1990 Ford E-350: common problems

Owners of the 1990 Ford E-350 filed 23 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and structure. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 23

What fails most often

1 Service brakes 57% of all complaints
2 Structure 13% of all complaints
3 Engine and cooling 9% of all complaints
4 Fuel system 9% of all complaints
5 Tires 9% of all complaints
6 Electrical system 4% of all complaints
7 Seat belts 4% of all complaints

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

Service brakes: 13 complaints (57% of all).
Structure: 3 complaints (13% of all).
Engine and cooling: 2 complaints (9% of all).
Fuel system: 2 complaints (9% of all).
Tires: 2 complaints (9% of all).

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 23 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

brake failure8 · 35%
overheating, coolant loss3 · 13%
rust, corrosion3 · 13%
smoke, burning smell, fire3 · 13%
fuel system, fuel smell1 · 4%
stalls while driving1 · 4%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash	Technical service bulletins (TSB)
Service brakes	13	0	0
Structure	3	0	0
Engine and cooling	2	0	0
Fuel system	2	0	0
Tires	2	0	0
Electrical system	1	0	0
Seat belts	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.

Fuel from rear tank overflowed to front tank which leaked out excess fuel. Occurred once before repairs. Did a search for the issue and found that there was a secret open warranty covering the issue, called ford and got 'permission' to have it repaired.
Fuel system · 2009-02-25 · NHTSA complaint #10259862
The front disc brake calipers do not retract after applying the brakes, friction from the brake pads causes the brake fluid to boil effectively resulting in no brake operation, this happens everytime the vehicle is left sitting for about a month, rust develops on the slider bars which prevents the calipers from…
Service brakes · 2001-07-09 · NHTSA complaint #561661
Two of the firestone steeltex radial r4s lt 215/85r16 ms tires experienced tread separation, first time tire wrapped and damaged adjoining tire on left rear dual, second tire unwrapped and broke out bottom of the holding tank, consumer installed armor plat to protect new tank.
Tires · 2000-12-19 · NHTSA complaint #557602
Firestone, steel tex r4s, lt235/85r16 size . Tread on three of the tires separated on separate occasions. Consumer states that on one occasion, he almost hit head on with a tractor trailor.
Tires · 2000-10-11 · NHTSA complaint #872753
Consumer was coming down a hill in in dry weather condition when proceeding to stop and there were no brakes .consumer was able to gradually stop vehicle before a crash.
Service brakes · 1999-09-10 · NHTSA complaint #847487
Gasket o-ring failure resulting in leak which caused fuel filter to become obstructed and gasoline to leak vehicle.
Engine and cooling · 1998-12-01 · NHTSA complaint #541930
Near complete brake failure due to the brakes hanging up and overheating to the extent that there is a loss of stopping power, guide pins rusting could be the cause.
Service brakes · 1998-03-09 · NHTSA complaint #513166
The vehicle caught on fire right under the drivers seat. Please describe.
Electrical system · 1996-05-08 · NHTSA complaint #984235

When owners complained

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

19953
19968
19974
19983
19992
20002
20011
20091

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 7,735 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 21% most complained about).

On average one model year of the E-350 has 27 complaints (44 years in the data). This year has 23, about average.

What to check before buying

Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
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.

Other years of this model

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 1990 Ford E-350?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, structure, engine and cooling. Total complaints: 23. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: brake failure (35%), overheating, coolant loss (13%), rust, corrosion (13%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1990 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 1990 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 1990 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.