Ford E250 Reliability
20 NHTSA complaints (1984–2006). Complaint rate: 384.6 per 1,000 vehicles.
Which Years to Buy & Avoid
Years auto-clustered by complaint volume relative to this model's median.
Bottom line: The 1989 Ford E250 had a notable spike in NHTSA complaints. Other years had typical complaint volumes. Most common issue across all years: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH.
Avoid These Years
Average
Better Years
No years stand out as significantly better.
A model's reputation is just the start.
Even within the “good” years, individual cars can have hidden accidents, title issues, or odometer rollbacks. Check the actual VIN before you buy — full history report for $4.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99).
Complaints by Model Year
NHTSA complaint count per model year
Common Ford E250 Problems
Most reported component complaints to NHTSA
| Component | Complaints | Crash % |
|---|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH | 4 | 0.0% |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:AUXILLARY TANK:SELECTOR DEVICES | 4 | 0.0% |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 2 | 0.0% |
Year-by-Year Breakdown
NHTSA complaint count per model year — click any year for full problems & recalls breakdown.
| Year | Generation | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | — | 2 | 0 | — | View 1984View→ |
| 1985 | — | 4 | 0 | 1 | View 1985View→ |
| 1988 | — | 2 | 0 | 1 | View 1988View→ |
| 1989AVOID | — | 7 | 1 | 1 | View 1989View→ |
| 1990 | — | 3 | 0 | — | View 1990View→ |
| 2006 | — | 2 | 0 | — | View 2006View→ |
See also: Ford E250accident & safety statistics from our vehicle history database.
Buying a Ford E250?
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