There are 14 owner-reported fuel system complaints for the 1996 Ford F-250in NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
A MALFUNCTIONING CHECK VALVE WITHIN THE FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY CAUSES A PORTION OF THE UNUSED FUEL FROM ONE TANK TO BE RETURNED TO THE SECOND TANK. WHEN THIS OCCURS, THE CAPACITY OF THE SECOND TANK CAN BE EXCEEDED, CAUSING FUEL SPILLAGE. ABOUT 5 GALLONS OF FUEL SPILLED OUT OF FILL TUBE.
FUEL RUNNING OUT FOUNT TANK IN DRIVEWAY WITH SELECTOR ON REAR TANK
EXCESS FUEL FROM REAR TANK IS RETURNED TO FRONT TANK CAUSING FUEL OVERFILL AND FUEL LEAK.
FRONT FUEL TANK STOPPED WORKING. VEHICLE RUNS USING REAR FUEL TANK. IF I TAKE OFF THE FRONT TANK FUEL CAP, GAS POURS OUT SOMETIMES SPRAYS ( ABOUT 8 OUNCES OR SO) . FRONT FUEL TANK SEEMS TO BECOME PRESSURIZED. THIS CAN HAPPEN EVERY TIME YOU DRIVE IT ( IF YOU REMOVE THE FRONT CAP). IN MY OPINION THIS IS A DEFINITE SAFETY HAZARD THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. I DID SOME SEARCHES ON THE INTERNET AND THIS PROBLEM IS QUITE COMMON. BIG FIRE HAZARD.
FUEL SPILLS FROM REAR TANK WHEN FUELING FRONT TANK. ENGINE SPUTTERS AND QUITS WHILE RUNNING DUE TO FUEL PRESSURE FAILURE..
A MALFUNCTIONING CHECK VALVE WITHIN THE FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY CAUSES A PORTION OF THE UNUSED FUEL FROM ONE TANK TO BE RETURNED TO THE SECOND TANK. WHEN THIS OCCURS, THE CAPACITY OF THE SECOND TANK CAN BE EXCEEDED, CAUSING FUEL SPILLAGE. *TR
THE AIR/FUEL SEPARATOR (SIMILAR TO A THROTTLE BODY) ON MY 1996 FORD F250 DIESEL DEVELOPED A HOLE AWAY FROM ANY MOVING PART. IT SPRAYED FUEL AT ABOUT A GALLON A MINUTE ONTO THE HOT ENGINE AS MY WIFE PULLED INTO OUR DRIVEWAY. IT COULD HAVE CAUSED A FIRE GOING DOWN THE ROAD WITH GALLONS OF FUEL ALL OVER THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND FUEL ALL DOWN THE BOTTOM OF MY TRUCK AND 30 FOOT TRAILER. THE LOCAL FORD DEALER SAID THIS IS VERY COMMON ON MY YEAR PICKUP AND THEY REPLACE THEM REGULARLY WHEN THEY LEAK. I TOOK DIGITAL PHOTOS AND KEPT THE PART. I CONTACTED FORD AND THEIR ATTITUDE WAS WHO CARES. SOMEONE NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING BEFORE PEOPLE DIE. MY PREVIOUS 1996 FORD F250 BURNED TO THE GROUND IN MY DRIVEWAY AFTER SITTING WITH NO PEOPLE AROUND FOR 3 HOURS. THAT FIRE WAS THE CRUISE CONTROL THAT WAS RECALLED A FEW MONTHS AFTER THE INSURANCE COMPANY REPLACED THAT FIRST TRUCK. THIS COULD BE FAR WORSE WITH FUEL SOAKING EVERYTHING BEFORE THE FIRE WHILE TRAVELING AT SPEED. FORTUNATELY, MY WIFE SMELLED FUEL AS SHE PULLED INTO THE DRIVEWAY, INSPECTED AND FOUND FUEL RUNNING OUT ONTO THE GROUND OFF THE TOP OF THE ENGINE AND HOSED EVERYTHING DOWN. *NM
1996 FORD F250 PICKUP WITH DUAL GAS TANKS HAD MALFUNCTIONING CHECK VALVE IN FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY IN ONE TANK WHICH CAUSED UNUSED FUEL TO BE RETURNED TO SECOND TANK WHICH CAUSED CONSTANT OVERFLOW AND FUEL SPILLAGE. FUEL PUMP ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED WHICH CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. THIS SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED IN 1989 TO 1993 FORD F250 PICKUPS AND RESULTED IN A RECALL TO FIX THE PROBLEM. *NM
THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE PARKED, POSSIBLY DUE TO FUEL TANK PROBLEMS. TS *JB
THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS LEFT IN THE "ON" POSITION WHILE VEHICLE WAS NOT RUNNING FOR APPROXIMATELY SEVEN HOURS, APPARENTLY THE FUEL PUMP WAS NOT TOLD BY PRESSURE REGULATOR OR COMPUTER TO TURN OFF. FUEL PUMP PUMPED APPROXIMATELY FIFTEEN GALLONS OF FUEL INTO MOTOR, BY NOT KNOWING THIS AT THE TIME OF TRYING TO START VEHICLE A FIRE STARTED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, WITHIN MINUTES THE ENTIRE VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES, VEHICLE WAS TOTALLY DESTROYED, LUCKILY NO ONE WAS HURT OR KILLED. FIRE DEPT. POLICE ON THE SCENE OF INCIDENT, PLEASE PURSUE THIS ISSUE SO THAT IT WILL NOT HAPPEN TO OTHER INNOCENT PEOPLE AND POSSIBLY CAUSE FATALITIES, I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED, AND ALSO MY FAMILY, I ALSO LOST A VERY NICE TRUCK AS THE RESULT OF THIS INCIDENT, I FEEL THAT FORD MOTOR COMPANY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS INCIDENT. THEY ARE ALSO RESPONSIBLE FOR THE LOSS OF MY VEHICLE WHICH SHOULD BE REPLACED BY FORD MOTOR CO. I ALSO FEEL THAT A THOROUGH INVESTIGATION SHOULD BE DONE ON THE VEHICLE, TO REPAIR AND/OR REPLACE DEFECTIVE PARTS SO THAT FATALITIES WILL NOT HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE. FORD MOTOR CO. WAS CONTACTED, AND THEY WROTE ME A LETTER STATING THAT THEY WERE NOT RESPONSIBLE AND THAT ALSO NOTHING WOULD BE DONE TO SOLVE THIS MATTER AND NOTHING TO REPLACE MY VEHICLE. PLEASE CONTACT ME SO THAT THIS MATTER CAN BE INVESTIGATED THOROUGHLY. MY FIRST CONTACT WITH FORD MOTOR CO. WAS THAT FORD WANTED ME TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS TO SEND MY TRUCK TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER TO INVESTIGATE THE CAUSE, THEN A SHORT TIME LATER I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM FORD MOTOR CO. STATING THAT THEY WERE FINISHED AND DID NOT WANT TO EVEN SEE THE VEHICLE. PLEASE RESPOND , AS THOUGH YOU SEE THAT FORD MOTOR CO. IS NOT ! THANK YOU,. ROBERT ROBINSON III. 2958 CEMETERY RD. XENIA, OHIO 45385. MR
RECALL 93 V 125 000/FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY: PORTION OF UNUSED FUEL FROM ONE TANK HAD TO BE RETURNED TO THE SECOND TANK, THE SECOND TANK EXCEEDED, CAUSING FUEL SPILLAGES. SPILLING COULD RESULT IN A FIRE WHEN EXPOSED TO A SOURCE OF IGNITION. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER RECALL DUE TO VIN. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
FUEL PUMPS FROM REAR TANK TO FRONT TANK, CAUSING OVERFILLING AND SPILLAGE RESULTING IN FIRE HAZARD.*AK
WHEN FILLING FUEL TANK FUEL IS BEING PUMPED FROM FRONT TO BACK TANK, TANK WILL OVERFLOW AND SPILL FUEL. CONSUMER ONLY FILLS TANKS HALFWAY TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING.*AK
WHILE DRIVING THE FUEL SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING THE FUEL TO LEAK OUT. IF A SOURCE OF IGNITION OCCURRED IT MAYHAVE STARTED A FIRE. PROBLEM REOCCURRING. DEALER REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP AND ALL FUEL LINES. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS. *AK
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026