FaultScore

1996 Ford Econoline acceleration problems

12 of the 96 complaints about the 1996 Ford Econoline are about the throttle and cruise control — 13% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 111,000 miles.

F

12

Complaints

2

Crashes

5

Fires

1

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Vehicle Speed Control 6 50.0%
Cruise Control 5 41.7%
Accelerator Pedal 1 8.3%

Acceleration & Cruise Control across every Ford Econoline year

1992 19 28.8%
1993 11 16.7%
1994 13 19.7%
1996 12 18.2%
1999 11 16.7%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

Fork River, NJ

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD ECONOLINE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A SAFETY RECALL NOTICE FOR THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL IN FEBRUARY OF 2008. SINCE THAT TIME, HE HAS CALLED THE DEALER FIVE TIMES AND WAS INFORMED TO CALL BACK THE FOLLOWING WEEK. ON APRIL 2, 2008, HE WAS INFORMED TO CALL BACK IN AUGUST. THERE HAD BEEN NO FAILURE TO DATE. THE PURCHASE DATE, POWERTRAIN, AND RECALL NUMBER WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 124,000. UPDATED 04/16/08 *BF UPDATED 04/16/08

NHTSA complaint #10223161 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Tallahassee, FL

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL

1996 FORD ECONOLINE WITH FUSED JUMPER HARNESS RECALL. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE DEALER KEEPS TELLING HIM THAT THE PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE. CONSUMER IS VERY UPSET WITH THE UNSATISFACTORY WAY THIS RECALL IS BEING TAKEN CARE OF.

NHTSA complaint #10220615 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

White Bluff, TN

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD ECONOLINE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 07V336000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). THE DEALER REPLACED THE SWITCH A FEW MONTHS AGO; HOWEVER, FORD IS CURRENTLY SENDING THE CONTACT ANOTHER LETTER STATING THAT THE PART THEY REPLACED WAS STILL DEFECTIVE, AND HE NEEDS TO MAKE ANOTHER APPOINTMENT. THE LETTER REQUESTS THAT HE LEAVE THE VEHICLE AT THE DEALER WHILE IT IS BEING REPAIRED. THE CONTACT HAS BEEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE FOR YEARS AND WAS NOT AWARE THAT IT COULD CATCH FIRE. HE IS SCARED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. THERE HAD BEEN NO FAILURE TO DATE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 88,000.

NHTSA complaint #10219378 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 134,495 miles Atlanta, GA Fire

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD ECONOLINE. WHILE PARKED, THE VEHICLE BEGAN SMOKING AND THEN CAUGHT FIRE. THE FIRE ORIGINATED FROM THE CRUISE CONTROL AND DESTROYED ALL OF THE SWITCHES, BUTTONS, AND MIRROR ON THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR. THE CONTACT HAS PICTURES. UPDATED 5/20/08

NHTSA complaint #10219178 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 157,000 miles Wyandotte, MI Fire

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD ECONOLINE. AFTER THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN PARKED FOR 24 HOURS, IT BURST INTO FLAMES. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE INSURANCE INVESTIGATOR STATED THAT THE FIRE WAS CAUSED BY SOMETHING ELECTRICAL IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED. PERSONAL ITEMS THAT WERE IN THE YARD WERE BURNED AND DAMAGED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED LAST NOVEMBER FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 06V286000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). THE CRUISE CONTROL NEVER WORKED PROPERLY AFTER THE REPAIR WAS MADE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 157,000. UPDATED 02-19-08

NHTSA complaint #10205965 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 20,000 miles North Ridgeville, OH

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL

1996 FORD ECONOLINE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM REPEATEDLY CAUSED THE VAN TO BREAK DOWN. *KB THE AIR CONDITIONING COMPRESSOR SEIZED AND THE SERPENTINE BELT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE IGNITION MODULE WAS REPLACED. THE TIE RODS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED WHICH FAILED WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING. THE CRUISE CONTROL STOPPED WORKING AND THE ABS, AIR BAG AND ENGINE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED.

NHTSA complaint #10170132 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

North Augusta, SC Fire

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL

1996 CLUB WAGON CHATEAU THEFT ALARM CAME ON/OFF CAUSING VEHICLE NOT TO START THE NEXT MORNING. *TS THE ALARM ONCE AGAIN SOUNDED AND WAS TURNED OFF. A FEW HOURS LATER THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. THE VEHICLE'S CRUISE CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH HAD FAILED PRIOR TO THE CONSUMER RECEIVING THE RECALL NOTICE. ANOTHER VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED IN THE FIRE. THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS.

NHTSA complaint #10168031 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 111,000 miles Kingsley, MI Fire

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL

DRIVING DOWN EXPRESSWAY, STOPPED TO DROP NEWPHEW OFF VAN SMELLED HOT/BURNING OPENED HOOD FIRE PRESENT. CRUISE CONTROL PART ON RECALL FOR OTHER FORDS STARTED FIRE. PUT FIRE OUT. FORD REFUSES TO PAY FOR PART EVEN THOUGH EXACT PART ON RECALL, BECAUSE IT IS ON A VAN NOT A TRUCK. IT IS STILL THE SAME FAULTY PART AS THE TRUCKS. HAS BURNED CRUISE CONTROL, BRAKE FLUID CHAMBER ELECTRICAL WIRES UNDER IT AND SHORTED OUT ALTERNATOR.

NHTSA complaint #10147015 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 98,000 miles Center City, MN Fire

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL

DT: THE CONTACT STATED CRUISE CONTROL STOPPED WORKING. THE LOCAL REPAIR SHOP REPLACED A 15 AMP CIRCUIT BREAKER. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR APPROXIMATELY FIVE HOURS IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED. THE INSURANCE INVESTIGATOR COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE. *AK THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE FIRE WAS RELATED TO THE CRUISE CONTROL. UPDATED 12/07/05.

NHTSA complaint #10141269 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Clinton, MD Crash 1 injured

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

VAN WAS SLOWING GETTING UP SPEED THEN SURGED WHILE PARKING AND DID NOT STOP WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED. THE VAN HIT A PARKED PICKUP AND PUSHED IT UP THE PARKING LOT EMBARKMENT. THE ABC LIGHT CAME BEFORE THE ACCIDENT.

NHTSA complaint #759218 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Defiance, MO Crash

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

WHILE AT A STOP THE VAN ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN AND OVERRODE THE BRAKES. THIS PROBLEM CAUSED A CRASH IN APRIL OF 1997 AND SEVERAL NEAR MISSES. DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE PROBLEM, AND FIND OUT WHAT WAS CAUSING THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.

NHTSA complaint #853115 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Fennville, MI

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

TIRE FAILURE/BLOW OUT WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER BRAKED VEHICLE HOWEVER THE CRUISE CONTROL DID NOT DISENGAGE. WHEN REPAIR OF THE TIRE WAS COMPLETED THE CRUISE CONTROL WORKED FINE. MJS

NHTSA complaint #546074 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 1996 Ford Econoline problems

← Full 1996 Ford Econoline report