Total Complaints
14 filings
Ford E-250 · model year
1994 Ford E-250
14 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
- 14
- Recalls
- 0
The verdict
The 1994 Ford E-250 posts above-average complaint volume among its own model-year siblings.
- 34th pctile
- complaint volume, own model years
- 0
- recall campaigns
The 1994FordE-250 carries 14 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, 1 injury, 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 1994 E-250 is steering:linkages:knuckle:spindle:arm with 1 filings, followed by service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:disc:pads (1) and service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (1). 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 1994 E-250, 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.
14
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths
F
PlainCars Safety Score
0/100
1994 Ford E-250
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.
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
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| STEERING:LINKAGES:KNUCKLE:SPINDLE:ARM | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1 |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 1 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH | 1 |
| TIRES:TREAD/BELT | 1 |
| LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20190311SERVICE BRAKES
REAR ABS MODULE FAILED. CAUSING OVER PRESSURIZATION OF FRONT BRAKES RESULTING IN PASSENGER SIDE BRAKE HOSE SEPARATION. SO NO REAR OR FRONT BRAKES! THANK GOD IT HAPPENED NEAR MY DRIVEWAY OTHERWISE PEOPLE COULD DIE. I HAD JUST REENTERED DRIVERS SEAT AND RELEASED PARKING BRAKE AND ENGAGED BRAKE PEDAL WITH 1 FOOT. VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY POINTED IN A STRAIGHT LINE.
Mileage: 105,025
20091116POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 FORD E250. THE TRANSMISSION SLIPS GEARS WHEN DRIVING BETWEEN 0-55 MPH. ALSO WHEN DRIVING UP- HILL OR DOWN- HILL, THE TRANSMISSION WILL SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FIVE TIMES FOR INSPECTION. THE TORQUE CONVERTER WAS REPLACED, AND THE TRANSMISSION WAS REBUILT. NONE OF THE REPAIRS HAVE REMEDIED THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000 THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS OVER 300,000.
Mileage: 75,000
20061026SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE
ALB ARE A DANGER TO DRIVER IN WET ROADS WHEN YOU GO TO STOP AND SLIDE BRAKES COME OFF IT TAKES TO LONG TO COME BACK ON . WHEN YOU NEED TO STOP TO AVOID A ACCIDENT YOU CAN STOP FASTER WITH OUT THEM BY PUMPING BRAKES WHEN THEY COME OFF THERE IS NOTHING YOU CAN DO. WAIT TO HIT SOMEONE TILL BRAKE COME BACK. NOTHING SHOULD TAKE THE DRIVER AWAY FROM HIS CAR THEY WILL GET SOME ONE KILLED. *NM
20030618LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
OUR 1994 15 PASSENGER FORD VAN RIGHT SIDE VAN DOOR HAS THE STANDARD LOCK KNOB WHICH CAN BE PLAYED WITH BY OCCUPANT. IF THE KNOB IS SCREWED OFF , THE CONNECTING LOCKING MECHANISM WILL DROP INTO THE DOOR BEHIND THE INTERIOR PANEL. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, THE DOOR IS LOCKED AND CAN NOT BE UNLOCK WITH KEY, KNOB OR ELECTRIC OPENER. THE OCCUPANTS ONLY WAY OUT IS OVER THE FRONT SEAT OR OVER THE REAR SEATS AND OUT THE TAIL GATE DOOR. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE AND THE DOOR PANEL HAS TO BE REMOVED TO UNLOCK. VERY DANGEROUS AND IS NOT CHILD PROOF. *NLM
20020227TIRES:TREAD/BELT
THREE MICHELIN TIRES HAD TREAD SEPERATION, REPLACE ALL 4 TIRES, MILES LATER 1 BLEW AT 70MPH, THE TIRE WAS BADLY DAMANGED AND COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE. AGAIN AT 24,849 ANOTHER TIRE BLEW.
20011002ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
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
20001107UNKNOWN OR OTHER
RIGHT FRONT TIRE FAILED DAMAGED FENDER AND SIDE VIEW MIRROR (DOT NUMBER: W2CO1PX037 TIRESIZE: 255/70/R16)
19991209CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL
HAD A FRONTAL IMPACT DUE TO FAILURE OF STEERING BOX, DRIVER'S AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY, OCCUPANT INJURED. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK *ML
19990929ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
OIL PAN HAS PREMATURELY RUSTED WITHIN 50,000 MILES, CAUSING OIL TO LEAK WHICH COULD RESULT IN FIRE. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
19970505SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS
ABS BRAKE FAILURE OF THE FRONT DISC BRAKES, COMPLETE LOSS OF BRAKES DUE FAULTY CALIPERS, CAUSING THE ROTORS AND PADS TO WEAR PREMATURELY. *AK
19970505SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
ABS BRAKE FAILURE OF THE FRONT DISC BRAKES, COMPLETE LOSS OF BRAKES DUE FAULTY CALIPERS, CAUSING THE ROTORS AND PADS TO WEAR PREMATURELY. *AK
19970505SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER
ABS BRAKE FAILURE OF THE FRONT DISC BRAKES, COMPLETE LOSS OF BRAKES DUE FAULTY CALIPERS, CAUSING THE ROTORS AND PADS TO WEAR PREMATURELY. *AK
19970505SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
ABS BRAKE FAILURE OF THE FRONT DISC BRAKES, COMPLETE LOSS OF BRAKES DUE FAULTY CALIPERS, CAUSING THE ROTORS AND PADS TO WEAR PREMATURELY. *AK
19951207STEERING:LINKAGES:KNUCKLE:SPINDLE:ARM
FRONT LEFT WHEEL FELL OFF, UPPER SPINDLE BOLT BROKE. TT
Compare 1994FordE-250 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 6 Open
EA26004Engineering AnalysisOpen
Timing Belt Failure
DP26004Defect PetitionOpen
Anti-lock brake system (ABS) Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) illuminated
EA26001Engineering AnalysisOpen
Unintended Transmission Downshift and Rear Wheel Lock-up
PE25020Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Timing Belt Failure
DP25001Defect PetitionClosed
Underbody shields detachment
Vehicle Safety Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1994 Ford E-250 have?▼
The 1994 Ford E-250 has 14 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1994 Ford E-250?▼
The most-complained component for the 1994 Ford E-250 is STEERING:LINKAGES:KNUCKLE:SPINDLE:ARM with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS and SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP.
Is the 1994 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.
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 1994 Ford E-250; 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.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.