Most common 1996 Ford E-250 problems
Share of the 20 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Ford E-250 complaints by model year
Best E-250 years: 2009, 2007, 2008. Years to avoid: 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003. Compare all years →
1996 Ford E-250 recalls (3)
Vehicle speed control
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…
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…
Vehicle speed control › Cruise control
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.
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
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)
What 1996 Ford E-250 owners say
Wheels & tires
The first incident r-r tire blew out /replaced with spare tire. Bought a new replacement, and rotated the r-f tire to the r-r; stowed the (r-r) spare tire ; in the second incident, the r-r tire separated while driving on I-10 from phoenix, az to la, ca (tiresize: 225/75r16d)( dot number: tire size: 225/75r16d )
Driving at highway speed, the tread separated from the tire and collapsed tubing and metal weather protection inside the tire well; the tire remained pressurized; I was given remaining tire credit at a firesone tire dealer.( dot number: vnil ike tire size: lt22575r16 )
Brakes
There is a pressure switch on my master cylinder of the braking system. There is o listed recall for my pickup truck how ever after about $900.00 and 2 different auto shops I found this switch to be the defective part and when I went to the dealer jim click of tuscon az and the parts guy gave me the part I requested I questioned the wiring harness adaptor and why the switch was not the same as I brought him. He stated well there was a lot of failures with the old design and it was a recall I stated well shouldn't the part be free no response - - the defect in the part was an air leak causing me to chase it for a year on and off constantly bleeding little air bubbles out with over a gallon of fluid. I noticed it with just the ever so slight of dirt sticking to the leak on the under side of switch which could not be seen. …
When applying the brakes in a panic stop, consumer's foot hit the brake pedal and accelerator pedal because the brake pedal and accelerator pedal are too close together, causing the vehicle not to stop, once resulting in a collision.
Engine & cooling
While waiting at stop light or sign vehicle would idle roughly. Would jerk forward with foot on brake. Sometimes would almost stall out when at a stop. Been to dealer, and nothing could be found. It was an intermittent problem.
.engine oil pan leaked all over driveway. Warranty was up in January of 2001. Oil pan was rusted.
1996 Ford E-250 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.8L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 11 / 16 / 13 |
| 4.9L 6-cyl | 3-speed automatic | RWD | 11 / 13 / 12 |
| 4.9L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 11 / 15 / 12 |
EPA ratings. Class: Van.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1996 Ford E-250 a good car?
Based on 20 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1996 E-250 rates use caution: 1.8× as many complaints as a typical year of the E-250 at the same age. It is one of the E-250 years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 1996 Ford E-250?
The wheels & tires — 6 complaints, 30% of all complaints for this model year, most often about tread/belt. Next are the brakes (4) and engine & cooling (4).
How many recalls does the 1996 Ford E-250 have?
There are 3 recalls for the 1996 Ford E-250, the most recent from October 13, 2009 (vehicle speed control). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Ford E-250?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2009, 2007 and 2008. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003. See the full Ford E-250 years comparison.
At what mileage do 1996 Ford E-250 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 100,000 miles; 0% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.