1996 Ford Club Wagon Problems
- Complaints
- 17filed with NHTSA
- Median mileage
- 40,000miles, 3 complaints with mileage
- Recalls
- 2campaigns on record
- Trend
- StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
Sources: NHTSA records for the 1996 Ford Club Wagon (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests. Report an error
NHTSA recorded 17 consumer complaints for the 1996 Ford Club Wagon. The part named most often is brakes, with 6 complaints (35% of the total), followed by air bags (2) and engine cooling (2). 3 of the complaints include a mileage, and 67% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 40,000 miles. Of all complaints, 2 involved a crash, 2 a fire, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns and 0 technical service bulletins for this model year. Brakes complaints overlap with 1 recall campaign filed under the same part.
This model year has fewer than 25 complaints on record, so the numbers below can change a lot with a few new reports.
Which parts are reported most
Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.
- Brakes6 35%
- Air bags2 12%
- Engine cooling2 12%
- Equipment2 12%
- Fuel system2 12%
- Electrical system1 5.9%
- Seat belts1 5.9%
- Seats1 5.9%
- Steering1 5.9%
- Suspension1 5.9%
Also reported: Vehicle speed control (1).
Example complaints
Brakes: “Experiencing ongoing brake failure. Whenever vehicle is driven in wet conditions, the brake pedal would go all the way to the floor, no matter what the speed may be. Vehicle have been inspected/repaired by independent repair shop, but condition still occurs. Dealer/mfr. Was not notified at this time.”
NHTSA complaint #833836, filed 1999-01Air bags: “The consumer was driving at 50 MPH on wet pavement, and vehicle started sliding, consumer lost control and hit a guardrail head on. Then vehicle rolled down a hill. Upon impact, driver's side air bag didn't deploy.”
NHTSA complaint #848262, filed 1999-09Engine cooling: “Engine stalls occasionally when in drive and at a stop, and sometimes instead of just dying it tries to stay running by flooring the accelerator causing me to hit curbs and my garage wall. I can avoid this by placing it in neutral temporarily. I have taken it to Ford about three times for this alone, but they cannot figure it out because it is an intermittent problem which they could not reproduce. Also the rear blend door flap for rear A/C deteriorates every year and needs replacing to stay cool in phoenix, az.”
NHTSA complaint #10008491, filed 2003-03, 40,000 milesEquipment: “Made a left hand turn into a vehicle and the driver's side airbag did not deploy. The rear seat belts, that lock down the wheel chairs, came unlatched. Please describe details.”
NHTSA complaint #812603, filed 1997-05Mileage when problems were reported
67% of the 3 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 30,532 and 139,000 miles.
Complaints by year filed
Trend: stable. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 1996 Ford Club Wagon. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
| Version | Overall | Frontal | Side | Side pole | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Club Wagon · 3 DR | not rated | 4 / 3 | — | — | — |
Ratings before the 2011 model year come from an older, less demanding test and are not comparable with ratings for 2011 and later.
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.
Recalls and investigations
- 06V286000Aug 1, 2006Vehicle speed controlCovers: Ford Club Wagon 1994–1996, F-250 1994–2002, F-350 1994–2002 +10 more
On certain trucks equipped with speed control, gasoline or natural gas engines, the speed control deactivation switch may overheat.
- 96V214000Oct 28, 1996Parking brake › ConventionalCovers: Ford Club Wagon 1996, Econoline 1996
The parking brake systems may not hold the vehicles on a 20% grade with foot pedal efforts of 125 pounds or less. This does not meet the requirements of fmvss no. 105, "hydraulic brake systems."
Recall details for the 1996 Ford Club Wagon → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls
Technical service bulletins
No technical service bulletins are on record for the 1996 Ford Club Wagon.
Other model years of the Ford Club Wagon
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | Crash ★ | MPG | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 5 | 156,000 | 0 | — | — | — | Not enough data |
| 1998 | 28 | 108,206 | 0 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1997 | 28 | 78,500 | 0 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 1996 | 17 | 40,000 | 2 | — | — | — | Stable |
| 1995 | 15 | 95,000 | 1 | — | — | — | Stable |
| 1994 | 17 | 229,000 | 1 | — | — | — | Stable |
| 1993 | 12 | — | 0 | — | — | — | Not enough data |
| 1992 | 15 | 117,141 | 0 | — | — | — | Stable |
| 1991 | 5 | — | 0 | — | — | — | Not enough data |
| 1990 | 5 | — | 0 | — | — | — | Not enough data |
| 1989 | 8 | — | 0 | — | — | — | Not enough data |
All Ford Club Wagon model years
Frequently asked questions
How many NHTSA complaints does the 1996 Ford Club Wagon have?
NHTSA recorded 17 consumer complaints for the 1996 Ford Club Wagon as of Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
What part of the 1996 Ford Club Wagon is reported most often?
Brakes is named most often, in 6 complaints (35% of the total), followed by air bags with 2.
Has the 1996 Ford Club Wagon been recalled?
NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
At what mileage are problems with the 1996 Ford Club Wagon reported?
Among the 3 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 40,000 miles and the middle half falls between 30,532 and 139,000 miles; 67% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program.
Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.