Total Complaints
70 filings
FORD E-350 · model year
70 NHTSA complaints, 3 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1998FORDE-350 carries 70 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 3 crashes, 1 fire, 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 1998 E-350 is tires with 9 filings, followed by service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (5) and fuel system, other:storage:tank assembly (4). 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 1998 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.
Total Complaints
70 filings
Crashes Reported
3 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| TIRES | 9 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 5 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY | 4 |
| TIRES:TREAD/BELT | 4 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 4 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 3 |
| SUSPENSION | 2 |
| STEERING:GEAR BOX (OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION) | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR | 2 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 2 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | 2 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL | 2 |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 1 |
| SEATS | 1 |
When braking hard, braking power declines after mid peddle range, resulting in crash. Had taken to dealer many years earlier for ABS recall fix.
SPARK PLUGS POTENTIALLY EJECT FROM CYLINDER HEADS DUE TO BAD ENGINEERING DESIGN USING ALUMINUM HEADS WITH INSUFFICIENT AMOUNT OF THREADS TO HOLD SPARK PLUGS WHEN IN MOTION. NEWER VEHICLES WERE RE-ENGINEERED TO ELIMINATE THIS HAPPENING. REQUEST RECALL AND REPAIR.
Mileage: 24,631
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD E-350 EQUIPPED WITH STARFIRE SF-510 TIRES, SIZE LT245-75-R16 (NA). WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS AT AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR A STATE INSPECTION, THE SIDEWALL OF THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE WAS FOUND WITH INTERNAL INDENTATIONS. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE TIRE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE TIRE WAS NOT REPLACED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE DOT NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE TIRE AND VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.
Mileage: 130,000
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FOR E-350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VAN WAS IDLE WHEN HE NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND VENTS. THE VEHICLE BECAME ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FLAMES. A FIRE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.
Mileage: 200,000
I RECENTLY HAD A PROBLEM AND STILL HAVE WITH THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR DOOR OF NOT BEING ABLE TO OPEN IT. I GOT OUT OF THE MY FORD VAN AND WENT AROUND TO THE SIDE DOOR TO OPEN IT UP TO GET MY DOGS OUT OF IT. I COULD NOT OPEN THE SIDE DOOR, I THOUGHT THE DOORS HAD SOMEHOW GOT LOCKED AND I WAS PANICING. IT WAS VERY HOT AND I KNEW I HAD TO GET MY DOGS OUT FAST. I WAS HUNTING FOR SOMETHING TO BREAK THE WINDOW OUT WITH BUT HAD NO LUCK FINDING ANYTHING. AFTER ABOUT 20 OR SO MINUTES I FINALLY NOTICED THAT THE FRONT DOOR LOCKS WERE IN THE UP POSITION INDICATING THAT THE DOORS WERE NOT LOCKED. I WAS ABLE TO OPEN THE FRONT DOOR SAVING ME FROM HAVING TOO BREAK OUT THE GLASS AND THEN I WAS ABLE TO GET INTO THE VAN AND OPEN THE REAR DOOR. I LOVE MY DOGS BUT WHAT IF THIS HAD BEEN A CHILD.AND COULDN'T OPEN THE DOORS IN TIME. LUCKLY I DISCOVERED THAT THE FRONT DOORS WERE NOT LOCKED AND THAT IT WAS A MALFUNCTION OF THE BACK DOOR MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO OPEN THAT DOOR. THE RESULTS COULD HAVE BEEN DIS
Mileage: 113,614
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD E-350. WHILE DRIVING THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER AND THE ENGINE WOULD BEGAN TO MALFUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO CONFIRMED THAT THE FUEL SYSTEM WAS DELAMINATING. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 198,910 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 202,300.
Mileage: 198,910
1998 FORD E 350 POWERSTROKE 7.3 DIESEL. THE CAMSHAFT POSITIONING SENSOR (CPS) FAILURE IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT FORD WILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH. I HAVE HAD THREE INSTANCES OF THE UNIT FAILING ON ME SINCE THIS FIRST ONE ON DEC 13TH, 2007. IN THE FIRST CASE, I WAS TAKING MY SON TO SCHOOL. THE VAN WAS SPUTTERING THE WHOLE WAY AND I EVENTUALLY HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP AFTER A COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE. FORD HAD JUST ISSUED THE RECALL ON DEC 6TH, 2007, AND THEY HONORED THE REPAIR. THE SECOND CPS INCIDENT HAPPENED ON FEB 23RD, 2010. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START; I HAD IT TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP AFTER GETTING A PARKING TICKET. I CANNOT FIND PROOF THAT FORD HONORED THE REPAIR. THE 3RD CPS INCIDENT HAPPENED ON SUNDAY FEB 27TH, 2011, ONE YEAR AFTER THE 2ND INCIDENT. I WAS IN FLAGSTAFF, AZ DURING A SNOWSTORM, AND THE VEHICLE WAS FAILING ON ME ON ROUTE 66. IT STALLED TWICE ON THE MAIN HIGHWAY AS THE SNOWPLOWS WHIPPED AROUND ME. I GOT BACK TO WHERE I WAS STAYING, AND WAITED UNTIL MONDAY MORNIN
Mileage: 411,637
POWERSTROKE 7.3 DIESEL. THE CAMSHAFT POSITIONING SENSOR (CPS) FAILURE IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT FORD WILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH. I HAVE HAD THREE INSTANCES OF THE UNIT FAILING ON ME SINCE THIS FIRST ONE ON DEC 13TH, 2007. IN THE FIRST CASE, I WAS TAKING MY SON TO SCHOOL. THE VAN WAS SPUTTERING THE WHOLE WAY AND I EVENTUALLY HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP AFTER A COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE. FORD HAD JUST ISSUED THE RECALL ON DEC 6TH, 2007, AND THEY HONORED THE REPAIR. THE SECOND CPS INCIDENT HAPPENED ON FEB 23RD, 2010. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START; I HAD IT TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP AFTER GETTING A PARKING TICKET. I CANNOT FIND PROOF THAT FORD HONORED THE REPAIR. THE 3RD CPS INCIDENT HAPPENED ON SUNDAY FEB 27TH, 2011, ONE YEAR AFTER THE 2ND INCIDENT. I WAS IN FLAGSTAFF, AZ DURING A SNOWSTORM, AND THE VEHICLE WAS FAILING ON ME ON ROUTE 66. IT STALLED TWICE ON THE MAIN HIGHWAY AS THE SNOWPLOWS WHIPPED AROUND ME. I GOT BACK TO WHERE I WAS STAYING, AND WAITED UNTIL MONDAY MORNING WHEN I HAD IT
Mileage: 411,637
BRAKE LINE CORROSION THAT LET FLUID DRAIN AND CAUSED BRAKE FAILURE. *TR
Mileage: 56,505
I PURCHASED A TOTAL OF 7 MICHELIN LTX M/S TIRES LT225/75R16 E FOR MY MINI MOTORHOME. THEY ARE DRY-ROTTING RIGHT OFF THE RIMS. THIS IS AN ESTABLISHED PROBLEM. WHEN I WAS DIRECTED TO A DEALER (FORREST TIRE OF ARTESIA, NM) I WAS OFFERED A DISCOUNT ON BUYING MORE TIRES. I WAS EXTREMELY DISMAYED THAT MICHELIN WAS QUERYING THE TIRE DEALER ABOUT THE MAKE, MODEL, YEAR AND MILEAGE OF MY MOTORHOME! WHAT HAS THAT GOT TO DO WITH DEFECTIVE/DANGEROUS TIRES? I SPOKE WITH A MAN WHO HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH LTX M/S TIRES THAT CAME ON HIS NEW PICKUP AND THEY WERE REPLACED FOR MOUNTING AND BALANCING ONLY. I PURCHASED TWO FOR THE FRONT, BUT SIMPLY CAN'T BUY ALL 7 ON SOCIAL SECURITY, THEN SUE MICHELIN. THESE ARE LOT NUMBERS B3JH FBXX 0905, 0205, AND 4204. I CAN SCRAPE DRIED RUBBER OFF THE SIDEWALL WITH MY FINGERNAIL! THIS IS DANGEROUS, AND I AM SITTING HERE AFRAID TO DRIVE ON THE HIGHWAY, WAITING FOR SOMETHING TO HAPPEN. *TR
Mileage: 8,000
BLOWN SPARK PLUG THREADS. REPAIRED BY SELF USING TIMESERT REPAIR KIT MANUFACTURED SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS ENGINE AND PROBLEM. *TR
Mileage: 110,000
FUEL TANK LINING DETERIORATING. I HAVE FOUND FLAKES IN MY LAST FOUR FUEL FILTERS. VEHICLE LOSS OF POWER, THEN ROUGH RUNNING. THE FLAKES ARE IN THE FILTER I HAVE ADDED BETWEEN TANK AND FUEL PUMP. THEY ARE SMALL PIECES OF GREY OR SILVER PAINT. I AM GOING TO HAVE TO REPLACE FUEL TANK IN ORDER TO RECTIFY THE PROBLEM. I REPLACED THE FILTER THIS MORNING, PUT APPROX. 90 MILES ON VAN AND FOUND SEVERAL OUNCES IN THE FILTER THIS EVENING. *TR
Mileage: 276,100
SEVERE CRACKING OF SIDEWALLS OF MOTORHOME TIRES THAT ARE ONLY 3 YEARS OLD. CRACKING BEGAN IN LESS THAN ONE YEAR. *TR
E-350 WITH 68,000 MILES #1 SPARKPLUG BLOWOUT FROM CYLINDER HEAD MARCH 2002 SAME MOTOR WITH 183,000 #7 SPARKPLUG BLOWOUT FROM CYLINDER HEAD SAME MOTOR WITH 288,849 #3 SPARKPLUG BLOWOUT FROM CYLINDER HEAD. *TR
Mileage: 288,849
I BELIEVE THE EVENTS LEADING TO THE FAILURE IN MY MOTOR HOME STARTED WITH THE FIRST RECALL (SEPT. 2007)THAT SAID THAT A FUSE-ABLE LINK HAD TO BE INSTALLED IN THE BRAKE SYSTEM TO PREVENT A POSSIBLE FIRE HAZARD. I COMPLIED. SHORTLY THERE AFTER MY ABS LIGHT STARTED BLINKING ON AND OFF IRREGULARLY. THEN AFTER A VERY FEW MILES IT STAYED ON ALL THE TIME THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING. I CALLED THE DEALER WHERE THE RECALL WAS PERFORMED AND THEY SAID THAT THE ABS HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE RECALL ISSUE . THAT MY BRAKES WOULD STILL WORK, THAT THE ABS JUST EFFECTS THE NONE SKID PREVENTION IN SLIPPERY CONDITIONS. WE TOOK THE MOTOR HOME ON A TRIP TO BIRMINGHAM, (ABOUT 100 MILES) DURING THE THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY. ON 11-24-07 WHILE LEAVING THE CAMPGROUNDS AT ABOUT 20 MPH THE ENGINE QUIT LIKE YOU TURNED OFF THE KEY. A MINOR INSPECTION INDICATED THE MAIN POWER FUSE TO THE COMPUTER HAD BLOWN. . I HAD A WRECKER TOW THE MOTOR HOME TO A DEALERSHIP. THE FOLLOWING MONDAY MORNING I CONTACTED THE SERVI
Mileage: 25,760
ORIGINAL OWNER OF 1998 FORD E350 EXTENDED-LENGTH XLT. AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT, THE CAR HAD ABOUT 98,000 MILES. I WAS AT A STOP LIGHT, THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN AND I PROCEEDED THROUGH THE INTERSECTION. I COULDN'T HAVE BEEN DOING MORE THAN 15 MPH. I HEARD A LOUD BANG AND THEN THE VAN STARTED TO MAKE A LOUD NOISE. I PUT THE VAN IN NEUTRAL AND COASTED THROUGH THE INTERSECTION. I HAD THE VAN TOWED TO BUTTERFIELD FORD. THEY TOLD ME THAT THE SPARK PLUG HAD BLOWN OUT OF THE CYLINDER, PLUG COIL BROKE IN HALF, CRACKED THE HEAD. FORD WOULD REPAIR THE VAN BUT WOULD NOT OFFER ME A WARRANTY FOR THE WORK DONE. SO, I HAD THE VAN TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO REPAIRED THE VAN (REFURBISHED ENGINE) FOR $4,500 AND THEY GAVE ME A 100,000 MILE WARRANTY ON THE ENGINE. *JB
Mileage: 98,000
1998 FORD XLT E350 SPARK PLUGS BLEW OUT ON ENGINE.*MR UPON STARTING THE CAR IT MADE A HORRIBLE ROCKET. IT BLEW THE SPARK PLUG OUT OF THE HOOD. CONSUMER SENT A FEW INTERNET ARTICLES CONCERNING THIS PROBLEM. FORD ENGINE-SPARK PLUG DEFECT. *BF
Mileage: 116,460
THE VEHICLE HAD A CRACKED FUEL TANK. CURRENTLY, THE MANUFACTURER IS CONDUCTING A RECALL FOR THIS DEFECT. HOWEVER, BASED ON THE INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE CONSUMER, THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT INCLUDE THIS VEHICLE IN THE RECALL ALTHOUGH IT HAS ALL THE SYMPTOMS AS THOSE WHICH ARE INCLUDED. PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB RECALL CAMPAIGN; NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 01V114000. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS REPAIRED AT HER EXPENSE. *TC
Mileage: 78,000
BRAKE FAILURE RESULTED IN VEHICLE REAR ENDING ANOTHER VEHICLE.*MR WHILE ATTEMPTING TO STOP THE VEHICLE'S BRAKES FAILED AND AS A RESULT THE VEHICLE REAR ENDED A STOPPED VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS RENTED FROM UHAUL. A UHAUL TECHNICIAN CAME AND INSPECTD THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED IN FOR REPAIRS ( OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT). *NM
WHEN THE CONSUMER FILLED THE GAS TANK, HE SMELLED A STRONG ODOR OF GAS, WHEN THE CONSUMER LOOKED UNDER THE VEHICLE, HE NOTICED FUEL DRIPPING OFF THE BOTTOM OF THE FUEL TANK*AK . THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN THE TANK WAS FULL IT LEAKED VERY BAD AND ONLY WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS MOVING. AS THE FUEL IN THE TANK BECAME LOW THE LEAK SLOWED DOWN, THE CONSUMER LEARNED OF A RECALL, HOWEVER THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED NO RECALL HAD BEEN ISSUED FOR THE VEHICLE. PH *JB
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.