1991 Ford E-350 problems & reliability
19 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1991 Ford E-350. 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.
1 complaint report injuries (2 injured).
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 7 | 37% |
| Electrical System | 2 | 11% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 2 | 11% |
| Tires | 2 | 11% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 | 11% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 5% |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 5% |
| Power Train | 1 | 5% |
| Steering | 1 | 5% |
| Suspension | 1 | 5% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“The right rear tire, (kelly-springfield lt235.85r16, load range e, dot# pjor bpkv 193) failed, causing the vehicle to leave the roadway and over turn several times. *jg. (alabama uniform traffic accident report)”
Tires · filed Jul 31, 2002
“This was the inboard tire of a pair on the right rear of the vehicle. While traveling on interstate 70 eastbound out of kansas city it exploded, splitting the steel belts crosswise. Except for the area of the blowout the tire remained relatively intact and did not separate. The ambient temperature at the time was…”
Tires · filed Oct 10, 2000
“I have had the vehicle and parts to two different transmission shops and both have told me that this never should have happened. Both the drum and shaft of the torque converter have stripped. I still have the parts and would be willing to share them with ford if a settlement is possible.”
Power Train · filed Oct 14, 1999
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
- TRANSMISSION FLUID FIRES
Preliminary Evaluation PE91064 · opened Apr 9, 1991 · closed Jul 5, 1991
Technical service bulletins
7 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1991 Ford E-350.
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 1991 Ford E-350 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 1991 Ford E-350?
- · 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.