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FaultScore report

2008 Ford E-250 problems

Owners have filed 10 complaints about the 2008 Ford E-250 with NHTSA between 2010 and 2024. The largest single group is the engine & cooling. Across this model's run it ranks 16 of 17 worst.

Read the complaints What breaks Worst years for the Ford E-250 All 2008 cars
C

FaultScore 46/100

Higher is worse. Measured against the other years of the Ford E-250.

How this is worked out

The numbers

10

Complaints

4

Crashes reported

0

Fires reported

4

Injuries reported

76,000 mi

Median mileage at failure

Half of reported failures happened before this

11%

Failed under 36,000 miles

Inside a typical bumper-to-bumper warranty

What kind of bad

The letter says how bad. This says what kind — whether this year drew an unusual number of complaints, unusually dangerous ones, or failures that arrived unusually early.

Complaint volume 25 vs 50 Severity 100 vs 50 Early failure 19 vs 50
The dashed ring is 50 — the national norm. Further out is worse.
Complaint volume — 25
Against the median year of the Ford E-250. 50 means typical for this model; 100 means roughly double.
Severity — 100
80% of these complaints involved a crash, fire, injury or death, against a national rate of 9.7%.
Early failure — 19
11% of failures with a mileage on record happened under 36,000 miles, against a national rate of 29%.

How 2008 compares with every other Ford E-250

Click any bar to open that year's report.

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks on a 2008 Ford E-250

Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.

Tires 2 20.0%

Median failure at 4,000 miles

Engine & Cooling 2 20.0%

Median failure at 119,200 miles

Wheels 1 10.0%

1 crashes, 0 fires · median 195,000 mi

Fuel & Propulsion 1 10.0%

Median failure at 76,000 miles

Acceleration & Cruise Control 1 10.0%

1 crashes, 0 fires · median 42,250 mi

Body & Structure 1 10.0%

1 crashes, 0 fires · median 195,000 mi

Airbags 1 10.0%

1 crashes, 0 fires · median 195,000 mi

Transmission & Drivetrain 1 10.0%

Median failure at 76,000 miles

When it fails

Odometer readings owners gave when they filed. About half of all complaints include one.

1,000 – 9,999 miles 1 11.1%
25,000 – 49,999 miles 1 11.1%
75,000 – 99,999 miles 3 33.3%
150,000+ miles 4 44.4%

When owners complained

A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single owner can see from inside their own car.

Mar 2010 peak 3 Jul 2024

NHTSA investigations into the 2008 Ford E-250

An investigation is the step before a recall: the agency has seen enough complaints to look into a pattern itself. An open one means it thinks something may be wrong and nothing has been fixed yet.

EA10003 Opened 13 Apr 2010 Closed 5 Mar 2012 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH

HVAC Switch Failures

This investigation was opened based on one complaint and reports from four transportation fleets alleging 182 blower motor control switch failures.ODI was concerned that these melting and burning switches could lead to an open flame that could spread throughout the vehicle.After a comprehensive review of all data related to overheating blower motor control switches in the subject vehicles, ODI did not identify the existence of a safety defect trend.ODI reviewed 1,036 complaints, claims, and field reports of failed blower motor control switches and determined that only two fires were likely to...

Complaints that involved harm

Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.

at 195,000 miles EL Paso, TX Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS

I WAS DRIVING IN THE RAIN GOING 45 AND AS I WAS HEADING DOWNHILL I ATTEMPTED TO SLOW DOWN. THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO HYDROPLANE AND I COULD NOT CONTROL THE DIRECTION I WAS GOING. I RAN FRONT FIRST INTO A GUARDRAIL AND MY VAN FLIPPED OVER AND ROLLED. THE AIR BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED.

NHTSA complaint #10526188 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 195,000 miles EL Paso, TX Crash 1 injured

WHEELS

I WAS DRIVING IN THE RAIN GOING 45 AND AS I WAS HEADING DOWNHILL I ATTEMPTED TO SLOW DOWN. THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO HYDROPLANE AND I COULD NOT CONTROL THE DIRECTION I WAS GOING. I RAN FRONT FIRST INTO A GUARDRAIL AND MY VAN FLIPPED OVER AND ROLLED. THE AIR BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED.

NHTSA complaint #10526188 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 195,000 miles EL Paso, TX Crash 1 injured

STRUCTURE:BODY

I WAS DRIVING IN THE RAIN GOING 45 AND AS I WAS HEADING DOWNHILL I ATTEMPTED TO SLOW DOWN. THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO HYDROPLANE AND I COULD NOT CONTROL THE DIRECTION I WAS GOING. I RAN FRONT FIRST INTO A GUARDRAIL AND MY VAN FLIPPED OVER AND ROLLED. THE AIR BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED.

NHTSA complaint #10526188 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 42,250 miles Pontotoc, MS Crash 1 injured

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

WHEN THE ENGINE ON THE 2008 E250 FORD CARGO VAN WAS STARTED AND THE TRUCK PUT INTO THE DRIVE GEAR, THE ENGINE RACED AT A HIGH RPM RATE SUFFICIENT TO SPIN THE REAR WHEELS, LUNGE FORWARD UNDER WHAT FELT LIKE FULL POWER, SLAMMED THROUGH A FENCE AND DOWN INTO A RAVINE. THE VAN WAS A RENTAL FROM ENTERPRISE LEASING CO. THE PASSENGER'S RIGHT RING FINGER WAS SEVERED IN THE CRASH. NO AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AND APPARENTLY NEVER INSTALLED IN THE 2008 VAN. THE ACCELERATOR APPEARED TO BE STUCK IN THE OUT-OF-CONTROL RUN-AWAY.

NHTSA complaint #10315281 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

The most recent complaints

In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.

Metairie, LA

TIRES:PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEMS

I purchased DORMAN Replacement TPMS Sensors 974-050 from ROCKAUTO for my van. Installed less than 2 years and all are bad. ROCKAUTO stated they were wholesale closeout on only offer a 30 day warranty. Contact DORMAN and they stated LIFETIME and that ROCKAUTO should not have sold out of date sensors and to contact ROCKAUTO. After several emails to ROCKAUTO they basically say sorry out of warranty. The date code on the sensors are 11326-385 they were built in 2011. They should have some kind of law for selling outdated safety equipment. I have my Shipping Packing List , one sensor that I never installed and 4 of the 5 boxes.

NHTSA complaint #11601030 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 162,400 miles Brewerton, NY

ENGINE

THANKFULLY I WAS DRIVING SLOWLY BETWEEN CURVES ON A STRETCH OF ROADWAY WITH A 30MPH SPEED LIMIT (ONE LANE EACH DIRECTION) WHEN I 'BLEW A SPARK PLUG'. THE COIL WAS ALSO DAMAGED I WAS TOLD. I WAS ALSO TOLD THERE'S NO GUARANTEE THAT IT WOULD NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN, AND I HAVE 7 OTHER SPARK PLUGS AND COILS IN THE ENGINE, SO EXPECT IT. ALLEGEDLY 3 WERE REPLACED JUST BEFORE WE BOUGHT THIS USED IN 2016. I TRIED TO GET RECEIPTS FOR VEHICLE MAINTENANCE RECORDS, BUT THE SHOP REFUSED AND THE PRIVATE OWNER HAD MOVED AND THROWN HER PAPERWORK AWAY. THIS WAS IN MASSACHUSETTS. I HAD NO WARNING, THAT I KNOW OF. SUDDENLY THERE WAS A LOUD BANG AND A REPEATED BANG, BANG, BANG! I PULLED OVER IMMEDIATELY. (THANKFULLY IT WASN'T A 3 OR MORE LANE HIGHWAY WITH MY MOTHER IN HER WHEELCHAIR!) THE BANGING ONLY STOPPED WHEN THE ENGINE WAS OFF. I WAS UNABLE TO LOOK AT THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WITH THE VAN ON BECAUSE I WAS AFRAID OF MORE DAMAGE! IT WAS PUT ON A FLATBED AND TOWED BY AAA, TO A SHOP A FEW MILES AWAY. UNFORTUNATELY, THIS SHOP COULDN'T GET IT INSIDE TO WORK ON. A FRIEND OF MINE DID THE REPAIR IN THE PARKING LOT. ***APPARENTLY THIS IS A VERY FREQUENT PROBLEM WITH THESE FORD E250 ENGINES. THERE IS A LOT OF PEOPLE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. I HAD NO IDEA! IT COULD BE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS ON A MULTI LANE HIGHWAY, TRAVELING AT HIGH SPEEDS, GOING UP AND DOWN THE MOUNTAINS (I TRAVEL BETWEEN NYS & MASSACHUSETTS), IN SUBZERO TEMPERATURES ESPECIALLY WITH SOMEONE IN A WHEELCHAIR ONBOARD!*** I HAVE NO RECEIPTS. AAA OF CENTRAL NY SHOULD HAVE A RECORD OF THE TOW.

NHTSA complaint #11387290 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 76,000 miles Rochester, NY

POWER TRAIN

MY TRANSMISSION WENT ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO. I WAS TOLD THAT FORD HAD BAD TRANSMISSIONS IN THE YEARS OF MY VAN, BY THE MECHANIC. THEN FRIDAY NIGHT I WAS DRIVING ALONG AND THE VAN STARTED ACTING FUNNY, NOT ACCELERATING AND A WRENCH LIGHT CAME ON. THEN A LITTLE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND MY CAR DIED. I GOT IT TO GO ABOUT 30MPH ON THE EXPRESSWAY AND GOT IT TO THE GARAGE. :[ I LOOKED UP WHAT HAPPENED AND FOUND OUT THAT THE THROTTLE BODY PROBLEM IS COMMON IN THE FORD, JUST NOT THE E250. BUT IT IS THE SAME PROBLEM AS THE ESCAPE, SO OBVIOUSLY A FORD PROBLEM!! I HAVE ALREADY PUT IN A NEW TRANSMISSION AND NOW THIS. I FEEL THAT THESE THINGS SHOULD NOT GO AFTER ONLY 9 YEARS. THIS VEHICLE IS FOR TRANSPORTING MY TWO BOYS IN WHEELCHAIRS WITH A MUSCLE DISEASE. I NEED MY CAR!!! BUT I AM GOING BROKE! IF THESE PROBLEMS ARE FORD AND YOU ARE FIXING THEM FOR FREE WITHIN TEN YEARS, THEN THAT IS WHAT YOU SHOULD DO! [XXX]. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA complaint #10960296 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 76,000 miles Rochester, NY

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

MY TRANSMISSION WENT ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO. I WAS TOLD THAT FORD HAD BAD TRANSMISSIONS IN THE YEARS OF MY VAN, BY THE MECHANIC. THEN FRIDAY NIGHT I WAS DRIVING ALONG AND THE VAN STARTED ACTING FUNNY, NOT ACCELERATING AND A WRENCH LIGHT CAME ON. THEN A LITTLE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND MY CAR DIED. I GOT IT TO GO ABOUT 30MPH ON THE EXPRESSWAY AND GOT IT TO THE GARAGE. :[ I LOOKED UP WHAT HAPPENED AND FOUND OUT THAT THE THROTTLE BODY PROBLEM IS COMMON IN THE FORD, JUST NOT THE E250. BUT IT IS THE SAME PROBLEM AS THE ESCAPE, SO OBVIOUSLY A FORD PROBLEM!! I HAVE ALREADY PUT IN A NEW TRANSMISSION AND NOW THIS. I FEEL THAT THESE THINGS SHOULD NOT GO AFTER ONLY 9 YEARS. THIS VEHICLE IS FOR TRANSPORTING MY TWO BOYS IN WHEELCHAIRS WITH A MUSCLE DISEASE. I NEED MY CAR!!! BUT I AM GOING BROKE! IF THESE PROBLEMS ARE FORD AND YOU ARE FIXING THEM FOR FREE WITHIN TEN YEARS, THEN THAT IS WHAT YOU SHOULD DO! [XXX]. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA complaint #10960296 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 76,000 miles Rochester, NY

ENGINE

MY TRANSMISSION WENT ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO. I WAS TOLD THAT FORD HAD BAD TRANSMISSIONS IN THE YEARS OF MY VAN, BY THE MECHANIC. THEN FRIDAY NIGHT I WAS DRIVING ALONG AND THE VAN STARTED ACTING FUNNY, NOT ACCELERATING AND A WRENCH LIGHT CAME ON. THEN A LITTLE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND MY CAR DIED. I GOT IT TO GO ABOUT 30MPH ON THE EXPRESSWAY AND GOT IT TO THE GARAGE. :[ I LOOKED UP WHAT HAPPENED AND FOUND OUT THAT THE THROTTLE BODY PROBLEM IS COMMON IN THE FORD, JUST NOT THE E250. BUT IT IS THE SAME PROBLEM AS THE ESCAPE, SO OBVIOUSLY A FORD PROBLEM!! I HAVE ALREADY PUT IN A NEW TRANSMISSION AND NOW THIS. I FEEL THAT THESE THINGS SHOULD NOT GO AFTER ONLY 9 YEARS. THIS VEHICLE IS FOR TRANSPORTING MY TWO BOYS IN WHEELCHAIRS WITH A MUSCLE DISEASE. I NEED MY CAR!!! BUT I AM GOING BROKE! IF THESE PROBLEMS ARE FORD AND YOU ARE FIXING THEM FOR FREE WITHIN TEN YEARS, THEN THAT IS WHAT YOU SHOULD DO! [XXX]. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA complaint #10960296 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 195,000 miles EL Paso, TX Crash 1 injured

AIR BAGS

I WAS DRIVING IN THE RAIN GOING 45 AND AS I WAS HEADING DOWNHILL I ATTEMPTED TO SLOW DOWN. THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO HYDROPLANE AND I COULD NOT CONTROL THE DIRECTION I WAS GOING. I RAN FRONT FIRST INTO A GUARDRAIL AND MY VAN FLIPPED OVER AND ROLLED. THE AIR BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED.

NHTSA complaint #10526188 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 195,000 miles EL Paso, TX Crash 1 injured

WHEELS

I WAS DRIVING IN THE RAIN GOING 45 AND AS I WAS HEADING DOWNHILL I ATTEMPTED TO SLOW DOWN. THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO HYDROPLANE AND I COULD NOT CONTROL THE DIRECTION I WAS GOING. I RAN FRONT FIRST INTO A GUARDRAIL AND MY VAN FLIPPED OVER AND ROLLED. THE AIR BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED.

NHTSA complaint #10526188 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 195,000 miles EL Paso, TX Crash 1 injured

STRUCTURE:BODY

I WAS DRIVING IN THE RAIN GOING 45 AND AS I WAS HEADING DOWNHILL I ATTEMPTED TO SLOW DOWN. THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO HYDROPLANE AND I COULD NOT CONTROL THE DIRECTION I WAS GOING. I RAN FRONT FIRST INTO A GUARDRAIL AND MY VAN FLIPPED OVER AND ROLLED. THE AIR BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED.

NHTSA complaint #10526188 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 4,000 miles Mary Esther, FL

TIRES

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD E-250 WITH HANKOOK DYNAPRO AS TIRES, SIZE LT245/75/R16, DOT NUMBER: T7XD5JNH. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THERE WAS A SEVERE THUMP FELT FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. AFTER TAKING THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE SEPARATED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO CERTIFIED DEALER WHERE THE TIRE WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE RECURRED WITHIN A FEW MONTHS. THE TIRE WAS REPLACED A SECOND TIME. LATER, THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED THE SAME FAILURE ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE FAILURE COULD HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY A DEFECT IN THE VEHICLE ITSELF. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 4,000. THE TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 3,500.

NHTSA complaint #10442163 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 42,250 miles Pontotoc, MS Crash 1 injured

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

WHEN THE ENGINE ON THE 2008 E250 FORD CARGO VAN WAS STARTED AND THE TRUCK PUT INTO THE DRIVE GEAR, THE ENGINE RACED AT A HIGH RPM RATE SUFFICIENT TO SPIN THE REAR WHEELS, LUNGE FORWARD UNDER WHAT FELT LIKE FULL POWER, SLAMMED THROUGH A FENCE AND DOWN INTO A RAVINE. THE VAN WAS A RENTAL FROM ENTERPRISE LEASING CO. THE PASSENGER'S RIGHT RING FINGER WAS SEVERED IN THE CRASH. NO AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AND APPARENTLY NEVER INSTALLED IN THE 2008 VAN. THE ACCELERATOR APPEARED TO BE STUCK IN THE OUT-OF-CONTROL RUN-AWAY.

NHTSA complaint #10315281 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.