Total Complaints
33 filings
FORD ECONOLINE · model year
1988 FORD ECONOLINE
33 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1988FORDECONOLINE carries 33 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 4 fires, 14 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 ECONOLINE is engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline with 4 filings, followed by service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components (2) and electrical system:ignition:switch (2). 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 1 investigation file overlapping the 1988 ECONOLINE. 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.
33
Complaints
1
Crashes
4
Fires
14
Injuries
0
Deaths
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 |
|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 4 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS | 2 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH | 2 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:AUXILLARY TANK:SELECTOR DEVICES | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:UNIVERSAL JOINT | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:REAR:SPRINGS:LEAF SPRING ASSEMBLY:LEAF | 1 |
| WHEELS:LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS/STUDS | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20100303FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL*THE CONTACT OWNED A 1988 FORD ECONOLINE VAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HE WAS SITTING IN THE VEHICLE, IT CAUGHT FIRE. HE WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VIN, FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 04/09/10. *LJ UPDATED 05/17/10
20020926ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WITHOUT WARNING OIL IS LEAKING AND THE CONSUMER WILL HAVE TO REFILL MORE OFTEN. DEALER NOTIFIED. NLM
20020806EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS
THE DRIVER SIDE TAILLIGHT FAILED. *SLC
20020806VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR
CONSUMER STATES THAT THE SIDE WINDOWS AND HI TOP WINDOWS ARE INOPERATIVE, THEY WILL NOT GO UP OR DOWN AND LEAK. *SLC
20020806ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY
CONSUMER STATES STARTER FAILED, ALSO VEHICLE IS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH STALLING, CONSUMER FEELS THAT IT HAS TO DO WITH THE RECALL REGARDING THE TFI MODULE, THE STALLING HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES WHILE THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN MOTION AND HAS ALMOST CAUSED SEVERAL ACCIDENTS. *SLC
20020806ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
CONSUMER STATES STARTER FAILED, ALSO VEHICLE IS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH STALLING, CONSUMER FEELS THAT IT HAS TO DO WITH THE RECALL REGARDING THE TFI MODULE, THE STALLING HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES WHILE THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN MOTION AND HAS ALMOST CAUSED SEVERAL ACCIDENTS. *SLC
20020806EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL:CARRIER/RACK
THE RUBBER MOUNTING ON THE SPARE TIRE COVER DOES NOT MEET AND KEEPS COMING LOOSE, CONSUMER ALSO STATES THAT THE RADIO FELL APART. *SLC
20020806EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.
THE RUBBER MOUNTING ON THE SPARE TIRE COVER DOES NOT MEET AND KEEPS COMING LOOSE, CONSUMER ALSO STATES THAT THE RADIO FELL APART. *SLC
20020806SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
CONSUMER STATES THAT THE DRIVER SIDE BRAKES LOCK UP. *SLC
20020806ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
CONSUMER STATES THAT THERE IS A RATTLE UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. *SLC
20020806SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
CONSUMER STATES THAT THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT HAS BEEN FIXED TWICE, HOWEVER AFTER THE SECOND REPAIR IT WOULD NOT WORK AT ALL. *SLC
20010215UNKNOWN OR OTHER
ADAPTIVE EQUIPMENT FROM TOM STOWERS AT CCI MICHIGAN >AK
20001003TIRES:TREAD/BELT
THE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE WHILE DRIVING COMSUMER TOOK THE TIRE TO FIRESTONE DEALER WHO ACCUSED CONSUMER OF PUNCTURING THE TIRE IN SOME WAY THUS CAUSING THE TREAD TO COME OFF (FIRESTONE STEELTEX RADIAL R4S LT215/85R16 M/S VDOP 1WU493). NLM
20000928TIRES
TIRE HAD BEEN SPARE BLEW OUT AR 60MPH TREAD SEPARATED, STEEL BLETS SHREDDED, TIRE BODY SPLIT TRASVERSLY. TIRE HAD GOOD TREAD AND WAS FULLY INFLATED BEFORE THE BLOW-OUT. THE TIRE MAY HAVE BEEN ORRIGINAL EQUIPMENT FROM FORD AS IT WAS THE SPARE. OTHER NUMBERS ON TIRE: DOT: VDHL ILM 048 F08R MADIE IN USA 14476 URBD 86120-2 EXTRA LOAD SE985J. *AK( DOT NUMBER: VDHL ILM 0 TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )
19990524ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
ONGOING / INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH ENGINE STALLING. MANUFACTURER/DEALER NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. *AK
19990310VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:WINDSHIELD:ELECTRICAL HEATING ELEMENT
BLOWER SWITCH FOR HEATER AND A/C CAME OFF.
19981005WHEELS
LEFT WHEEL CAME OFF OF VEHICLE CAUSING MINOR DAMAGE TO VEHICLE. (OHIO STATE POLICE REPORT).
19980805ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
IGNITION MODULE OVERHEATS CAUSING ENGINE TO SHUT DOWN.
19980302FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE FIRE.
19980205SEAT BELTS
SEAT BELT PROBLEMS.
Compare 1988FORDECONOLINE to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1988 FORD ECONOLINE have?▼
The 1988 FORD ECONOLINE has 33 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 4 fires, 14 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1988 FORD ECONOLINE?▼
The most-complained component for the 1988 FORD ECONOLINE is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE with 4 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH.
Is the 1988 FORD ECONOLINE 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.