1986 Ford E-350: common problems

Owners of the 1986 Ford E-350 filed 11 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and engine and cooling. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 11

What fails most often

1 Electrical system 55% of all complaints
2 Engine and cooling 27% of all complaints
3 Fuel system 9% of all complaints
4 Powertrain 9% of all complaints
5 Service brakes 9% of all complaints
6 Tires 9% of all complaints

Circle size and colour show each component’s share of NHTSA complaints. Schematic only, not a drawing of the exact model.

Electrical system: 6 complaints (55% of all).
Engine and cooling: 3 complaints (27% of all).
Fuel system: 1 complaints (9% of all).
Powertrain: 1 complaints (9% of all).
Service brakes: 1 complaints (9% of all).

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash	Technical service bulletins (TSB)
Electrical system	6	0	0
Engine and cooling	3	0	0
Fuel system	1	0	0
Powertrain	1	0	0
Service brakes	1	0	0
Tires	1	0	0

What owners report

Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.

1986 ford e350, a fire started on the right side and undercarriage of the vehicle. According to the police report, the exhaust was bent upward toward the side of the motor home, which may have been the cause of the fire. (ohio traffic crash report # 10-0332-89)
Engine and cooling · 2010-09-20 · NHTSA complaint #10357512
This is the exact failure I have seen on recalled tires. Tread has separated from the tire casing for approx 1/3 of the tire circumfrence at highway speed. These tires, although old, have always been prefectly maintained and garage kept. The y show no signs of collateral damage such as heat of sun effects.
Tires · 2000-10-10 · NHTSA complaint #732814
Engine fire, owner stated that earlier in the day alternator work was done, due to problems. (ohio traffic crash report). Mjs
Electrical system · 1999-04-30 · NHTSA complaint #545265
About 3:15 p.m. On monday, 8 march 1999 I exited the ohio turnpike at the blue heron service area, parked my 1986 ford e-350 van before the travelers services building, put the ignition key into my pocket, and went into the restroom. When I returned to m
Electrical system · 1999-03-16 · NHTSA complaint #704491
Consumer states that he has replaced the rear gas sender in the rear gas tank, replaced (4) times in a (10) year period. Time to be replaced once again.
Fuel system · 1996-09-19 · NHTSA complaint #802690
The vehicle kept trying to start itself and then went up in flames. Please describe.
Electrical system · 1996-04-19 · NHTSA complaint #983075

When owners complained

NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.

19951
19964
19993
20001
20101
20201

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 10,520 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 29% most complained about).

On average one model year of the E-350 has 27 complaints (44 years in the data). This year has 11, below average.

What to check before buying

Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.

Other years of this model

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 1986 Ford E-350?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, engine and cooling, fuel system. Total complaints: 11. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: smoke, burning smell, fire (36%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1986 Ford E-350?

NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.

Should I buy a 1986 Ford E-350 from a US auction?

Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.

Other 1986 models

Read also

Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.