Total Complaints
11 filings
FORD E-250 · model year
1991 FORD E-250
11 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1991FORDE-250 carries 11 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1991 E-250 is power train:automatic transmission with 4 filings, followed by power train:driveline (1) and tires:tread/belt (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 177 investigation files overlapping the 1991 E-250, and 8 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page, a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
11
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 4 |
| POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE | 1 |
| TIRES:TREAD/BELT | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS | 1 |
| TIRES | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:AUXILLARY TANK:SELECTOR DEVICES | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20110421FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
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.
Mileage: 150,000
20041110POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
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, MASSIVE DAMAGE AND FAILURE. THIS MALFUNCTION COULD HAVE CAUSED A FIRE, PROPERTY DAMAGE, OR WORSE A CRASH WITH INJURIES OR DEATH.
20021114FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
CONSUMER STATES HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AS RECALL#91V146000 FUEL TANK. DEALER WILL NOT REPAIR BECAUSE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. MR
20021031FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:AUXILLARY TANK:SELECTOR DEVICES
NHTSA#6238-91-V-146-000 FUEL TANK: THE DUAL TANK SELECTOR VALVE MAY MALFUNCTION AND CAUSE AN OVERFILL CONDITION IN ONE OF THE FUEL TANKS CONSUMER STATES HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED ON SIMILAR MAKES AND MODELS, HOWEVER THIS VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO THE VIN. *TS *JB
20010807TIRES
TIRE BEEN PUNCTURED AND WATER HAD DAMAGED STEEL CAUSING THEM TO RUST. NO RUST FOUND AT THE TIME OF FREAD COMING OFF.
20010316SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR NO BRAKES WHATSOEVER. *AK
20001002TIRES:TREAD/BELT
PE000020; FIRESTONE, STEEL TEX RADIAL R4S REPLACEMENT TIRE ON A 1991, FORD, F250. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH ON HIGHWAY RIGHT REAR TIRE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE. *AK THE VIBRATION WAS VERY INTENSE. *YH
19961231POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION LEAKS/SHIFTS HARD/JERKS.
19961231POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION CAUSING, LOUD BANG.
19961231POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE
DRIVETRAIN CAUSING, JERK AND LOST OF CONTROL.
19961231POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION BLEW.
Compare 1991FORDE-250 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 8 Open
EA26001Engineering AnalysisOpen
Unintended Transmission Downshift and Rear Wheel Lock-up
PE25020Preliminary EvaluationOpen
Timing Belt Failure
DP25001Defect PetitionOpen
Underbody shields detachment
PE25007Preliminary EvaluationOpen
B-Pillar Trim Detachment
PE25002Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Unintended Transmission Downshift and Rear Wheel Lock-up
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1991 FORD E-250 have?▼
The 1991 FORD E-250 has 11 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1991 FORD E-250?▼
The most-complained component for the 1991 FORD E-250 is POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION with 4 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE and TIRES:TREAD/BELT.
Is the 1991 FORD E-250 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.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. 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.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.