Ford E-250 Best and Worst Years by Owner Complaints
We rank Ford E-250 model years by the number of owner complaints filed with NHTSA, from fewest to most. Complaint counts aren't failure rates: years that sold more cars, or that are older, can show more reports. We rank only model years at least five years old, because newer ones are still collecting reports. Among settled years shown, the 2016 drew the fewest (1) and the 1999 the most (31).
Complaints filed by model year
Every year compared
| Most-reported component | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 Among the fewest complaints |
1 | 0 | Steering | — | — |
| 2022 | 1 | 0 | Power train | — | — |
| 2009 Among the fewest complaints |
2 | 17 | Engine | — | — |
| 2017 Among the fewest complaints |
2 | 0 | Steering | — | — |
| 2007 | 6 | 26 | Air bags | — | — |
| 2008 | 6 | 21 | Engine | — | — |
| 2011 | 6 | 16 | Engine | — | — |
| 2014 | 7 | 11 | Engine | — | — |
| 2004 | 8 | 16 | Electrical system | — | — |
| 2012 | 8 | 12 | Electrical system | — | — |
| 2010 | 9 | 11 | Electrical system | — | — |
| 2005 | 11 | 9 | Air bags | — | — |
| 2013 | 11 | 11 | Tires | — | — |
| 2006 | 12 | 29 | Electrical system | — | — |
| 1998 | 16 | 5 | Engine and engine cooling | — | — |
| 2002 | 17 | 5 | Service brakes | — | — |
| 2003 | 17 | 7 | Electrical system | — | — |
| 2000 Among the most complaints |
18 | 5 | Service brakes | — | — |
| 2001 Among the most complaints |
18 | 3 | Engine and engine cooling | — | — |
| 1999 Among the most complaints |
31 | 6 | Engine and engine cooling | — | — |
Sources: NHTSA ODI complaints, NHTSA recalls, NHTSA NCAP, EPA; retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
What owners reported in the Ford E-250 years with the most complaints
These settled model years drew the most owner complaints to NHTSA. The share in brackets is the part of that year’s complaints that names each component; one complaint can name several.
1999 Ford E-250: 31 complaints
Most-reported: Engine and engine cooling 8 (26%); Service brakes 7 (23%); Tires 7 (23%).
Reports mention 1 crash, 1 fire, 4 injuries. Typical odometer reading when owners filed: 59,555 miles. 6 recall campaigns listed.
2001 Ford E-250: 18 complaints
Most-reported: Engine and engine cooling 10 (56%); Suspension 2 (11%); Tires 2 (11%).
Reports mention 1 crash, 3 fires, 1 injury. Typical odometer reading when owners filed: 120,000 miles. 3 recall campaigns listed.
2000 Ford E-250: 18 complaints
Most-reported: Service brakes 5 (28%); Suspension 4 (22%); Electrical system 2 (11%).
Reports mention 3 crashes, 2 fires, 2 injuries. 5 recall campaigns listed.
The Ford E-250 years with the fewest complaints
2016 Ford E-250: 1 complaints
Most-reported: Steering 1 (100%); Suspension 1 (100%).
0 recall campaigns listed.
2009 Ford E-250: 2 complaints
Most-reported: Engine 1 (50%); Vehicle speed control 1 (50%).
Reports mention 1 crash. 17 recall campaigns listed.
2017 Ford E-250: 2 complaints
Most-reported: Steering 1 (50%); Suspension 1 (50%).
0 recall campaigns listed.
Crashes, fires and injuries in Ford E-250 owner reports
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injuries | Deaths | Typical miles at filing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2017 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2016 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2014 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2013 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2012 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2011 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2010 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2009 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2008 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — |
| 2007 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2006 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 0 | — |
| 2005 | 11 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — |
| 2004 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2003 | 17 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 50,103 |
| 2002 | 17 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 40,000 |
| 2001 | 18 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 120,000 |
| 2000 | 18 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — |
| 1999 | 31 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 59,555 |
| 1998 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
Owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA. “Typical miles” is the median odometer reading in complaints that gave one (shown when at least 10 did). Source: NHTSA ODI complaints, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Largest Ford E-250 recalls
- SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH/OVERHEATS (1992–2003 model years; 4,500,000 vehicles across all models; filed Oct 2009; 09V399000)
- SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH (1992–2003 model years; 3,600,000 vehicles across all models; filed Aug 2007; 07V336000)
- SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH/SUPPLEMENT (1994–1996 model years; 1,200,000 vehicles across all models; filed Aug 2006; 06V286000)
- FUEL:FUEL TANK:AUXILLARY SELECTOR AND SWITCH (1989–1991 model years; 350,000 vehicles across all models; filed Sep 1991; 91V146000)
- FORD/AIR FILTER (2003–2004 model years; 253,076 vehicles across all models; filed Sep 2004; 04V445000)
All 84 Ford E-250 recall campaigns · Ford E-250 problems, recalls and mpg by year · Used car inspection checklist
What the numbers can't tell you
- Sales volume. NHTSA publishes no sales figures with complaints, so a popular year draws more reports even if each car is no worse.
- Recent years are under-counted. Owners file reports for years after purchase; the newest model years will keep growing.
- The individual car. Maintenance, mileage and repairs matter more for one used car than any model-year average. Get a pre-purchase inspection and check open recalls by VIN.
Ford E-250 years FAQ
Which Ford E-250 year has the fewest complaints?
Among the model years shown whose counts have settled, the 2016 has the fewest owner complaints filed with NHTSA (1). That is a count of reports, not a measure of reliability.
Does fewer complaints mean a more reliable car?
Not necessarily. Complaint counts depend on how many cars were sold, how old they are and how many owners file reports. Use them to spot patterns worth asking about, alongside recalls, crash tests and a pre-purchase inspection.
Are there Ford E-250 years to avoid?
No model year is officially one to avoid. By owner complaints to NHTSA, the settled years with the most reports are the 1999, 2001 and 2000 models, and across all years the most-reported problem area is the engine and engine cooling. Compare those years with the ones that drew the fewest reports, then check any specific car for open recalls by VIN and get a pre-purchase inspection.
What is the most common Ford E-250 problem?
Across the model years shown, owners most often report problems with the engine and engine cooling (30 of 207 complaints list it). Each model-year report breaks the complaints down by component.
How many recalls does the Ford E-250 have?
NHTSA lists 84 recall campaigns covering the Ford E-250. See every one, with official wording and repair rates, on the Ford E-250 recall page.
Why are newer years left out of fewest and most?
Owners keep filing complaints for years after a car is sold. We mark the two newest model years as still collecting reports, and we only rank years that are at least five years old.
How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes
Data sources
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - US DOT recall completion rates (data.transportation.gov)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA ODI owner complaints
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA NCAP 5-Star Safety Ratings
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EPA fuel economy data (licence confirmation pending)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EIA weekly retail gasoline prices
Weekly, all taxes included
Processing
- Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
- Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.
Limitations
- Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
- Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
- Recent model years are still collecting reports.
Review
Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.
Changelog
- 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.