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EnginePart report

1996 Ford F-150 Engine Problems

Complaints
3about this part
Share
1%of 324 total for the year
Median mileage
131,000miles
Trend
Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

NHTSA recorded 3 complaints about the engine of the 1996 Ford F-150, 1% of the 324 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 131,000 miles. 2 a fire, according to the filers.

Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.

Example complaints

Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.

“About three minutes after I parked and shut off the truck in the driveway, I heard a loud explosion, stepped outside and saw flames shooting out from under the hood accompanied by billowing smoke. The fire lasted 15-20 minutes, went through the firewall, entered and melted down the cab. During this period of time, I was attempting to put out the fire in order to prevent it from spreading to the garage and the propane tank. As a result, I had to be treated for moderate smoke inhalation by the first responders on the scene. …”

NHTSA complaint #10554168, filed 2013-11, 132,000 miles

“I am unsure of what happened. This truck was sitting in my driveway and caught fire. While on fire it kept trying to start even though no one was in it and the keys were no where near it. The fire truck was called out due to the trucks proximity to the home and the fire was put out. There has not been any insoection done on the vehicle since it is burnt to a crisp.”

NHTSA complaint #11540910, filed 2023-08

“The contact owns a 1996 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the vehicle started to shutoff and restart independently. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was diagnosed by an independent mechanic. The mechanic informed the contact that the rear tank’s fuel pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that there was no open recall associated with the VIN for the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000. …”

NHTSA complaint #11540729, filed 2023-08, 130,000 miles

Engine: other model years

YearComplaintsShare of year
2026217%
202544%
2024126%
2023276%
2022386%
2021848%
202013018%
201932224%
201851022%
201731421%
201631715%
201526515%
201418012%
201354818%
201248327%
201148222%
201010713%
20094213%
20085314%
200710522%
20067413%
200511711%
2004925%
2003287%
2002668%
2001444%
2000232%
1999273%
1998141%
1997151%
199631%
199520%
199430%
199310%
198910%

Other parts of the 1996 Ford F-150

Electrical system
56 complaints
Fuel system
53 complaints
Vehicle speed control
36 complaints
Brakes
34 complaints
Transmission and drivetrain
26 complaints
Air bags
23 complaints
Engine cooling
23 complaints
Suspension
21 complaints
Tires
21 complaints
Steering
20 complaints
Seats
9 complaints
Other or unknown
7 complaints

← All problems reported for the 1996 Ford F-150

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology