Ford E-250 · model year

2001 Ford E-250

18 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report, and 3 recall campaigns listed for this cohort. 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
18
Recalls
3

The verdict

The 2001 Ford E-250 posts above-average complaint volume among its own model-year siblings.

26th pctile
complaint volume, own model years
3
recall campaigns

The 2001FordE-250 carries 18 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 3 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 2001 E-250 is engine and engine cooling with 4 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:engine (3) and tires (2). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause. This cohort has 3 NHTSA recall campaigns listed below. Enter a VIN in NHTSA's official recall lookup to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

NHTSA currently has 179 investigation files overlapping the 2001 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.

18
Complaints
1
Crashes
3
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths
F
PlainCars Safety Score
0/100
2001 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.

Total Complaints

18 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
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING4
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE3
TIRES2
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:GAS RECIRCULATION VALVE (EGR VALVE)1
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE1
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE1
SUSPENSION:REAR1
SUSPENSION1
ENGINE1

Recalls (3)

09V39900013/10/2009

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

FORD IS RECALLING MODEL YEARS 1995-2003 WINDSTAR, 2000-2003 EXCURSION DIESEL, 1993-1997 AND 1999-2003 F-250 SD THROUGH F-550 SD DIESEL, 1992-2003 E-150 THROUGH E-550, 1995-2002 EXPLORER, 1997 AND 2002 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER, 1995-1997 AND 2001-2003 RANGER, AND 1994 F53 VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE TEXAS

08V05100004/02/2008

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL

FORD IS RECALLING 225,000 MY 1992-2003 ECONOLINE, MY 1993-1995 TAURUS SHO, MY 1992-1998 CROWN VICTORIA, MY 1993 BRONCO, F-SERIES, MY 1995-1997 F-SERIES SUPER DUTY STRIPPED CHASSIS, MY 1992-1998 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS, AND MY 1992-1995 LINCOLN TOWN CAR VEHICLES. THE AFFECTED VEHICLES WERE PREVIOUSLY

07V33600003/08/2007

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS, PASSENGER VEHICLES, SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, AND MOTOR HOMES CHASSIS, THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH MAY, UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, LEAK INTERNALLY AND THEN OVERHEAT, SMOKE, OR BURN.

Recent Complaints

20170126ENGINE

SPARK PLUG ON CYLINDER #7 BLEW OUT OF THE CYLINDER HEAD. 2ND TIME THIS HAS OCCURRED ON THIS VEHICLE. REPAIR SHOP STATES IT IS NOT REPAIRABLE THIS TIME APPROX. $3000 FOR NEW HEAD INSTALLED. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM ON THIS 5.4 TRITION ENGINE. FORD SHOULD RECALL TO FIX THIS PROBLEM 130,000 MILES ON THIS TRUCK.

Mileage: 130,000

20100910FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

I OWN A 2001 F250 FORD WITH AN 5.4L GAS ENGINE . THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT BREAKING IGNITION COIL CAUSING SMALL FIRE . THE THREADS WERE GONE AND HEADS MUST BE REPLACED ON VEHICLE. *TR

Mileage: 128,000

20100705SUSPENSION

WHILE DRIVING AT APPROX 30MPH ON A RURAL ROAD, THE REAR SPARE TIRE FELL OFF OF MY 2001 FORD E250 VAN. TIRE WAS SUSPENDED BELOW REAR VEHICLE. THE LOCAL FORD DEALER IN GRANTS PASS OR SAID THE CABLE WAS CORRODED CAUSING THE TIRE TO FALL OFF. HERE IN SOUTHERN OREGON WE DO NOT USE SALT ON OUR ROADS DURING THE WINTER AND WE HAVE LESS RAINFALL THAN NORTHERN OREGON SO CORROSION FAULT IS QUESTIONABLE. THE COST TO REPLACE CABLE WAS NOT REALISTIC AND IF THEY USED A QUALITY CABLE, THIS SHOULD NEVER HAVE HAPPENED. I WAS LUCKY I WAS NOT DRIVING ON A FREEWAY WHEN THIS HAPPENED. *TR

Mileage: 190,000

20100503ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

WHILE DRIVING UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS, THE #2 SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT OF THE HEAD AND STRIPPED OUT THE THREADS MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO REINSTALL THE SPARK PLUG WITHOUT HAVING MAJOR ENGINE WORK DONE. THIS IS THE SECOND OCCURRENCE IN THIS ENGINE. I HAVE SINCE BEEN INFORMED THAT THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN FIXED BEFORE THE HEADS WERE PUT INTO PRODUCTION. THE FORD DEALERSHIP WANTS APPROXIMATELY $3000.00 TO REPLACE THE HEADS. I HAVE USED AN AFTERMARKET REPAIR KIT APPROVED BY, BUT NOT USED BY FORD. REMOVED PART IS AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION. I AM LOSING COUNTLESS HOURS OF WORK TIME, I AM SELF-EMPLOYED, AND OVER $100.00 IN TOWING EXPENSES. *TR

Mileage: 150,854

20100501ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

WAS DRIVING MY 2001 FORD E250 VORTEC V8 AT APPROX. 30 MPH WHEN A SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT OF THE ENGINE. AN HOUR AND A HALF AWAY FROM HOME , IN A NOT SO GOOD AREA OF TOWN. I WAS LEFT STRANDED. 120,000 MILES ON ODOMETER. *TR

Mileage: 120,000

20090602FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

I OWN A 2001 FORD E250 VAN. THIS VAN HAS BEEN A RELIABLE VEHICLE AND MAINTENANCE HAS BEEN EASY AND PREDICTABLE. HOWEVER TODAY THE THIRD SPARK PLUG ON THE PASSENGER SIDE BLEW OUT OF THE CYLINDER HEAD. THOUGH IT WAS A EXHAUST LEAK AT FIRST BECAUSE OF THE SOUND. I PULLED OF THE FREEWAY AND OPENED THE ENGINE COVER. AT THIS POINT I RESTARTED THE ENGINE TO FIND THE EXHAUST LEAK. A LARGE FLAME IMMEDIATELY BEGAN BURSTING OUT OF THE OPEN SPARK PLUG HOLE. ALTHOUGH I WAS ABLE TO TURN THE ENGINE OFF QUICKLY THIS SCARED ME CONSIDERABLY AS I KNOW THEIR ARE FUEL LINES THAT RUN RIGHT BY THE SPARK PLUG. I HAD IT TOWED FROM THEIR TO A SHOP. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS AND FOUND THAT IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH MANY OF FORDS ENGINES. I EVEN FOUND CASES WERE CARS HAD BEEN DESTROYED BY FIRE AS A RESULT. IT CONCERNS ME THAT THERE HAS BEEN NO RECALL. I DO NOT EXPECT WARRANTY FROM FORD FOR A VEHICLE THIS OLD. HOWEVER THIS SEEMS TO BE A POTENTIALLY LIFE THREATENING PROBLEM AND I WOULD THINK THAT MERITS A RECALL.

Mileage: 137,000

20090527SUSPENSION:REAR

REAR SPRING SHACKLE RUST OUT. *TR

Mileage: 126,000

20080405ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE

I STARTED TO HEAR EXHAUST NOISE ON MY 2001 FORD F250 SUPER DUTY WITH A V10 ENGINE WITH ONLY 53,000 MILES. IN CHECKING, I FOUND THAT THE BOLTS THAT WERE HOLD THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD TO THE ENGINE WERE BREAKING OFF AT THE CYLINDER HEAD. 6 OUT OFF 10 CYLINDERS HAD BROKEN BOLTS AND THE OTHER 4 WERE NEAR BREAKING. THERE IS A DANGER OF FIRE IN THE ENGINE DUE TO THE HOT EXHAUST GASES. THE REPAIR IS VERY EXPENSIVE DUE TO HAVING TO REMOVE THE BOLT STUDS STILL IN THE ENGINE HEAD WITHOUT DOING ANY DAMAGE . *TR

Mileage: 53,240

20080326CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD E250. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE DRIVER RECEIVED NECK INJURIES AND WAS HOSPITALIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN FOR REPAIR. RHODE ISLAND POLICE FILED REPORT NUMBER T-08209-AC. NO OTHER VEHICLE OR DEALER INFORMATION WAS AVAILABLE.

20070416ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD E-250. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH A POPPING SOUND WAS HEARD. THE CONTACT OPENED THE HOOD, BUT WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE THE SOUND. THE MECHANIC INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED A SPARK PLUG WAS BLOWN OUT OF THE CYLINDER. THE MECHANIC REPAIRED THE THREAD IN THE CYLINDERS WITH AN INSERT KIT. THERE HAVE BEEN NO OTHER FAILURES SINCE THE REPAIR. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 83,000, AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000. *AK THE CONSUMER PROVIDED THE REPAIR INVOICE FOR THE VEHICLE. UPDATED 08/03/07 *TR

Mileage: 70,000

20050210ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

NO KNOWLEDGE OF ANYTHING WRONG. A GRINDING NOISE STARTED, TOOK IT TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP THAT DAY, NOW WE NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION. THIS VAN HAS ONLY 70,000 MILES ON IT. THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. *AK

Mileage: 70,000

20050210ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

THIS VAN'S MOTOR CEASED UP FOR NO REASON ACCORDING TO THE DEALERSHIP. THERE WAS PLENTY OF OIL. THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED FOR THIS VAN HAS 72,000. JUST OUT OF WARRANTY.*AK

Mileage: 72,000

20050209ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH DRIVER HEARD A LOUD POPPING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT. SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, AND DROVE IT TO A DEALER FOR INSPECTION. *AK FORD ONLY REPLACED THE PASSENGER SIDE CYLINDER HEAD WHICH LEFT THE DRIVERS SIDE CYLINDER HEAD AT RISK. *SC *JB

Mileage: 103,338

20040602POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

BOUGHT VEHICLE IN JAN 2001, 2003 STARTED HAVING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, SLIPPING, NOT GOING IN REVERSE, ETC. BROUGHT TO JIFFY LUBE, FLUSHED OUT, SEEMED TO WORK BETTER. NOW JUNE 2004, SAME PROBLEM. I AM LEAD TO BELIEVE THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED CASE. *AK

20040226TIRES

TREAD SEPARATION, NO ACTION FROM THE DEALER OR MANUFACTURER.*AK

Mileage: 10,235

20030122ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:GAS RECIRCULATION VALVE (EGR VALVE)

CONSUMER PURCHASED VEHICLE NEW ON 04/30/01. WHILE DRIVING ON A DAILY BASIS, CONSUMER WOULD EXPERIENCE NAUSEA, BURNING EYES, SEVERE HEADACHES AND STOMACH CRAPS. PHYSICIAN DIAGNOSED CONSUMER WITH CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING. DEALER DIAGNOSED AND REPLACED EGR VALVE AS CAUSE OF ILLNESS. CONSUMER BELIEVES THAT EGR VALVE IS LEAKING AGAIN, BECAUSE SYMPTOMS HAVE RESURFACED. TS

20021101TIRES

OUR TRUCKS ARE VERY LOW MILEAGE, IMPECABLY MAINTAINED, THE TIRE PRESSURES ARE REGULARLY MONITORED AND ADJUSTED. THE FIRST FAILURE OCCURED (AT 10,150 MILES) WITH THE TRUCK LOADED. THE VEHICLE HAS A GVW OF 8600 LBS. THE TRUCK WAS SCALED WITH THE LOAD AT 7760 LBS GVW WELL UNDER THE VEHICLE AND TIRE WEIGHT CAPACITES. THE TREAD SHOWED SEPARATION AND THE SIDEWALL BLEW OUT. THE SECOND FAILURE OCCURRED (AT 10,330 MILES) WITH THE TRUCK EMPTY, AGAIN THE TREAD SHOWED SEPARATION AND THE SIDEWALL BLEW OUT.

20020717FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

THE VAN FAILED TO ACCELERATE ON THE ENTRANCE RAMP TO THE EXPRESSWAY. AFTER GETTING UP TO SPEED THE FIRE STARTED FULL BLAST.*AK

Compare 2001FordE-250 to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 6 Open

View all investigations

Vehicle Safety Guides

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2001 Ford E-250 have?
The 2001 Ford E-250 has 18 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 3 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2001 Ford E-250?
Yes, the 2001 Ford E-250 has 3 recall(s). The most common affected component is VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2001 Ford E-250?
The most-complained component for the 2001 Ford E-250 is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING with 4 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE and TIRES.
Is the 2001 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 2001 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.