RoadVitals

1994 Ford E-150 Electrical Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Electrical reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
12
Latest Jul 14, 2008
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
10%
of 121 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
4
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1994 Ford E-150 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 12 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming electrical

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

BrakesDriver assistanceElectrical
Filed Jul 14, 2008

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 FORD E-150 ECONOLINE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ABS LIGHT WAS FLASHING AND THE BRAKE FLUID WAS VERY LOW. IN ADDITION, THE SPEED CONTROL LIGHT BEGAN FLASHING AND FAILED WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH. THE GEAR WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF PARK WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, AND THE ODOMETER AND SPEEDOMETER STOPPED WORKING. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE VEHICLE NEED BRAKE FLUID AND THAT THE SPEED CONTROL FAILED DUE TO DEFECTIVE BRAKES. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WOULD CHARGE THE CONTACT $110 FOR OVERAGE DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WHILE REPAIRING THE VEHICLE UNDER RECALL. THE CONTACT HAS HANDICAPPED TRIPLETS AND THE BRAKES AND SPEED CONTROL ARE A SAFETY ISSUE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 52,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000. UPDATED 08/18/08 *BF THE VEHICLE ALSO HAD AN ELECTRICAL SHORT. UPDATED 08/19/08 *JB

NHTSA ID
10234288
Incident
Jul 1, 2008
Mileage
50,000 mi
Driver assistanceElectrical
Filed Sep 13, 2005
Fire reported

ON SEPTEMBER 12, 2005 WHILE THE FAMILY WAS AWAY FROM HOME, OUR 1994 FORD E 150(ECONOLINE) VAN SPONTANEOUSLY STARTED ON FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND NOT RUNNING AS WE WERE NOT HOME. UPON RETURN AND FOLLOWING COMMUNICATION WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND WITNESSES, THE VEHICLE STARTED SMOKING AND THEN BURST INTO FLAMES WITH NO ONE NEAR THE VEHICLE. THE HOOD AND ENGINE AREA WERE A MASS OF MELTED WIRES AND PLASTIC. THE FOCUS OF DAMAGE WAS ON THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE ENGINE. WE WERE TOLD BY A NEIGHBOR AT THAT TIME ABOUT A RECALL FORD WAS SUPPOSE TO HAVE ON THEIR VEHICLES. AFTER LOOKING UP THE CRUISE CONTROL RECALL AND COMPARING PICTURES, THE BURN EVIDENCE APPEARS TO BE THE SAME. THE VEHICLE IS TOTALED. I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM THE FORD COMPANY AS THEY ONLY RECALLED THE VEHICLES THAT THE MEDIA WAS AWARE OF AND NOT THE OTHER VEHICLES WITH THE SAME FAULTY EQUIPMENT. (RECALLED F 150 NOT E 150 WITH SAME CRUISE CONTROL THAT REMAINS HOT EVEN WHEN THE ENGINE IS OFF AND VEHICLE IS PARKED OVER NIGHT.)

NHTSA ID
10136393
Incident
Sep 12, 2005
Electrical
Filed Sep 8, 2005
Fire reported

1994 FORD E150 CAUGHT FIRE AND BURNED SHORTLY AFTER BEING PARKED. FIRE INVESTIGATORS BELIEVED THE FIRE ORIGINATED IN THE WIRING HARNESS IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. *JB

NHTSA ID
10135840
Incident
Oct 20, 2004
Mileage
120,000 mi
Electrical
Filed Jun 27, 2005
Fire reported

DT: CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS NOT WORKING. ONE DAY WAS UNABLE TO GET OUT OF PARK. WAS TAKEN TO THE SERVICE STATION AND HAD PARKED THERE FOR 48 HOURS AND EXPERIENCED A FIRE IN THE NIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS. FIRE DEPT STATED FIRE BEGAN UNDER THE HOOD. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE. THE VEHICLE ALSO BURNED 2 OTHER CARS PARKED NEXT TO IT. *AK

NHTSA ID
10126651
Incident
Jun 22, 2005
Mileage
120,000 mi
Driver assistanceElectrical
Filed Apr 5, 2005

1994 FORD E150 HAS PROBLEMS WITH BATTERY EQUIPMENT. *MR THERE WAS A SERIES OF DEAD BATTERY INCIDENTS. WHILE CONNECTING A NEW BATTERY WITH THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION, A CONSIDERABLE SPARK OCCURRED AT THE BATTERY TERMINAL FOLLOWED BY A PLUME OF SMOKE WHICH EMITTED FROM THE SPEED CONTROL SWITCH ASSEMBLY. *SC

NHTSA ID
10117437
Incident
Sep 17, 2004
Mileage
82,000 mi
ElectricalEngineFuel system
Filed Mar 1, 2005

WHILE DRIVING THE MOTOR SHUT DOWN. VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING AND BRAKES. VEHICLE WILL COAST UNTIL IT STOPS. AFTER WAITING ABOUT 15 MINUTES THE VEHICLE WILL STARTED UP AGAIN, ONLY TO SHUT BACK DOWN. OWNER HAD THE FUEL PUMP/COMPUTER/PICK UP IN THE DISTRIBUTOR/NEW IGNITION SWITCH, AND WIRING HARNESS CHANGED. YET THE VEHICLE'S PERFORMANCE HAD NOT CHANGED. *AK

NHTSA ID
10113231
Incident
Feb 25, 2005
Mileage
85,400 mi
AirbagsElectricalEngine
Filed May 17, 2001

ENGINE EXPERIENCED FAILURE - WHEN DEALER TRIED TO REPLACE ENGINE TOLD IT WAS NO LONGER MADE. IT WAS REPORTED TO MY FORD DEALER THAT PARTICULAR "HIGH PERFORMANCE" ENGINE IS NOT PLACED IN E-150. HOWEVER, IN THIS CASE IT WAS. HAVE ALSO BEEN INFORMED THAT HE "CLOCK SPRING" IN THE STEERING COLUM NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THIS WAS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. FINALLY BECAME CONSTANT ISSUE AT ABOUT 95,000 MILES. HORN CEASED TO FUNCTION, AB LIGHT STAYED IN FLASHING MODE, CRUISE CONTROL INOPERABLE. BRAKES HAVE BEEN REPLACED NUMEROUS TIMES ON VAN, STARTING AT LESS THAN 25, 000 MILES. IDLE ASSEMBLY REPLACED 3 TIMES DUE TO CONSTANT SQUEALING. FUEL PUMP HAD TO BE REPLACED AT APPROX 95 000. *AK

NHTSA ID
745479
Incident
Apr 12, 2001
AirbagsBody & structureBrakes+5 more
Filed May 13, 2001

MULTIPLE SYSTEMS FAILURES; CURRENTLY ABS LIGHT STAYS ON, AIR BAG LIGHT FLASHES, FUEL SMELL, SLOPPY STEERING, FRONT SUSPENSION NOISES, POWER DOOR LOCKS INOPERATIVE, CRUISE CONTROL INOPERATIVE, HORN INOPERATIVE. *AK

NHTSA ID
745269
Incident
Mar 18, 1999
BrakesDriver assistanceElectrical
Filed Jul 16, 1999

ABS BRAKES - ABS LIGHTS COMES ON AND STAYS ON. / SPEED CONTROL - STOPPED WORKING AT SAME TIME THAT HORN STOPPED WORKING. STEERING COLUMN PROBLEM??

NHTSA ID
708707
Incident
Aug 16, 1998
ElectricalEngine
Filed Jul 17, 1996

WHILE DRIVING, AT APPROX. 60MPH, EXPERIENCED INTERMITTENT ENGINE SHUT DOWN, NO WARNING, DLR CAN'T DUPLICATE CONDITION. *AKMECHANIC STATES ENGINE STALL MAY BE DUE TO FUEL QUALITY.*JB

NHTSA ID
987056
BrakesElectricalEngine+3 more
Filed Jun 12, 1996

FRONT TIRES WORN/REPLACED.

NHTSA ID
505268
Incident
Apr 27, 1995
Electrical
Filed Apr 17, 1995
Fire reported

WINNEBAGO CONVERSION VAN/FORD CHASSIS: WHILE DRIVING, WIRING MELTED/BURST INTO FLAMES; NO APPARENT REASON; NO CIRCUIT BREAKERS POPPED; NO CIRCUIT PROTECTION. TT

NHTSA ID
963838
Incident
Apr 2, 1995

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

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Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .