Total Complaints
5 filings
FORD F-450 SD · model year
1996 FORD F-450 SD
5 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1996FORDF-450 SD carries 5 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1996 F-450 SD is service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:disc with 1 filings, followed by service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:drum (1) and steering:hydraulic power assist system (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 177 investigation files overlapping the 1996 F-450 SD, and 8 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page, a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
5
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM | 1 |
| STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE | 1 |
| TIRES:TREAD/BELT | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20001010TIRES:TREAD/BELT
TREAD LOSS 10/29/1999, ONE TIRE, TREAD LOSS 7/28/2000, TWO TIRES. *AK (TIRESIZE: LT23585R16)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: LT23585R16 )
19980702SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC
WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES WITH A LOAD ON THE TRUCK, THE FRONT BRAKES LOCKED UP AND THE REAR BRAKES ARE INEFFECTIVE. DEALER HAS SEEN 3 TIMES. DEALER ADJUSTED BRAKE PROPORTIONING VALVE TO MAXIMUM SETTING AND REMOVED THE FACTORY INSTALLED TOGGLE WHICH PARTIALLY ALLEVIATED THE PROBLEM, CONSUMER STATED THAT FORD MOTOR COMPANY WOULD NOT COOPERATE. ALSO, FRONT BRAKES PRONE TO LOCK UP WHEN APPLY BRAKES ON WET OR SOFT FOOTTING UNDER NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, CONSUMER STATES THAT THERE IS A COLD START EXHUAST MANIFOLD LEAK. *AK *TT
19980702SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM
WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES WITH A LOAD ON THE TRUCK, THE FRONT BRAKES LOCKED UP AND THE REAR BRAKES ARE INEFFECTIVE. DEALER HAS SEEN 3 TIMES. DEALER ADJUSTED BRAKE PROPORTIONING VALVE TO MAXIMUM SETTING AND REMOVED THE FACTORY INSTALLED TOGGLE WHICH PARTIALLY ALLEVIATED THE PROBLEM, CONSUMER STATED THAT FORD MOTOR COMPANY WOULD NOT COOPERATE. ALSO, FRONT BRAKES PRONE TO LOCK UP WHEN APPLY BRAKES ON WET OR SOFT FOOTTING UNDER NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, CONSUMER STATES THAT THERE IS A COLD START EXHUAST MANIFOLD LEAK. *AK *TT
19980702STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES WITH A LOAD ON THE TRUCK, THE FRONT BRAKES LOCKED UP AND THE REAR BRAKES ARE INEFFECTIVE. DEALER HAS SEEN 3 TIMES. DEALER ADJUSTED BRAKE PROPORTIONING VALVE TO MAXIMUM SETTING AND REMOVED THE FACTORY INSTALLED TOGGLE WHICH PARTIALLY ALLEVIATED THE PROBLEM, CONSUMER STATED THAT FORD MOTOR COMPANY WOULD NOT COOPERATE. ALSO, FRONT BRAKES PRONE TO LOCK UP WHEN APPLY BRAKES ON WET OR SOFT FOOTTING UNDER NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, CONSUMER STATES THAT THERE IS A COLD START EXHUAST MANIFOLD LEAK. *AK *TT
19980702ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES WITH A LOAD ON THE TRUCK, THE FRONT BRAKES LOCKED UP AND THE REAR BRAKES ARE INEFFECTIVE. DEALER HAS SEEN 3 TIMES. DEALER ADJUSTED BRAKE PROPORTIONING VALVE TO MAXIMUM SETTING AND REMOVED THE FACTORY INSTALLED TOGGLE WHICH PARTIALLY ALLEVIATED THE PROBLEM, CONSUMER STATED THAT FORD MOTOR COMPANY WOULD NOT COOPERATE. ALSO, FRONT BRAKES PRONE TO LOCK UP WHEN APPLY BRAKES ON WET OR SOFT FOOTTING UNDER NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, CONSUMER STATES THAT THERE IS A COLD START EXHUAST MANIFOLD LEAK. *AK *TT
Compare 1996FORDF-450 SD to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 8 Open
EA26001Engineering AnalysisOpen
Unintended Transmission Downshift and Rear Wheel Lock-up
PE25020Preliminary EvaluationOpen
Timing Belt Failure
DP25001Defect PetitionOpen
Underbody shields detachment
PE25007Preliminary EvaluationOpen
B-Pillar Trim Detachment
PE25002Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Unintended Transmission Downshift and Rear Wheel Lock-up
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1996 FORD F-450 SD have?▼
The 1996 FORD F-450 SD has 5 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1996 FORD F-450 SD?▼
The most-complained component for the 1996 FORD F-450 SD is SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM and STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM.
Is the 1996 FORD F-450 SD safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.