLEWOUT, CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE EXHAUST PIPES /WHEEL WELL/ WHEEL…”NHTSA complaint 764921 — filed 07/30/2002 · TIRES
“WHILE TOWING RV ON STRAIGHT SECTION OF INTERSTATE RIGHT REAR TIRE EXPLODED. FORCE PUSHED UP RHT REAR 1/4 PANEL, TAIL PIPE, WHEEL HOUSING, CANOPY. VEHICLE…”NHTSA complaint 754030 — filed 11/02/2001 · TIRES
“FIRESTONE STEEL TEX TIRES R4S LT235/85R16, DOT VDORTWC415; WHILE TRAVELING IN A FORD, F250 VEHICLE AT 60MPH CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD EXPLOSION. PULLED VEHICLE OVER…”NHTSA complaint 897448 — filed 10/09/2001 · TIRES
Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.
Complaint trend by year filed
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1996 Ford F-250?
Tires issues are the most-reported category, cited in 17 of 176 NHTSA complaints (9.7%), followed by tires:tread/belt (17), vehicle speed control:cruise control (9), suspension:front (8). Complaints are unverified owner reports.
How many complaints does the 1996 Ford F-250 have?
176 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Of those, 10 involved a crash, 25 involved a fire, and 3 reported injuries. No deaths were reported.
Does the 1996 Ford F-250 have any recalls?
Yes — 5 NHTSA safety recall campaigns, including campaign 06V286000. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Has NHTSA acted on the 1996 Ford F-250's reported problems?
2 of the 6 most-reported complaint categories on this page are backed by an NHTSA safety recall or open investigation; the rest are unverified owner reports. A recall means a free repair is available at authorized dealers.
Is a complaint proof of a defect?
No. Complaints are reports submitted by consumers to NHTSA. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints, and a complaint is not proof that a defect exists.
About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/14/2026.
