Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (fuel pump, injectors, fuel tank, hybrid and EV propulsion).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1996 Ford F-150 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
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. The contact stated there is an issue with the front fuel tank feeding fuel into the rear tank when the rear tank pump is not operational and having to switch the fuel supply over to the front tank. When the rear tank is full from the front tank feed, it spills over out of the rear tank fill spout, and runs out on the ground.
Fuel keeps leaking from second tank somewhere towards the opening.been like this since the date I have reported till now but never thought much about it until reviewing case NHTSA id number: [redacted] and NHTSA ref # 10587059
The front fuel tank is overflowing when I run the vehicle with the rear tank. The return fuel is always to the front tank causing it to overflow its a hazardous situation.
Dt: the contact owns a 1996 Ford f150. The contact stated the vehicle has a duel gasoline tank. When the back tank is selected it will pump gasoline to the engine, but it will also pump gasoline into the front tank and pressurize the gasoline, forcing it out of the filler neck and cap. When the vehicle is parked gasoline overflows onto the ground, and when driving the vehicle, the gasoline spills out along the highway. When the cap is removed from the tank, a larger amount of gasoline will spill out, and the gasoline is filled up to the filler neck. The consumer has to watch the amount of gasoline that is in the back tank to ensure that the overflow will not occur. The service dealer said that the check valve had to be replaced. The check valve prevented the gasoline from going from the back tank into the front tank. The manufacturer said they would not cover the cost for the repair. …
Tl* the contact owns a 1996 Ford f-150. The contact stated that the vehicle was equipped with a dual fuel tank and while driving various speeds, a strong odor of gasoline emitted inside and outside of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer, who stated that the fuel return check valve would need to be replaced because the fuel from the rear fuel tank overflowed into the second fuel tank. In addition, fuel had seeped out of the fuel tank cap. The vehicle was not repaired. There was a recall issued for 1990-1993 f-series model vehicles under NHTSA campaign id number: 01i008000 (fuel system, gasoline) but not for the 1996 model years. The manufacturer was notified of the defect. The approximate failure mileage was 120,000. Updated 06/30/14 ma updated 07/2/2014
Tl* the contact owns a 1996 Ford f150. The contact stated that the front fuel tank strap was corroded and caused a leak in the fuel tank. He took the vehicle to a local mechanic who repaired the strap but did not remedy the issue with the fuel leak. The contact then switched to using the rear fuel tank, in which he soon discovered that the there was also a leak coming from the rear tank. The manufacturer was contact who stated that there were no recalls for the failure and offered no further assistance. The contact proceeded to file a claim with the manufacturer. The failure mileage was 92,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 1996 Ford f-150. The contact stated while driving approximately 20 MPH the fuel tank detached from the vehicle. Approximately 3 gallons of fuel spilled out of the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who advised him that both straps were severely covered with rust and needed to be replaced along with the fuel tank. Both straps and the fuel tank were repaired. The manufacturer was contacted regarding the failure and stated his VIN was not included in any recalls. The failure mileage was approximately 122,700.
I own a 1992 Ford f250 and a 96 Ford f150. Both have dual tanks.on both vehicles the front fuel gauge has stopped functioning and when using the rear tank it tranfers fuel to the front tank resulting in fuel spilling out.with the guages not functioning there is no notice of when the front tank is overfilling.this is a fire hazard as well as an environmental issue.I have spoke to the customer relations person at our local Ford dealer and was told that it was not a dealer issue.I have inserted an incident,however the problem is a recurring problem.
Tl contact owns 1996 Ford f150. The contact attempted to start the vehicle and it would not start; however, after switching to the rear fuel tank the vehicle started. The front fuel tank had approximately a half tank of fuel in it at the time. The contact noticed that the fuel was leaking in the front fuel tank. The fuel was overflowing from the back to the front fuel tank causing a leak and a fuel odor. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing or to be repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 160,000.
I own a 1996 Ford f150 with dual tanks. I have a problem with the back fuel tank transferring gas to the front tank. If unnoticed this will cause gas to overflow onto the ground causing a real safety and pollution hazard. I called Ford and they said that there wasn't any recall for this problem on my VIN. Well even if there isn't a recall for this problem or not it is still a problem and there was a recall for this problem on the 1990 tp 1993 f150 so I'm figuring that they still have the problem on my vehicle also.
Fuel System complaints in other F-150 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are fuel system problems on the 1996 Ford F-150?
NHTSA has 53 complaints about the fuel & propulsion system of the 1996 Ford F-150, 16% of the model year's 324 complaints. The component named most often is storage › auxillary tank › selector devices (13 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1996 Ford F-150 fuel system problems?
No. NHTSA lists no fuel & propulsion system recall for the 1996 Ford F-150, though it has 2 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 1996 Ford F-150 fuel system problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 105,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 1 fire and 3 injuries to fuel & propulsion system problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.