Ford E-150 · model year

1990 Ford E-150

17 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

Complaints
17
Recalls
0

The verdict

The 1990 Ford E-150 posts below-average complaint volume among its own model-year siblings.

Top 42%
fewest complaints, own model years
0
recall campaigns

The 1990FordE-150 carries 17 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 1990 E-150 is vehicle speed control with 2 filings, followed by wheels:lugs/nuts/bolts/studs (2) and fuel system, gasoline:storage:auxillary tank:selector devices (2). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause.

NHTSA currently has 179 investigation files overlapping the 1990 E-150, and 6 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.

17
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
F
PlainCars Safety Score
0/100
1990 Ford E-150

PlainCars' own composite of NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings and rollover-risk assessment, each dimension normalized against the federal scale or the full national model-year corpus. Not an official NHTSA figure, and not a substitute for a specific vehicle's VIN-level recall check.

NHTSA Overall Rating N/A
Not rated
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program overall crash-test rating.
Front Crash N/A
Not rated
Frontal barrier crash-test rating.
Side Crash N/A
Not rated
Side barrier and pole crash-test rating.
Rollover Resistance N/A
Not rated
Static stability factor + dynamic rollover test rating.
Rollover Risk N/A
Not reported
NHTSA single-vehicle rollover probability, dynamic test.

Total Complaints

17 filings

Crashes Reported

1 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL2
WHEELS:LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS/STUDS2
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:AUXILLARY TANK:SELECTOR DEVICES2
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE2
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP1
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM1
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER1
STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR1
TIRES:TREAD/BELT1
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM1
UNKNOWN OR OTHER1

Recent Complaints

20210519CrashUNKNOWN OR OTHER

Picked up vehicle from auto shop, work had been done on the front brakes, engine temp sensor, heater blower relay, map sensor, throttle control position sensor and ECM had been replaced. Shortly after I got on the freeway the vehicle started to accelerate very quickly W/O pushing the gas pedal hit the brakes but only slowed from 65 mph to 60. Gas pedal did not move from middle position up or down and brakes seamed mushy. Cruise control was not on, tried switching it on then off. Could not slow down, so went to great effort to avoid hitting any other vehicles. trying to slow down for an off ramp came close to crashing off the the edge into a ditch.Tried the emergency brake and downshifting. Finally turned off the key and started slowing down, car lurched forward and hit a crosswalk button pole. Utility pole was damaged also cars bumper, grill, hood, radiator, brakes, possibly transmission. State patrol arrived, vehicle towed to tow yard lot. No ticket was issued. Vehicle never had this

20140515FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

WHILE DRIVING GAS STARTED TO SPILL OUT OF FRONT TANK AT CAP. VEHICLE HAS DUAL GAS TANKS. STOPPED AT LOCAL STORE AND TRIED TO FIGURE OUT WHY. TWO DAYS EARLIER HAD SMELLED GAS BUT DID NOT KNOW WERE IT WAS COMING FROM. WHEN I CAME OUT OF STORE TRUCK WOULD NOT START. TOOK TO MECHANIC HAD FUEL SYSTEM REPAIRED AND SELECTOR SWITCH BYPASSED. NOW RUNNING FINE . FOUND RECALL FOR FORD RECALL #91S39. CALLED FORD SAID DOES NOT APPLY TO MY VEHICLE. RECALL SAYS FORD E150 CLUB WAGONS 1989-1991 WITH DUAL TANKS HARD TO UNDERSTAND HOW MINE IS NOT COVERED. WOULD LIKE SOME EXPLANATION. *TR

Mileage: 129,000

20090821FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

GAS SPEWING FROM GAS CAP INPUT AREA DURING PERIODS OF WARM WEATHER. GAS CONTINUES TO SPEW REGARDLESS OF AMOUNT OF GAS IN EITHER TANK. HIGH POTENTIAL FOR FIRE AND LOSS OF LIFE. FORD KNOWS OF THIS PROBLEM AND IS SAYING THEY NEVER HAD A RECALL ON THIS SUBJECT. *TR

Mileage: 123,000

20090701FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

THERE IS A FUEL LEAK THAT BEGAN A WHILE BACK BUT ONLY WHEN BOTH TANKS WERE FULL. NOW THE LEAK IS SUBSTANTIAL AND SEEMS TO OCCUR EVEN WHEN LESS THAN FULL....BUT NOT AT ALL WHEN ABOUT HALF FULL. I AM NOT SURE OF WHEN I FIRST NOTICED THE OCCURRENCE BUT IT HAS BEEN QUITE SOME YEARS NOW. I WILL ENTER A DATE. *TR

Mileage: 50,000

20050702TIRES:TREAD/BELT

NO PREVIOUS EVENT BEFORE FAILURE. TIRE BECAME DEFORMED, PROBABLE CAUSE BELT SEPARATION. CAUSED SEVERE HANDLING PROBLEMS AT LOW SPEEDS. PLAN TO RETURN TIRE FOR REPLACEMENT.

20030220FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:AUXILLARY TANK:SELECTOR DEVICES

MY LOCAL FORD DEALER REFUSED TO SERVICE MY VEHICLE FOR THE FOLLOWING: NHTSA ID NO.: 91V-146 DATE OF COMPANY NOTIFICATION: 9-4-91 MAKE: FORD MODEL: ECONOLINE MODEL YEAR: 1989-91 MODEL: F-150, F-250, F-350 MODEL YEAR: 1989 NUMBER OF VEHICLES: 350,000 MFG. CAMPAIGN NO. 91S39. FUEL TANK, AUXILIARY. DOM: 2/89-2/91. DUAL FUNCTION FUEL RESERVOIR MAY MALFUNCTION AND CAUSE AN OVERFILL CONDITION IN ONE OF THE FUEL TANKS, RESULTING IN AN OVERFLOW OF FUEL PAST FILLER CAP. OVERFLOW OF FUEL PAST FILLER CAP CAUSES A FUEL LEAKAGE, WHICH CAN RESULT IN FIRE WHEN EXPOSED TO A SOURCE OF IGNITION. CORRECT BY REPLACING DUAL FUNCTION FUEL RESERVOIRS WITH NEW RESERVOIRS CONTAINING O-RINGS OF A REVISED MATERIAL. THEY SAID THIS APPLIES ONLY TO THE PICK-UPS, AND NOT THE ECONOLINE VAN. ANOTHER DEALER SAY THAT VIN NUMBER INDICATED THAT THIS WAS COMPLETED ALREADY, WHICH I KNOW WAS NOT... I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER... AND IS THE EXACT PROBLEM I AM HAVING IS STATED ABOVE... THE FUEL IS SPILLING O

Mileage: 165,987

20020820WHEELS:LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS/STUDS

WHILE IN MOTION, THE LEFT REAR TIRE SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE WHEN THE LUG NUTS BACKED OUT. *JG

20011206FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:AUXILLARY TANK:SELECTOR DEVICES

NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 91V146000 COVERS THIS 1990 MODEL, BUT FORD SAYS NOT PART OF RECALL ALTHOUGH THE SAME EXACT FAILURE DID OCCUR WITH GAS/FUEL SPILL INSIDE ENCLOSED GARAGE. REAR TANK RETURN WAS TO FRONT TANK FORCING FUEL OVERFLOW. *AK

20011030STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING AT NEIGHBORHOOD SPEEDS WHEN WITHOUT WARNING STEERING WHEEL BROKE WAY FROM COLUMN. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

20000814WHEELS:LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS/STUDS

LEFT REAR WHEEL STUDS BROKE OFF RESULTING IN THE WHEEL COMING OFF WHILE DRIVING CAUSING DAMAGE TO VEHICLE (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT). *MJS

19970529SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER

UPON DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL THE FRONT BRAKE CALIPER BECOMES VERY HOT, RESULTING IN COMPLETE LOSS OF BRAKING ABILITY. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, CALIPER WAS REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

19970325FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

VEHICLE STALLED THREE TIMES, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL DUE TO ELECTRONIC FUEL PUMP FAILING.

19961231VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

SUDDEN ACCELERATION, CAUSING ACCIDENT.

19960711FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM

VACUUM LEAK IN FUEL INJECTION AIR PLENUM CAUSES ENGINE TO SURGE. *DH

19960416SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP

BRAKE AND ABS WARNING LIGHT STAY ILLUMINATED. CAUSING THEM TO MALFUNCTION. *AK

19950615FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY

SEAMS OF FRONT/REAR FUEL TANK FAILED, CAUSING TANKS TO LEAK. *AW

19950517VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

VEHICLE ACCELERATOR STUCK, RESULTING IN ACCELERATION. TT

Compare 1990FordE-150 to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 6 Open

View all investigations

Vehicle Safety Guides

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1990 Ford E-150 have?
The 1990 Ford E-150 has 17 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1990 Ford E-150?
The most-complained component for the 1990 Ford E-150 is VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include WHEELS:LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS/STUDS and FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:AUXILLARY TANK:SELECTOR DEVICES.
Is the 1990 Ford E-150 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.

Data vintage: August 2026. 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.

Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 1990 Ford E-150; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.