Total Complaints
2 filings
FORD E-350 · model year
1988 FORD E-350
2 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1988FORDE-350 carries 2 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 2 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 1988 E-350 is electrical system with 1 filings, followed by fuel/propulsion system (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 2 investigation files overlapping the 1988 E-350, and 1 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.
2
Complaints
0
Crashes
2
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 |
|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20150221FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I PURCHASED THIS 28' SHASTA CLASS C MOTORHOME FROM A PRIVATE PARTY. ALL RECEIPTS FROM WORK HISTORY WERE INCLUDED. UPON THE FIRST TIME OUT, TOWING MY 1200 LB BOAT TO LAKE MEAD ( NO SIGNIFICANT HILLS AS I LIVE IN LAS VEGAS ), THE MOTORHOME RAN BEAUTIFUL, EVEN UP TO THE POINT OF PARKING. I CAME OUT TWO DAYS LATER TO START IT WHEN I NOTICED THE BATTERY AS DRAINED. UPON LOOKING UNDER THE HOOD, I NOTICED IT HAD CAUGHT ON FIRE, BURNING 2 INJECTORS AND OTHER WIRING LOCATED IN THE SAME VICINITY. I REPLACED INJECTORS, RELAYS, FUEL PUMP, ALL HOSES, COIL, ETC... THE BEST GUESS IS THE DIVERTER FROM THERMACTOR MAY HAVE CAUSED, BUT REGARDLESS THIS WAS A FACTORY ISSUE. IT STILL DOESN'T RUN, GOING TO REPLACE ECM, INERTIA SW, ETC UNTIL IT DOES. JUST GRATEFUL IT DIDN'T BURN UP EVERYTHING. *TR
Mileage: 72,000
20150221FireFUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
I PURCHASED THIS 28' SHASTA CLASS C MOTORHOME FROM A PRIVATE PARTY. ALL RECEIPTS FROM WORK HISTORY WERE INCLUDED. UPON THE FIRST TIME OUT, TOWING MY 1200 LB BOAT TO LAKE MEAD ( NO SIGNIFICANT HILLS AS I LIVE IN LAS VEGAS ), THE MOTORHOME RAN BEAUTIFUL, EVEN UP TO THE POINT OF PARKING. I CAME OUT TWO DAYS LATER TO START IT WHEN I NOTICED THE BATTERY AS DRAINED. UPON LOOKING UNDER THE HOOD, I NOTICED IT HAD CAUGHT ON FIRE, BURNING 2 INJECTORS AND OTHER WIRING LOCATED IN THE SAME VICINITY. I REPLACED INJECTORS, RELAYS, FUEL PUMP, ALL HOSES, COIL, ETC... THE BEST GUESS IS THE DIVERTER FROM THERMACTOR MAY HAVE CAUSED, BUT REGARDLESS THIS WAS A FACTORY ISSUE. IT STILL DOESN'T RUN, GOING TO REPLACE ECM, INERTIA SW, ETC UNTIL IT DOES. JUST GRATEFUL IT DIDN'T BURN UP EVERYTHING. *TR
Mileage: 72,000
Compare 1988FORDE-350 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 1 Open
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1988 FORD E-350 have?▼
The 1988 FORD E-350 has 2 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 2 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1988 FORD E-350?▼
The most-complained component for the 1988 FORD E-350 is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM.
Is the 1988 FORD E-350 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.