FordF-2502016Overview/ford/f-250/2016/base/
250 platform

2016 Ford F-250

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2016 F.

Body TRUCKTransmission Automatic (S6)

The 2016 Ford F-250 is a TRUCK built on the 250 platform, paired with an Automatic (S6) transmission and EPA fuel economy ratings of 18/24/21 mpg. Reliability records for this model year document 1,686 owner complaints with Service Brakes cited as the predominant concern, alongside 13 recalls. Against the backdrop of the model's 1990-2011 complaint history—which spanned from a low of 4 in 1990 to a high of 594 in 1999—the 2016 model year registers complaint volumes that exceed that historical peak, placing it outside the range observed in those earlier model years.

Model year2025202420232016

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

EPA fuel economy18/24/21 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 65 DIESEL · 750 DIESEL CCA battery. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 65 DIESEL · 750 DIESEL CCAOEM · verified
Tire sizeLT245/75R17EOEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (S6)

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length188.2 in
Overall width76 in
Overall height68.5 in
Wheelbase112.2 in
Curb weight3911 lb
Track (front / rear)65 / 64.6 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)58/42

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined18 / 24 / 21 mpg
DrivetrainRear-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the F of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

5.8–6.3 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 5.80 sec — 2016 F-150 Lariat FX4 SuperCrew 3.5L EcoBoost (5.6 ft. Bed)
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2016F-150 Lariat FX4 SuperCrew 3.5L EcoBoost (5.6 ft. Bed) 3.5L Twin-Turbo V65.80 sec14.60 sec365 hp4x4
2016F-150 Limited 3.5L EcoBoost SuperCrew (5.6 ft. Bed) 3.5L Twin-Turbo V65.80 sec14.50 sec365 hp4x4
2016F-150 Lariat SuperCrew (5.6 ft. Bed) 5.0L V86.30 sec14.90 sec385 hp4x4
2015F-150 Platinum FX4 3.5L EcoBoost SuperCrew (5.6 ft. Bed) 3.5L Twin-Turbo V65.60 sec14.40 sec365 hp4x4
2015F-150 XLT 2.7L EcoBoost SuperCab (6.6 ft. Bed) 2.7L Twin-Turbo V65.70 sec14.30 sec325 hp4x4
2015F-150 Platinum FX4 3.5L EcoBoost SuperCrew (5.6 ft. Bed) 3.5L Twin-Turbo V66.40 sec15.00 sec365 hp4x4
2015F-150 Lariat 2.7L EcoBoost SuperCab (6.6 ft. Bed) 2.7L Twin-Turbo V66.50 sec15.10 sec325 hp4x4
2017F-150 Raptor SuperCab (5.6 ft. Bed) 3.5L Twin-Turbo V65.00 sec13.70 sec450 hp4x4

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine Front: 80W- in the differential, DOT 4 brake fluid. The firing order is 1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity7.5-8.5
Brake FluidDOT 4
Differential Gear OilFront: 80W-
Engine CoolantUse orange coolant
Engine Coolant Capacity21.3 qt
Engine CoolantUse orange coolant
Engine Coolant Capacity10.8 qt
Engine Coolant Capacity21.3

Engine torques

Intake Manifold to Engine BoltsUpper: 7.4 ft/lbs; Lower: 18 ft/lbs

Chassis torques

Steering Track (Rod End) Bolts85.0 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8
Cylinder Firing Order1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.63-1.70 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity3.40-4.10 oz
Standard BCI Group Number65 DIESEL
Standard BCI Cranking Performance750 DIESEL cca
Standard BCI Group Number65

Service checks

Primary Fuel Pump Pressure53.0-73.0 Key on engine off. psi
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (With Vacuum)51-62 psi
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (With Vacuum)Diesel 53-73 psi

Brakes

Brake Caliper Bolt to Carrier Torque55
Brake Caliper Carrier to Hub Bolt TorqueFront: 166; Rear: 203
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.118; Rear: 0.118 in
Vented Rotor Minimum Thickness for Replacement1.433
Maximum Rotor Runout.002
Maximum Drum DiameterParking brake 8.157

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 97,500 mi; coolant every 45,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 45,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 10,000 miAir Filter Restriction Gauge (inspect) · Brake Drum Assembly (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · Diesel Emissions Fluid (fill)
Every 15,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake Drum Assembly (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · Drive Axle Assembly (inspect)
Every 22,500 miFuel Filter (replace)
Every 30,000 miTemperature Controlled Seat Air Filter (replace)
Every 45,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 60,000 miWheel Bearing (repack)
At 90,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)
Every 97,500 miSpark Plugs (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The provided federal record for this generation ends in 2011, meaning the dataset lacks the immediate years before and after 2016 for a direct year-over-year comparison. Across the documented arc from 1990 to 2011, complaint and recall volumes fluctuated significantly, peaking in years like 1999 (594 complaints, 19 recalls) and 2008 (337 complaints, 11 recalls), while recent years like 2011 saw 370 complaints and only 3 recalls. For the target year 2016, the federal record specifically highlights 257 Service Brakes complaints, 225 Power Train complaints, 160 Engine complaints, and 137 Structure complaints, alongside 48 crash complaints and 22 fire complaints; the data does not specify the root causes for these issues. Given the high concentration of brake and power train complaints and notable crash/fire counts in the 2016 data, buyers should proceed with caution and ensure any used model has a thoroughly verified service history for these specific systems before purchasing.

13
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
274
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
4
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
1,686
Owner complaints
48 involved a crash · 22 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Overall★★★★★
Frontal★★★★★
Side★★★★★
Rollover★★★★

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 1,686 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Service Brakes257
Power Train225
Engine160
Structure137
Unknown Or Other132
Visibility/Wiper74
Electrical System57
Wheels47

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 274 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
SSM 534952025-03-14Unknown Or OtherSome 2016-2020 F-150 vehicles may exhibit an illuminated malfunction indicator lamp (MIL)…
SSM 531742024-11-26Unknown Or OtherVarious vehicles equipped with a 2.7L or a 3.0L gas engine may require a crankshaft bolt…
TSB 24-21882024-07-24WheelsThis article supersedes TSB 22-2219 to update the Parts List and Service Procedure to…
TSB 24-21652024-05-27Unknown Or OtherThis article supersedes TSB 21-2175 to update the TSB Service Procedure. Some 2016 MKS…
SSM 524762024-04-24EquipmentAll accessory stick-on keyless entry keypads come with a wallet card containing the…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific F. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

Does the 2016 F have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 13 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the F get?

EPA figures are 18 city / 24 highway / 21 combined mpg.