U.S. public vehicle records

Ford E-250 problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

272 owner complaints analyzed

73 distinct recall campaigns

59,555 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 1990 to 2023 model years. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 161 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Tires is the most frequently named component, appearing in 20 of 272 complaints (7.4%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Braking behavior	55	20.2%
Steering behavior	23	8.5%
Transmission and shifting	18	6.6%
Fuel system concerns	14	5.1%
Electrical and battery issues	13	4.8%
Engine operation	7	2.6%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Tires

Tires:Tread/Belt

Electrical System

Engine And Engine Cooling

Engine

Vehicle Speed Control

Unknown Or Other

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

Tires: 20; Tires:Tread/Belt: 18; Electrical System: 15; Engine And Engine Cooling: 14; Engine: 13; Vehicle Speed Control: 12; Unknown Or Other: 11; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 10

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 44; 25,000 to 49,999: 27; 50,000 to 74,999: 19; 75,000 to 99,999: 20; 100,000 to 149,999: 30; 150,000 and above: 21

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (44). 111 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

1995

1996

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

2025

1995: 3; 1996: 3; 2000: 26; 2001: 20; 2002: 16; 2003: 20; 2004: 20; 2005: 16; 2006: 15; 2007: 10; 2008: 13; 2009: 9; 2010: 16; 2011: 10; 2012: 6; 2013: 6; 2014: 11; 2015: 3; 2016: 4; 2017: 14; 2018: 5; 2019: 3; 2020: 7; 2021: 4; 2022: 7; 2023: 2; 2024: 2; 2025: 1

Pattern summary

Tires leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 55 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 23 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 18 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 742025 · 2001-03-06 (March 6, 2001)

BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR NO BRAKES WHATSOEVER. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 742025 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10020047 · 2003-05-19 (May 19, 2003)

THE BRAKE ROTORS ARE WORN AND WHEN THE CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKE THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10020047 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10068368 · 2004-05-05 (May 5, 2004)

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAYTHE HOOD FLEW OPEN AND SHATTERED THE WINDSHIELD THE WINDSHEILD WAS 3 INCHES FROM THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN INSPECTING THE HOOD I FOUND THAT THE METAL THAT THE HOOD CATCH GRABS ON TO TORE OUT I OWN 3 92 FORD VAN 1 E 150 AND 2 E 250 I CHECKED THE HOODS ON THEM ,AND FOUND THAT THEY TO ARE READY TO BRAKE TO THE SHEET METAL THEY USE CRACKS. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10068368 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10020660 · 2003-05-28 (May 28, 2003)

STEERING BOX FAILURE. SET SCREW ON RACE NUT BACKED OUT CAUSING GEAR RACE NUT TO COMPLETELY BACK OUT CAUSING GEAR INPUT SHAFT TO MOVE AND BIND ON GEAR VALVE HOUSING. THIS CAUSED MY STEERING TO LOCK UP TO THE RIGHT AND FORCE ME OFF THE FREEWAY AT 45 MPH.

Owner-reported narrative. 81,070 miles reported. Look up ODI 10020660 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10098621 · 2004-11-10 (November 10, 2004)

HUSBAND WAS TRAVELING ON INTERSTATE, APPROX. 65MPH. SUDDEN METALLIC NOISES AND RUMBLING. PULLED OVER SAFELY TO FIND REAR OF TRANSMISSION HOUSING HAS LOST SEVERAL LARGE CHUNKS, LEAVING A GAPING HOLE APROXIMATELY 10 INCHES BY 4 INCHES. TOWED TO REPAIR FACILITY. MECHANIC COULD NOT REMOVE DRIVE LINE FROM TAIL PIECE OF TRANSMISSION. HE CONTACTED A SPECIALLIST WHO INFORMED HIM THAT CERTAIN FORD TRANSMISSIONS OF CERTAIN YEARS, INCLUDING '91, HAD A DEFECT CAUSING THEM TO NOT GET LUBRICANT TO THE REAR PART OF THE TRANSMISSION, CAUSING OVERHEATING, …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10098621 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10018806 · 2003-05-16 (May 16, 2003)

SHORTLY AFTER DELIVERY OF MY 1992 E250 (CA), WHEN MAKING SLOW SHARP TURNS FORWARD THE REAR-END WOULD "CHATTER". DEALER LOOSENED DIFFERENTIAL AND CHATTER STOPPED, BUT NOW IT RUMBLED WHEN DE-ACCELERATING. TOOK BACK AND THEY TIGHTENED - CHATTER RETURNED, TOOK BACK AND THEY LOOSENED IT SOMEWHAT - LESS RUMBLE BUT IT WAS OK. NOW AT 62,000 MILES IT IS RUMBLING A LOT MORE WHEN DEACCELERATING AND ALSO WHENEVER TRANSMISSION SHIFTS TO A HIGHER GEAR - SOMETIMES A LOT.

Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10018806 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10990538 · 2017-05-19 (May 19, 2017)

CAN'T SWITCH FROM FRONT AUX. GAS TANK TO REAR MAIN GAS TANK, AND GAS GAUGE NOT FUNCTIONING. VERY SLOW FILLING AND NOTICED GAS COMING OUT OF FILLER SPOUT. THIS VAN IS NEW TO ME AND JUST NOTICED THESE PROBLEMS THIS MONTH MAY 1/2017

Owner-reported narrative. 88,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10990538 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10396997 · 2011-04-21 (April 21, 2011)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1991 FORD E-250. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RESERVE TANK BEGAN SPILLING OVER INTO THE MAIN FUEL TANK AND CAUSING THE FUEL TANK TO OVERFLOW. THE FAILURE WAS CAUSING THE MAIN TANK TO SPILL INTO THE RESERVE AS WELL. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 91V146000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE: STORAGE: AUXILLARY TANK: SELECTOR DEVICES), BUT WAS TOLD BY THE MANUFACTURER THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 200,000.

Owner-reported narrative. 150,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10396997 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10232234 · 2008-06-25 (June 25, 2008)

THERE IS A PRESSURE SWITCH ON MY MASTER CYLINDER OF THE BRAKING SYSTEM. THERE IS O LISTED RECALL FOR MY PICKUP TRUCK HOW EVER AFTER ABOUT $900.00 AND 2 DIFFERENT AUTO SHOPS I FOUND THIS SWITCH TO BE THE DEFECTIVE PART AND WHEN I WENT TO THE DEALER JIM CLICK OF TUSCON AZ AND THE PARTS GUY GAVE ME THE PART I REQUESTED I QUESTIONED THE WIRING HARNESS ADAPTOR AND WHY THE SWITCH WAS NOT THE SAME AS I BROUGHT HIM. HE STATED WELL THERE WAS A LOT OF FAILURES WITH THE OLD DESIGN AND IT WAS A RECALL I STATED WELL SHOULDN'T THE PART BE FREE NO RESPONSE -…

Owner-reported narrative. 151,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10232234 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10219055 · 2008-02-25 (February 25, 2008)

I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE TO INSTALL A FUSED WIRING HARNESS FOR MY BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER IN AUGUST AND HAD THE WORK DONE. NOW I HAVE RECEIVED ANOTHER RECALL NOTICE WHICH STATES THAT FOMOCO "HAS DECIDED THAT A DEFECT WHICH RELATES TO MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY EXISTS IN A FUSED JUMPER HARNESS THE WAS INSTALLED IN YOUR VEHICLE WHEN IT WAS SERVICED." THIS APPEARS TO BE A RECALL OF THE HARNESS THAT WAS INSTALLED AS PART OF THE FIRST RECALL. I CALLED THE LOCAL FORD DEALER AND THEY WERE UNAWARE OF A SECOND RECALL AND SAID THEY H…

Owner-reported narrative. 64,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10219055 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 897207 · 2001-10-02 (October 2, 2001)

WHEN KEY IS IN IGNITION BUILT-IN INTERLOCK CAUSES VEHICLE NOT TO START. ACCOURDING TO MANUFACTURER'S CARD, WOULD NEED TO PRESS ON BRAKES/ SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL, AND PLAY OR JIGGLE KEY IN IGNITION TO GET VEHICLE STARTED. VEHICLE AT TIMES CAN STALL IN TRAFFIC, AND IS A SAFETY HAZARD. NOT AT DEALERSHIP.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 897207 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 895637 · 2001-08-31 (August 31, 2001)

WHILE WAITING AT STOP LIGHT OR SIGN VEHICLE WOULD IDLE ROUGHLY. WOULD JERK FORWARD WITH FOOT ON BRAKE. SOMETIMES WOULD ALMOST STALL OUT WHEN AT A STOP. BEEN TO DEALER, AND NOTHING COULD BE FOUND. IT WAS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 895637 at NHTSA ↗

Compare model years

Recalls by model year

All campaigns in the snapshot affecting each model year, including recalls announced years later.

From yearThrough year

Recall campaigns

Shared campaigns appear once in each affected model year.