1985 Ford E350 recalls & complaints

1. Visibility (wipers / glass)

What's wrong, in plain English: You may not be able to see the road clearly. HEATER HOSE MAY BE INCORRECTLY ROUTED.

What could happen: HOSE COULD WEAR THROUGH AND LEAK WHICH COULD RESULT INAN UNDERHOOD FIRE.

The fix: REROUTE AND REPAIR HOSE AS NECESSARY.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 1985 E350.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Ford dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 89V140000.
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

2. Engine

What's wrong, in plain English: Engine problems range from stalling to fire. EXTREME OPERATING CONDITIONS COULD CAUSE PREMATURE DETERIORATION OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT HEATER HOSES OR ENGINE BYPASS HOSES.

What could happen: ENGINE COOLANT COULD DISCHARGE ONTO THE ENGINE AND ITSEXHAUST MANIFOLD CREATING THE POTENTIAL FOR A FIRE DUE TO THE HIGH ENGINEEXHAUST MANIFOLD TEMPERATURES.

The fix: REPLACE HOSES AND RADIATOR CAPS; INSTALL HIGH HEAT RESISTANCE ALUMINIZED STAINLESS STEEL MUFFLERS.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 1985 E350.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Ford dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 88V133000.
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

3. Visibility (wipers / glass)

What's wrong, in plain English: You may not be able to see the road clearly. HEATER HOSE MAY BE INCORRECTLY ROUTED.

What could happen: HOSE COULD WEAR THROUGH AND LEAK WHICH COULD RESULT INAN UNDERHOOD FIRE.

The fix: REROUTE AND REPAIR HOSE, AS NECESSARY.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 1985 E350.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Ford dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 89V139000.
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

4. Fuel system

What's wrong, in plain English: Fuel lines, tank or pump. Fuel problems usually mean a leak, and leaks mean fire risk. FUEL LEAK AT THE TOP OF THE FRONT FUEL TANK IN THE AREA OF THE VAPOR VALVE GROMMET. GROMMET MAY SPLIT DUE TO COMPRESSIVE LOAD WHEN INSTALLED IN THE FUEL TANK.

What could happen: FUEL MAY LEAK FROM VAPOR VALVE AND BECOME THE SOURCE OFFUEL FOR A FIRE.

The fix: INSTALLATION OF A NEWLY DESIGNED VAPOR VALVE GROMMET.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 1985 E350.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Ford dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 87V111000.
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

5. Engine

What's wrong, in plain English: Engine problems range from stalling to fire. VEHICLES ARE SUBJECT TO EXCESSIVE UNDERHOOD TEMPERATURES AND FUEL SYSTEM PRESSURES IN SEVERE DUTY APPLICATIONS.

What could happen: THIS CREATES POTENTIAL FOR FUEL EXPULSION FROM THE FUELFILLER PIPE WHICH IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, COULD RESULT IN AFIRE.

The fix: INSTALL MODIFICATION KITS TO MINIMIZE POSSIBILITY OF FUEL EXPULSION AND TO SHIELD UNDERBODY COMPONENTS FROM EXHAUST SYSTEM HEAT.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 1985 E350.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Ford dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 87V144000.
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

6. Electrical system

What's wrong, in plain English: Wiring, modules, batteries. Short circuits can cause stalls or fires. NYLON TIES THAT SUPPORT THE MAIN WIRING HARNESS TO THE CHASSIS COULD WEAR AND BREAK DUE TO EXCESSIVE VIBRATION. THUS, WIRING HARNESS COULD FALL ON ENGINE COMPONENTS AND SHORT CIRCUIT.

What could happen: THIS COULD CAUSE LOSS OF ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WHICH COULDRESULT IN AN UNDERHOOD FIRE.

The fix: INSTALL RETROFIT RIT OF PLASTIC-COATED METAL CLAMPS, LOOM FOR POSITIVE BATTERY CABLES AND RE-ROUTE WIRING.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 1985 E350.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Ford dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 89V062000.
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

7. Engine

What's wrong, in plain English: Engine problems range from stalling to fire. EXPULSION OF FUEL DUE TO OVERPRESSURIZATION.

What could happen: FUEL OR FUEL VAPORS IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITIONSOURCE CAN CAUSE A FIRE.

The fix: MODIFICATION OF THE BASE FUEL VENTING AND EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEM TO REDUCE OPERATING TEMPERATURES AND FUEL SYSTEM PRESSURES.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 1985 E350.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Ford dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 87V113000.
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

8. Steering

What's wrong, in plain English: If steering fails you can lose control of the car. THE RUBBER THAT ENCASES BALL STUD AND SOCKET JOINT (CONNECTS STEERING DRAG LINK AND PITMAN ARM) MAY DETERIORATE, CAUSING METAL TO METAL CONTACT, AND MAY EVENTUALLY RESULT IN COMPLETE SEPARATION. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: COMPLETE SEPARATION OF THE DRAG LINK TO PITMAN ARM CONNECTION RESULTS IN LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL WHICH MAY LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT.

What could happen:

The fix: INSTALL NEW DRAG LINK ASSEMBLIES WITH STEEL BALL AND SOCKET JOINTS AT THE PITMAN ARM CONNECTIONS.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 1985 E350.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Ford dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 86V094000.
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

9. Fuel system

What's wrong, in plain English: Fuel lines, tank or pump. Fuel problems usually mean a leak, and leaks mean fire risk. WHEN FRONTALLY IMPACTED INTO A FIXED BARRIER AT 30 MPH, AS SPECIFIED IN FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD (FMVSS) NO. 301, THE LEFT FRAME RAILS OF SUCH VEHICLES MAY DISPLACE INBOARD, PINCHING THE FUEL/WATER SEPARATOR CANISTER BETWEEN THE FRAME RAIL AND ENGINE SUFFICIENTLY TO DISPLACE THE FUEL/WATER SEPARATOR DRAIN ROD, ALLOWING THE CONTENTS OF THE CANISTER TO DRAIN. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: FUEL LEAK DURING OR AFT…

What could happen:

The fix: INSTALL A CANISTER SHIELD, A REVISED DESIGN DRAIN ROD SHIELD, AND MODIFY FUEL/WATER SEPARATOR MOUNTING BRACKET.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 1985 E350.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Ford dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 85V061000.
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

10. Transmission / drivetrain

What's wrong, in plain English: The parts that send engine power to the wheels. Failure can mean a sudden loss of power or the car rolling away. COMPOSITE GRAPHITE DRIVESHAFTS ARE SUBJECT TO OVERHEATING WHILE IDLING, WHICH MAY RESULT IN THE DRIVESHAFT TWISTING AND SHORTENING CAUSING THE SLIP YOKE TO DISCONNECT FROM THE TRANSMISSION. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: IF THE DRIVESHAFT DISCONNECTS FROM THE TRANSMISSION THE VEHICLE WOULD BECOME IMMOBILE WITHOUT WARNING.

What could happen:

The fix: INSTALL METAL DRIVESHAFT.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 1985 E350.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Ford dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 86V092000.
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Most complained-about parts: Electrical system (2), Wheels / tires (1).

Complaints are unverified reports from owners. A pattern (many complaints about the same part) matters more than any single one.