2008 Ford E-Series Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2008 Ford E-Series, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Brakes233.3%
- Engine116.7%
- Steering116.7%
- Tires & wheels116.7%
- Transmission116.7%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ECONOLINE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN SITTING IN IDLE THE BRAKES DON'T SEEM TO HOLD AND THE RPMS INCREASED UP TO 3500. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO ADVISED HIM THAT WAS A NORMAL OCCURRENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED HIM THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 7,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. UPDATED 07/08/11 *BF
THE RATTLE CLIPS ON THE FRONT BRAKE PADS/CALIPERS ON FORD E 450 SERIES VIBRATE OUT OF POSITION WHILE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN. WE HAVE 12 OF THESE VEHICLES IN A FLEET AND THEY ARE ALL DOING THIS. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ECONOLINE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN SITTING IN IDLE THE BRAKES DON'T SEEM TO HOLD AND THE RPMS INCREASED UP TO 3500. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO ADVISED HIM THAT WAS A NORMAL OCCURRENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED HIM THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 7,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. UPDATED 07/08/11 *BF
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
WE ORDERED A NEW 2008 ECONOLINE E-350 XLT AND AFTER DRIVING WE DISCERNED THE STEERING WAS VERY LOOSE; IT HAD AN UNUSUAL AMOUNT OF "PLAY"; IT FLOATED AROUND THE ROAD. IT WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL ON THE HIGHWAYS ESPECIALLY AT HIGHER SPEEDS. WE BROUGHT IT BACK TO THE DEALER AND BOTH SERVICE MANAGER AND GENERAL MANAGER TOOK IT FOR A TEST DRIVE AND CONFIRMED THERE WAS A SERIOUS PROBLEM. VAN WAS BROUGHT IN FOR ANOTHER APPOINTMENT TO INVESTIGATE THE ISSUE. THEY "TIGHTENED" SOME PARTS (?) AND ASKED FOR ME TO DRIVE IT HOME AND REPORT BACK IF IT WERE ANY BETTER. CONTACTED THEM AGAIN AND INFORMED THEM THE PROBLEM REMAINED THE SAME. THEY SCHEDULED THE VAN AGAIN FOR ANOTHER APPOINTMENT/DIAGNOSIS AND THEY CONTACTED FORD TECH HOT LINE. FORD HOT LINE INFORMED THE SERVICE MANAGER THAT THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER COMPLAINTS AND THERE MUST BE A FAULTY ENGINEERING DESIGN IN THE STEERING SYSTEM. THE FORD DEALER INFORMED US THAT THE VAN REQUIRED YET ANOTHER APPOINTMENT AND THAT THE BRAND NEW VAN THAT WAS JUST BUILT REQUIRED A RE-ALIGNMENT AT A SPECIALTY ALIGNMENT FACILITY. THE VAN WAS BROUGHT IN AGAIN AND WAS "REALIGNED" OR MAJOR ADJUSTMENTS WERE MADE TO THE STEERING SYSTEM. UPON OUR TEST DRIVE AFTER THE LAST "REPAIR" WE DETERMINED IT WAS WORSE THAN BEFORE, THE VAN FLOATED ACROSS THE ROAD AND PULLED TO THE LEFT SIDE. WE INFORMED THE FORD DEALERSHIP THAT THE VAN REPAIR WAS NOT ACCEPTABLE, WE CONTACTED FORD CORP. HOT LINE AND INFORMED THEM WE WILL BEGIN LOOKING INTO THE STEPS TO TAKE REGARDING OUR STATE'S "LEMON LAWS." SIMULTANEOUSLY, AN ENGINEER FROM FORD MOTOR COMPANY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE EAST COAST IS SCHEDULED TO INSPECT AND DIAGNOSE THE VAN'S STEERING ISSUES IN JANUARY. THE DANGERS ARE NUMEROUS AND OBVIOUS. OUR POSITION IS IT IS A BRAND NEW VEHICLE THAT HAS AN ENGINEERING FAULTY DESIGN; IT WAS INCORRECTLY BUILT AND/OR DESIGNED AND WE ARE CONCERNED AS TO WHAT OTHER VEHICLE COMPONENTS HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY THE FAULTY DESIGN. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD E250 EQUIPPED WITH HANKOOK RH03 TIRES, SIZE LT245-75-R16. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH. THE TIRE WAS REPLACED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT PREVIOUSLY, THE REAR TIRES WAS REPLACED DUE TO TREAD SEPARATION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE DOT AND SERIAL NUMBER FOR THE TIRE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE OF THE VEHICLE WAS 52,000.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE FAILURE: DAILY, HIGHWAY AND CITY DRIVING IN NORMAL TRAFFIC CONDITIONS. VEHICLE HAS APPROXIMATELY 19,000 MILES. THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND REQUIRES A COMPLETE SWAP FOR A NEW TRANSMISSION. THE DEALERSHIP PERFORMING THE REPAIR COMMENTED THAT THE TRANSMISSION PAN SHOWS WEAR OF A TRANSMISSION WITH 90,000 TO 100,000 MILES INSTEAD OF 19,000 MILES. THE CORRECTION TO THE FAILURE IS A COMPLETE REMOVAL AND INSTALLATION OF A NEW TRANSMISSION BY FORD. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .