1989 Ford E350 problems & reliability
26 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1989 Ford E350. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 1989 Ford E350 vehicles were involved in 2 fatal crashes with 0 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic → | 11 | 42% |
| Structure | 5 | 19% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 4 | 15% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 | 8% |
| Power Train | 2 | 8% |
| Electrical System | 1 | 4% |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 4% |
| Service Brakes, Air | 1 | 4% |
| Steering | 1 | 4% |
| Tires | 1 | 4% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
All 11 reported components →Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Tl* the contact owns a 1989 ford e-350. The contact stated that while exiting from the wheel chair ramp that was attached to the vehicle in a wheel chair, the vehicle independently rolled away and crashed into a gate. The contact was not injured. Additionally, the contact was driving 70 mph and smelled an abnormal and…”
Power Train · filed Apr 4, 2014
“Intermittently vehicle loses brake power when the brake pedal is depressed, brake pedal goes to the floor and fails to stop the truck. The emergency brakes had to be engaged to stop the vehicle. Master brake cylinder was replaced, but the failure occurred with in 400 miles. Dealership replaced the master cylinder…”
Service Brakes, Hydraulic · filed Jun 21, 2004
“Brake caliper failed to release, boiling the brake fluid (unbeknownst to me until it came time to apply the brakes). The brake pedal went all the way to the floor. I let it up completely and when depressed, it went to the floor once again. I used the transmission (gearing down) and the emergency brake to bring vehicle…”
Service Brakes, Hydraulic · filed Jan 28, 2002
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- FRONT BRAKE FADE
Investigation SQ99005 · opened Feb 10, 1999 · closed Sep 21, 2001
- ALTERNATOR BELT FAILURE
Engineering Analysis EA93014 · opened Jun 4, 1993 · closed Jul 29, 1994
- LOSS OF BRAKE EFFECTIVENES
Engineering Analysis EA91044 · opened Oct 30, 1991 · closed Oct 30, 1992 · led to recall 92V026000
- FUEL EXPULSION
Engineering Analysis EA91031 · opened Jun 26, 1991 · closed Nov 1, 1991 · led to recall 91V146000
- LOSS OF BRAKE EFFECTIVENES
Preliminary Evaluation PE91077 · opened May 23, 1991 · closed Oct 31, 1991
- TRNSMSSION PARK GEAR FAIL
Preliminary Evaluation PE90056 · opened Mar 12, 1990 · closed Jun 12, 1990 · led to recall 90V101000
Technical service bulletins
7 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1989 Ford E350.
Front caliper piston boots damaged. *yc
985A38 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 18, 1998
Some vehicles may exhibit excessive brake pedal travel, irregular front lining wear, and brake pull. *yc
985A29 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 18, 1998
Recommended guidelines for towing behind recreational vehicles. *tt
985A12 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 18, 1998
Diagnostic guides for out-of-warranty vehicles to be used as a master copy - diagnostic guides no longer available from adistra. *tw
97215 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 20, 1997
Delayed forward engagement and/or heat stained forward clutch plates after installing center support service. *tw
951113 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 1, 1995
UNKNOWN
BC2893950401 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 1, 1995
There may be a concern of poor performance, coolant in the oil and engine knocking and/or hydraulic lock on some vehicles. *tw
95524 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 1, 1995
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 1989 Ford E350 in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 1989 Ford E350?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.