Most common 1996 Ford E-350 problems
Share of the 50 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Ford E-350 complaints by model year
Best E-350 years: 2018, 2016, 2015. Years to avoid: 1997, 1995, 1999. Compare all years →
1996 Ford E-350 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)
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 1996 Ford E-350:
Alleged brake hose failures
Ford has received no owner reports of failure, other than the four odi reports that came from a single fleet in new york state.Ford also reports that it has received no field reports and did not identify any warranty claims alleging the subject problem.Ford estimates that the 86,910 subject vehicles (that have over 6 years exposure), have accumulated over six billion miles of service and that the virtual lack of…
What 1996 Ford E-350 owners say
Brakes
ABS sporadically causes difficulty in pressing the break pedal while rhythmically pulling hard right. Highway or surface speeds. Google has many with the same problem and no fix. No codes are thrown. Dealers are no help. Must disable the ABS by pulling the 60amp fuse.
Upon installing performance friction brake pads on vehicle, I felt they were wrong. I called auto zone from whom I purchased after measuring and finding they were 0.773 thick. They assured me they were the right pads. I installed and thought nothing more of it. Upon driving vehicle around a month later, I had not gotten 5 miles when the friction caused my caliper seals to catch fire. We contacted performance friction the same day and talked to mike cochrane, who assured he would investigate and get back to me. After not hearing anything for over a week, we contacted again. This time I talked to jennifer ramsey, whom contacted me the following via e-mail and said they would investigate and get back. I did some investigating myself and found the following : napa pads measured 0.719 ; albany 0.720 ; wagner 0.717 ; wagner heavy duty 0.738 aand motorcraft 0.738. …
Wheels & tires
While driving at 45/55 MPH right front tire went out of round, and the left front tire started showing signs of fatigue. When this occurred front shocks failed, and the hydraulic fluid spilled onto the catalytic converter. This resulted in severe frontal vehicle damage. The manufacturer had been notified.
Consumer states that valve stems recommended for vehicle is not effective after 8000 miles. On several occasions tires would become flat for no apparent reason. Vehicle was taken to a repair shop, who informed consumer of the valve problem.
Engine & cooling
This issue was on a 1996 Ford f350 ambulance on route to emergency call when engine shut down and lost all power like it was out of fuel 7.3 liter diesel and tank was full. Had unit towed to cross wood Ford in kernersville nc and $2700.00 later after new fuel tank fuel pump 6 injectors and turbo due to liner inside of tank came off and clogged the fuel system and engine Ford motor company was no help and said since the vehicle was out of warranty they would not do anything to resolve the cost issues.
While driving up a steep hill and then downshifting back down the hill, engine quit at the bottom of the hill, and the braking system malfunctioned, which May have caused an accident. In order to stop the vehicle, needed to apply the emergency parking brake. Been to dealer numerous times. Dealer cannot determine problem.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1996 Ford E-350 a good car?
Based on 50 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1996 E-350 rates average: 1.3× as many complaints as a typical year of the E-350 at the same age. 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-350?
The brakes — 19 complaints, 38% of all complaints for this model year, most often about antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip. Next are the wheels & tires (17) and engine & cooling (4).
How many recalls does the 1996 Ford E-350 have?
There are 3 recalls for the 1996 Ford E-350, 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-350?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2018, 2016 and 2015. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 1997, 1995 and 1999. See the full Ford E-350 years comparison.
At what mileage do 1996 Ford E-350 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 42,000 miles; 60% 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.