2002 Ford E-350 Problems, Complaints & Recalls

Source: NHTSA · Updated Sep 6, 2018 · 53 owner complaints analyzed

Compared with other E-350 years
Far more complaints than other years 7th of 33 for complaints
NHTSA crash rating
Not rated

Owners have filed 53 complaints with NHTSA about the 2002 Ford E-350. That ranks 7th out of 33 E-350 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine and engine cooling (16 complaints, 30%), typically at around 95,000 miles. Complaints mention 2 crashes, 1 fire, 10 injuries. There are 5 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 3 defect investigations involving it.

Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.

Compare with another car

Most common 2002 Ford E-350 problems

Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.

Engine and Engine Cooling16 · ~95,000 mi
Tires8 · ~42,800 mi
Electrical System6 · ~96,446 mi
Engine4 · ~110,000 mi
Fuel System, Diesel4 · ~65,000 mi
Service Brakes, Hydraulic4 · ~5,539 mi
Seat Belts3
Suspension3 · ~127,100 mi
Fuel/propulsion System2 · ~180,000 mi
Steering2 · ~80,000 mi
Problem areaComplaintsShareMedian milesOwners mention mostTypical repair cost
Engine and Engine Cooling1630%95,000——
Tires815%42,800——
Electrical System611%96,446——
Engine48%110,000——
Fuel System, Diesel48%65,000——
Service Brakes, Hydraulic48%5,539——
Seat Belts36%———
Suspension36%127,100——
Fuel/propulsion System24%180,000——
Steering24%80,000——
Structure24%50,500——
Unknown or Other24%120,000——
Vehicle Speed Control24%———
Exterior Lighting12%150,000——
Service Brakes12%80,000——

One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.

Complaints by year received

Peak: 2009, with 7 complaints
2002: 4200242003: 552004: 2200422005: 552006: 4200642007: 662008: 4200842009: 772010: 4201042011: 332012: 1201212013: 112014: 1201412015: 332017: 2201722018: 11

n = 53 complaints · Source: NHTSA

2002 Ford E-350 recalls (5)

Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.

Vehicle speed controlOct 13, 2009 · NHTSA campaign 09V399000 · 4,500,000 vehicles

Problem: Ford is recalling model years 1995-2003 windstar, 2000-2003 excursion diesel, 1993-1997 and 1999-2003 f-250 sd through f-550 sd diesel, 1992-2003 e-150 through e-550, 1995-2002 explorer, 1997 and 2002 mercury mountaineer, 1995-1997 and 2001-2003 ranger, and 1994 f53 vehicles equipped with the texas instruments speed control deactivation switch (scds). The scds may leak internally and then overheat, smoke, or burn.

Risk: A vehicle fire could occur with or without the engine running.

Fix: Ford will notify owners that dealers will install a fused wiring harness in line with the scds. On 1999-2003 windstar vehicles with a leaking scds, dealers will also inspect the abs control module connector and repair as necessary. Repairs will be completed free of charge. The safety recall began on october 27, 2009. Owners may contact ford at 1-888-222-2751.

Vehicle speed control:cruise controlFeb 4, 2008 · NHTSA campaign 08V051000 · 225,000 vehicles

Problem: Ford is recalling 225,000 my 1992-2003 econoline, my 1993-1995 taurus sho, my 1992-1998 crown victoria, my 1993 bronco, f-series, my 1995-1997 f-series super duty stripped chassis, my 1992-1998 mercury grand marquis, and my 1992-1995 lincoln town car vehicles. The affected vehicles were previously repaired using a wiring harness that is not compatible with the vehicle circuit polarity.

Risk: As a result, the fuse is located in the output circuit rather than in the intended input power feed circuit, and may not offer the intended protection in the event of an electrical short to ground.

Fix: Dealers will install a new wiring harness, or replace the mating electrical component. The recall began on february 18, 2008. Owners may contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.

Vehicle speed controlAug 3, 2007 · NHTSA campaign 07V336000 · 3,600,000 vehicles

Problem: On certain pickup trucks, passenger vehicles, sport utility vehicles, and motor homes chassis, the speed control deactivation switch may, under certain conditions, leak internally and then overheat, smoke, or burn.

Risk: This could result in an underhood fire.

Fix: Dealers will install a fused wiring harness. Owners of the passenger cars included in this campaign will be instructed to return their vehicles to their dealers to have the speed control deactivation switch disconnected as an interim repair. As soon as repair parts are available (expected october 2007), owners will be instructed to return to the dealers for installation of a fused wiring harness. The recall began on august 13, 2007, and mailing completed by september 19, 2007. Owners may contact ford at 1-888-222-2751.

Equipment adaptive/mobilityDec 15, 2004 · NHTSA campaign 04V589000 · 501 vehicles

Problem: On certain vans built on ford e250/e350 chassis and equipped with sure-lok wheelchair securement systems, the sprocket teeth of the retractor assembly is out of alignment.

Risk: In the event of a vehicle crash, the wheelchair may not be adequately secured possibly resulting in injuries to a wheelchair occupant.

Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the wheelchair securement retractors as necessary. Sure-lok is conducting the owner notification and remedy for this campaign. Owners should contact sure-lock at 1-908-231-1804 or accubuilt at 419-222-1501.

Equipment:other:labelsMay 13, 2004 · NHTSA campaign 04V232000 · 28,456 vehicles

Problem: Certain vans and wagons fail to conform to the requirements of part 567, "certification." for certain 2003 e250 vans built with lt225/75r16e tires, the rear axle rating is incorrectly listed on the label. In addition, the tire pressure is incorrectly listed on the label for the rear tires on certain 2002 e350 wagons and for the front tires on certain 2002 e250 vans built with these tires.

Risk: Failure to follow proper vehicle loading specifications or tire inflation recommendation can result in tire failure, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Owners will be provided with supplementary tire labels containing correct information and installation instructions. If an owner so desires, their dealer can install the label for them. The recall began on july 8, 2004. Owners should contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.

To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.

NHTSA defect investigations

  • HVAC Switch Failures (EA10003) — opened Apr 13, 2010, closed Mar 5, 2012.
  • HVAC Switch Failures (PE09055) — opened Dec 7, 2009, closed Apr 21, 2010.
  • Spark plug ejection from cylinder head (DP05005) — opened Sep 22, 2005, closed Jan 4, 2006.

Recent owner reports

Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.

Head on vehicle stripped because of the way it is made. There was a recall on regular e350 but mine is an rv. It was in motion when the spark plug popped out while driving down the highway on i-65 in birmingham alabama.

Engine · received Sep 6, 2018 · NHTSA complaint 11127910

This 350 econoline, 8cyl., extended body van was purchased new, and i am the original owner. The vehicle has only 120k miles on it since 2002. Beginning several years ago, my mechanic complained of severe frame erosion, having had to reinforce and re-weld several parts back onto the frame…

Engine · received Sep 26, 2017 · NHTSA complaint 11029878

Blowing out spark pluges.

Fuel/propulsion System · received Feb 27, 2017 · NHTSA complaint 10957162

While traveling on an interstate highway, the van started showing symptoms of fuel starvation and with the family and a semi on my bumper things got quite hairy and started and argument with my wife! I exited the highway and put clean diesel fuel and fuel additive to get me back home; this did not…

Fuel/propulsion System · received Aug 31, 2015 · NHTSA complaint 10760571

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 ford e-350 equipped with michelin lt24575r16 tires, size: 245/756/16 (na). While driving approximately 55 mph, the contact felt vibrations from the front tires. The contact noticed that the tread from the front passenger side tire was separated. The vehicle was not…

Tires · received Jul 15, 2015 · NHTSA complaint 10734284

Other Ford E-350 years

← 2001 E-350 · 2003 E-350 →

See all Ford E-350 problems by year, every Ford model, or the Ford VIN decoder.

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Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2002 Ford E-350?

Owners most often report engine and engine cooling, tires, electrical system problems. The top one, engine and engine cooling, accounts for 16 complaints.

Was there a recall on the 2002 Ford E-350?

Yes, 5 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.

Was the 2002 Ford E-350 a good year?

Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other E-350 model years, the 2002 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.