RoadVitals

1988 Ford E350 Problems

Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints 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.
11
Latest Feb 21, 2015
Components namedHow many of our component categories appear on at least one report for this model year. One report can name several.
6
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
6

What this page shows

Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1988 Ford E350, 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

  • Electrical325.0%
  • Brakes216.7%
  • Driver assistance216.7%
  • Fuel system216.7%
  • Suspension216.7%
  • Engine18.3%

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

Electrical

Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.

3
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

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

NHTSA ID 10689757 · filed Feb 21, 2015

WIRING HARNESS SHORTED, CAUSING FIRE.

NHTSA ID 508008 · filed Aug 28, 1996

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Brakes

Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.

2
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

UPON APPLYING FORCE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL THE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE AND BRAKES FADING AWAY. AFTER PUMPING THE BRAKES, THE CONSUMER NOTICED THE BRAKES WERE FUNCTIONING. *AK

NHTSA ID 809470 · filed Mar 24, 1997

REPLACED MASTER CYLINDER. *AK

NHTSA ID 504849 · filed May 29, 1996

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Driver assistance

Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.

2
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

WHILE DRIVING THROTTLE CABLE POPPED OUT OF THE PLASTIC BRACKET,(WHICH THERE WASNO PART HOLDING DOWN THE THROTTLE CABLE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO IDLE AND LOSS OF POWER. THS COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A CRASH. SAME INCIDENT HAPPEN TO A FORD BRONCO. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID 852929 · filed Nov 16, 1999

THROTTLE FAILURE RESULTING IMMEDIATE DROP TO FAST IDLE SPEED.

NHTSA ID 712124 · filed Sep 26, 1999

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Fuel system

Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.

2
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

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

NHTSA ID 10689757 · filed Feb 21, 2015

THE CAR WAS PARKED AND A NEIGHBOR CALLED THE OWNER AND TOLD HIM HIS CAR WAS ON FIRE. THE FIRE WAS IN FRONT BY THE STEERING. TT

NHTSA ID 979136 · filed Feb 13, 1996

Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.

Suspension

Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.

2
reports

From owner reports, verbatim

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1988 FORD E350. THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE SHIMMIED WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE FAILURE USUALLY OCCURS WHEN DRIVING OVER BUMPS. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS AND VARIOUS REPAIRS WERE MADE TO THE STEERING COMPONENTS. NONE OF THE REPAIRS HAVE SUCCESSFULLY REMEDIED THE FAILURE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 88V015000 (SUSPENSION). THE CONTACT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR COSTS. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 135,000.

NHTSA ID 10238138 · filed Aug 14, 2008

THE DRIVER SKID OFF THE ROAD AND BUMPED A TREE. THEN THE VAN WENT UP IN FLAMES. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT

NHTSA ID 976672 · filed Dec 15, 1995

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.

1
report

From owner reports, verbatim

I HAVE JUST PURCHASED A 1988 ESCAPER 26FT C CLASS MOTORHOME ON A FORD E350 CHASSIS. THE VEHICLE HAS ONLY 30,000 MILES ON IT AND WAS PURCHASED FROM A PRIVATE PARTY IN CALIFORNIA. I WAS RETURNING WITH IT TO MY HOME IN TEXAS WHEN JUST OUTSIDE OF PHOENIX A FIRE BROKE OUT UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE FIRE WAS PUT OUT, BUT EXTENSIVE DAMAGE OCCURRED. IT APPEARS THE EXHAUST SYSTEM HAD MELTED THE INSULATION ON THE FLOORBOARD AND THE FIRE STARTED THERE. THE INSPECTOR WHO PERFORMED THE INITIAL INSPECTION AND INFORMED ME THAT THE FORD MOTORHOMES THAT YEAR AND THE NEXT WERE PROWN TO EXHAUST FIRES BECAUSE THEY HAD NO SECONDARY HEAT SHIELDS AROUND THE CONVERTER/MUFFLER, AND THAT THE LATER YEAR MODELS WERE EQUIPPED WITH THEM. CAN THIS BE TRUE? AND IS THERE ANY RECOURSE AGAINST THE MANUFACTURER? THANK YOU. *AK

NHTSA ID 10108187 · filed Jan 28, 2005

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

Data on this page last refreshed .