1996 Ford F-350 Engine
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
I HAD THE CMP SENSOR (CAM POSITION SENSOR, F6TZ-12K073-A) REPLACED AT 83,733 MILES AND AGAIN AT 88,500 MILES. THE ENGINE RUNS ROUGH FOR 3 SECONDS AND DIES. IT WILL CRANK BUT NOT RESTART. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO MECHANIC AND CMP SENSOR WAS REPLACED. *TR
THE EXISTING RECALL 07V-553 (CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR ON FORD 1997-2003 F-SUPER DUTY, E-SERIES, AND EXCURSION VEHICLES WITH 7.3L DIESEL ENGINES) SEEMS TO BE INCORRECTLY NARROW IN SCOPE. I HAVE A 1996 F-350 WITH THE SAME 7.3L DIESEL ENGINE NOTED IN THE RECALL, AND HAD THE EXACT FAILURE DESCRIBED IN THIS RECALL. I HAD IT REPAIRED AT A FORD DEALERSHIP ON SEPT 21, 2007, AND CAN PROVIDE COMPLETE DOCUMENTED INFORMATION FROM THAT REPAIR. WHY DID FORD NOT INCLUDE F-SERIES TRUCKS THAT USE THE 7.3L ENGINE (SUCH AS THE F-350) IN THIS RECALL? WHY IS IT LIMITED TO 1997 AND NEWER? THERE ARE OTHER VEHICLES OUT THERE ON THE ROAD (SUCH AS MINE) THAT HAVE A SIMILAR POTENTIAL TO FAIL. THIS IS A DIFFICULT PROBLEM TO DIAGNOSE; THE DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE THE PROBLEM THE FIRST TIME I BROUGHT IT IN (JANUARY 2007). MY PROBLEM WENT ON FOR MORE THAN A YEAR (WITH MOMENTARY POWER LOSSES AND ENGINE STALLS SHORTLY AFTER STARTUP) BEFORE IT PROGRESSED TO SERIOUS DRIVABLE ISSUES THAT WERE FREQUENT ENOUGH THEY COULD BE DIAGNOSED BY THE FORD DEALER. CAMSHAFT SENSOR FAILURE CAUSES THE ENGINE COMPUTER TO MAKE THE ENGINE STALL. UNFORTUNATELY, AT THAT STAGE THE DRIVABLE ISSUES ALSO BECOME DANGEROUS. I AM SEEKING AN EXPANSION OF THIS RECALL TO COVER ALL VEHICLES AFFECTED BY THE CAM SENSOR FAILURES, AND REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE REPAIR EXPENSES I PAID THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED BY THIS RECALL. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD F350. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING AND HAD TO BE RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE CAM POSITION SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 77,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 53,396. UPDATED 03/04/08.*LJ
I HAVE A '96 FORD F350 WITH A 7.3L POWERSTROKE. MY TRUCK HAS BEEN STALLING INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. AND ON OCCASION, HAD CUT OUT COMPLETELY AND NOT COME RIGHT BACK WHICH LEAVES ME WITH NO POWER BRAKES, OR STEERING TO STOP THE VEHICLE, OR GET IT OFF THE ROAD. I STOPPED AT BANKSTON FORD IN FRISCO, TX TODAY TO ASK IF MY TRUCK WAS ON THE RECALL LIST, AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS NOT. THEY WOULD NOT FIX THE KNOWN PROBLEM, UNLESS I WAS WILLING TO PAY $380 FOR THE PART, AND ANOTHER 4HOURS OF LABOR. AS I UNDERSTAND IT, AND EVEN VERIFIED BY THEIR PARTS DEPARTMENT, THIS PART IS A $194 PART, OR A $36 PART. I WAS TOLD MY TRUCK IS THAT $194 SPECIAL ORDER PART. THERE WOULD BE NO REFUNDS IF I ORDERED IT WITH THEM. ALSO, WITH TALKING TO A FRIEND OF MINE THAT IS A MECHANIC AT FORD, THIS IS LESS THAN A 30 MINUTE JOB. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY MY TRUCK IS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST, WHEN THIS IS A KNOWN FORD PROBLEM. *TR
INTERMITTENT SHUT DOWN OF THE ENGINE. NEARLY RE-ENDED WHEN VEHICLE JUST STOPPED WHILE GOING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION. THE CAMSHAFT POSOTION SENSOR (CPS) FAILED. THIS IS A WELL KNOWN PROBLEM THAT FORD HAS DONE NOTHING ABOUT. IT'S DANGEROUS. *JB
VEHICLE STALLS AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, SOMETIMES VEHICLE WILL RESTART ON ITS OWN AND SOMETIMES IT WILL LIGHT THE "WAIT TO START" LIGHT AND YOU MUST WAIT TO MANUALLY RESTART. THIS LEAVES VEHICLE WITHOUT POWER STEERING OR POWER BRAKES. THIS HAS HAPPENED FOR THE LAST 1500 MILES OR SO. REPLACED THE CMP SENSOR TWICE AND NO TROUBLE CODES EXISTS IN COMPUTER.*AK
VEHICLE STALLS AT VARIOUS SPEEDS WITHOUT WARNING. SOMETIMES VEHICLE WILL RESTART ON ITS OWN. DEALER AND MECHANIC CANNOT DETERMINE CAUSE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
VEHICLE SUDDENLY SHUTS DOWN COMPLETELY WHILE IN OPERATION. TOTALLY LOST POWER.*AK
OIL PUMP FAILURE.
THE EMISSIONS TUBES HAVE CONSTANTLY BURNED OUT OF THIS TRUCK. THEY HAVE BEEN REPLACED NUMEROUS TIMES! THE DEALER STATED THAT THESE PARTICULAR PARTS HAVE BEEN REDESIGNED BY FORD TWICE. THIS DEFECT HAS CAUSED TWO MINOR FIRES IN THE FIREWALL. WE HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO GET A FULL ACCOUNTING OF ALL WORK DONE AT ALL THE DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS IT HAS BEEN IN. I KNOW FORD CAN PULL UP ALL WARRANTED WORK DONE BY VIN HOWEVER THEY WILL NOT DO SO. I WAS TOLD BY A FOREMAN AT A FORD TRUCK SERVICE CENTER IN CULLMAN, ALABAMA THAT THESE PARTICULAR TRUCKS WERE PRONE TO THIS DEFECT AND MOST PEOPLE DID NOT REALIZE THIS WAS A FACROTY PROBLEM AND TRADED THEM OFF. WE CANNOT AFFORD TO "TRADE IT OFF" AND WOULD BE LIABLE IF WE DID NOT LET PROPLE KNOW OF THIS PROBLEM. CURRENTLY OUR EXTENDED WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED AND ALL 4 TUBES ARE BURNOUT.*AK
THE SERPENTINE BELT TENSIONER IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. FORD HAS PUT OUT A TSB FOR THE TENSIONER. THE FAILING PART NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. WHEN THE BELT COMES OFF THE TENSIONER, AND THE PULLEYS UP FRONT, THE TRUCK LOSES POWER STEERING CAPABILITY AS WELL AS POWER BRAKE CAPABILITY. IF FOR EXAMPLE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE TRUCK, SHE WOULD PROBABLY HAVE AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE SHE IS NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO TURN OR PRESS THE BRAKES WITH ENOUGH FORCE TO OPERATE THE TRUCK TO A SAFE STOP. SO FAR I HAVE GONE THROUGH FIVE BELTS SINCE OCT 1995. I JUST FOUND OUT ABOUT THE TSB THROUGH A FRIEND WHO ALSO OWNS A POWERSTROKE ENGINE. THE TSB IS NUMBERED 96-17-19.
Trend Over Time
Complaints by year
Other Issues
Common problems reported
Quick Summary
The 1996 Ford F-350 has 11 Engine complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.