1994 Ford E-150
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
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Vehicles › Ford › E-150 › 1994
These records cover every 1994 Ford E-150. To see whether one car still needs a recall repair, decode its VIN or check it with NHTSA.
Recalls
7 recalls name the 1994 Ford E-150. Newest first.
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…
Risk and remedy
Risk
A vehicle fire could occur with or without the engine running.
Remedy
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.
R&r mobility IS recalling 7 vans equipped with ricon platform style wheelchair lift. these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 404, "platform lift installations on motor vehicles." the threshold warning system may not detect the presence of a wheelchair or mobility aid user in a certain spot within…
Risk and remedy
Risk
The user of the lift could be injured should the lift move unintentionally.
Remedy
R&r mobility IS working with ricon to correct the wheelchair lift free of charge (please see 07e095). owners may contact ricon at 1-818-267-3000.
R&r mobility IS recalling 7 vans equipped with ricon platform style wheelchair lifts. these lifts fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 403, "platform lift system accessible for motor vehicles." the anti-stow interlock may not detect the presence of a wheelchair or mobility aid user. the pressure sensing switch…
Risk and remedy
Risk
A lift occupant can be injured should the lift begin to stow unintentionally.
Remedy
R&r mobility IS working with ricon to correct the wheelchair lifts free of charge (please see 07e097). owners may contact ricon at 1-818-267-3000.
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…
Risk and remedy
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.
Remedy
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.
On certain trucks equipped with speed control, gasoline or natural gas engines, the speed control deactivation switch may overheat.
Risk and remedy
Risk
Overheating could result in smoke or burn and an underhood fire.
Remedy
Dealers will install a fused wiring harness into the speed control system free of charge. the recall began on august 7, 2006. owners may contact ford at 1-866-436-7332. (note: also see recalls 05v017 and 05v388)
The transformer used to power the neon center lightbeam can overheat and catch on fire.
Risk and remedy
Risk
The overheating and fires caused by the neon transformer can result in damage to the lightbeam assembly, the roof of the vehicle, and could result in a vehicle fire.
Remedy
Mark III dealers will modify the assemblies to eliminate the neon lighting fixture in the vehicle and replace it with incandescent lights operating directly from the vehicle 12-volt battery.
The manufacturer's certification label and/or the driver air bag advisory label may be missing from the vehicles, which does not conform to the requirements of 49 cfr 567.
Risk and remedy
Risk
Consequence of non-compliance: owners of vehicle would be unaware of the load capacity of the vans, the van build date, and would not have any assurance that the vans meet the federal motor vehicle safety standards.
Remedy
The labels will be furnished to owner's for installation on the vehicles.
Owner complaints
121 complaints2 involved a crash12 involved a fire5 injuries1 deaths
What owners report most
Latest complaints
- Engine · Engine and engine cooling › Engine › Engine control module (ecu/ecm)
See attached document for complaint
- Steering
The contact owns a 1994 Ford E-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact stated she heard an unusual noise that sounded like something broke. The contact stated she continued to drive and the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was towed to an independent…
The contact owns a 1994 Ford E-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact stated she heard an unusual noise that sounded like something broke. The contact stated she continued to drive and the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic. The vehicle was diagnosed with a fractured steering box. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 165,000.
- Steering
On jan 21ST 2020, while maneuvering at a gas station, I heard a loud pop/crack. thinking I had hit a stanchion, I walked around my van but - no stanchion. nothing to see so I go about my day. steering pulled to the right, I checked for low tire pressure - pressure, ok. 40 miles of freeway…
On jan 21ST 2020, while maneuvering at a gas station, I heard a loud pop/crack. thinking I had hit a stanchion, I walked around my van but - no stanchion. nothing to see so I go about my day. steering pulled to the right, I checked for low tire pressure - pressure, ok. 40 miles of freeway driving later, I take the van to the garage - steering feels loose. after inspection, the danger I was in, and the threat I was to those around me on the road, was most apparent. the steering gear box was loose from the frame, one bolt having sheered off. and the frame itself cracked. imagine my surprise when finding that fatigue failure at this part of the frame was well documented on the internet and yet, as an original owner, I had not been informed of this known and dangerous design defect by ford motor co or landmark ford. how many vans of the same vintage are still on the road ?? how many are safe to drive along side?? I guess I am lucky to be able to write this note, cos had my steering box broken loose while driving across the glen jackson bridge, (i 205), I could easily have ended up in the columbia river along with other innocents. disillusioned customer. 1994 ford E150, 170,289 mls, frame @ steering gear box.
- Steering
Very wobbly loose steering. scary to drive because the steering isn't reliable. feels like it will just go off the road or into oncoming traffic while driving down the road. Havent driven it much since.
- Steering
TL* the contact owns a 1994 ford E-150. The contact stated that one of the three bolts had become loosely connected associated with the steering. The contact tightened the washer as an interim repair to prevent a power steering failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vin was not available. The approximate failure mileage was 135,000.
- Steering
I was driving and came thru the tunnel,and stop by mall to get something to eat.while parking my steering gear box broke away from the frame,causing me to have no steering.if this would have happen 10 minutes earlier or after I would have left the mall going thru the two lane midtown tunnel I would…
I was driving and came thru the tunnel,and stop by mall to get something to eat.while parking my steering gear box broke away from the frame,causing me to have no steering.if this would have happen 10 minutes earlier or after I would have left the mall going thru the two lane midtown tunnel I would have had a head on collision which would have been deadly.is this something ford knew about and did no recall.the bolts are bad and I researched and it happen to alot of people's driving that type.my van in the shop and I do think ford should foot the repair bill.i love my van.have a mustang too it's just the idea I could have killed some one or myself.please if I can have some feed back on this issue or even who else I could contact regarding this issue.
- Steering · Structure › Frame and members › Underbody shields
Hope this isn't a dup; I started a report yesterday, but don't think I completed it. asked to do some work on my 1994 club wagon (167K mi), an independent mechanic found a crack on the lower side of the frame, beneath the steering box. he wouldn't do the work. subsequently a body shop found…
Hope this isn't a dup; I started a report yesterday, but don't think I completed it. asked to do some work on my 1994 club wagon (167K mi), an independent mechanic found a crack on the lower side of the frame, beneath the steering box. he wouldn't do the work. subsequently a body shop found there were actually two cracks, one on the inboard side of the frame, radiating from the steering box mounting hole, traveling back and down, around the lower corner of the frame, then forward about 3" on the lower face of the frame ,along the edge. the last 2" of the crack were open, with about a 2MM gap. the crack on the opposite face traveled in an arc of perhaps 60 degrees centered on the mounting bolt hole, about 2" from the center, then diagonally down to the lower edge, then back a couple of inches along that lower edge. both look like fatigue due to sb torque on the frame. ford won't fix the problem, provide a method to fix it, or comment on the possibility of fixing it. the corporate consumer help phone line said I should buy a shop manual and read it to determine if there IS a way to fix it. the local ford dealer recommended a body shop. that shop offered to weld patches over the cracks. after reading similar stories, that sounds like a profoundly bad idea. a search this (nhtsb) site for similar problems claims 15 total problems with this model and year. however, another site (http://harrigill.net/fordvan/index.html) lists 39 for the same model and year, copied from the nhtsa in 2007 - and yet more from 1993. where are the others? and what of the problem with the same frame in other years? what IS the total number of reported problems for this design, summed over all years? it seems to me the nhtsa and ford should have warned owners of this problem. perhaps you haven't noticed because frame not in your list of parts? *tr
- Structure › Frame and members
I purchased this 1994 ford E-150 clubwagon from a private owner in 08/2008, it was and still IS in better than good condition. It had a recall to replace a fused jumper harness which was done in 12/2008. in early spring of 2009, I just bought a new set of tires and got a front end alignment, about…
I purchased this 1994 ford E-150 clubwagon from a private owner in 08/2008, it was and still IS in better than good condition. It had a recall to replace a fused jumper harness which was done in 12/2008. in early spring of 2009, I just bought a new set of tires and got a front end alignment, about two weeks later, I was traveling at about 45 miles an hour on a busy four lane street, when I hit a bump in the road and my van began to shake very violently. At the same time I was passing a repair shop, I got the van under control and pull in. Being a certified mechanic myself I began to examine the steering linkage, everything seemed fine, when the shop mechanic noticed that the lower steering gearbox bolt had went through the frame and had broke at the threads. after putting it in the shop a few times, with short term success, that particular area of the frame continued to have problems. What started out as a small hole, after a few attempts at the shop, has now become larger. I checked with the local ford dealer about a recall, there was none. I've worked as a mechanic for many years, and have never seen this happen before, I have a few theories on the subject, possibly an over torqued gearbox and/or a very weak frame. but nevertheless ford should recall these vehicles and make the necessary repairs before someone IS seriously injured or becomes a fatality. Because this defect could happen at any given time and without warning. *tr
- Fuel system, gasoline
Tl*the contact owns a 1994 ford E-150. The contact stated that fuel began to leak from under the vehicle while he was fueling the vehicle. The fuel continued to leak until the tank was 1/3 full and it stopped. The vehicle had not been inspected or repaired. The current and failure mileages were approximately 140,000.
- Unknown or other
I'm having a difficult time getting recalls done at the local ford dealer. I called last week to schedule a time to get fixed and they told me to bring it in anytime next week after tuesday. I did just that and they told me they stopped doing recalls for now. we don't have any other options other then taking out of town an 1 hour away. *tr
- Electrical system · Electrical system › Instrument cluster/panel · Service brakes, hydraulic · Service brakes, hydraulic › Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip · Vehicle speed control
Tl*the contact owns a 1994 ford E-150 econoline. the contact stated that the ABS light was flashing and the brake fluid was very low. in addition, the speed control light began flashing and failed while driving 25 mph. the gear would not shift out of park when the vehicle was started, and the…
Tl*the contact owns a 1994 ford E-150 econoline. the contact stated that the ABS light was flashing and the brake fluid was very low. in addition, the speed control light began flashing and failed while driving 25 mph. the gear would not shift out of park when the vehicle was started, and the odometer and speedometer stopped working. the mechanic stated that the vehicle need brake fluid and that the speed control failed due to defective brakes. the dealer stated that they would charge the contact $110 for overage diagnostic testing while repairing the vehicle under recall. the contact has handicapped triplets and the brakes and speed control are a safety issue. the current mileage was 52,000 and failure mileage was 50,000. updated 08/18/08 *bf the vehicle also had an electrical short. Updated 08/19/08 *jb
- Vehicle speed control › Cruise control
Tl*the contact owns a 1994 ford E150. the contact received a ford recall notice in august of 2007 for the vehicle speed control: cruise control. the parts were unavailable for the recall repair. while parked in the garage, the vehicle caught fire. after the contact extinguished the fire, the…
Tl*the contact owns a 1994 ford E150. the contact received a ford recall notice in august of 2007 for the vehicle speed control: cruise control. the parts were unavailable for the recall repair. while parked in the garage, the vehicle caught fire. after the contact extinguished the fire, the vehicle would not move out of the park position. the dealer stated that he would have to first install a fuse to move the vehicle out of park before bringing it to the dealer for repair. after he installed the fuse and took the vehicle to the dealer, they refused to make the repair. the manufacturer referred him to his state's attorney general office. the recall number was unknown. the current and failure mileages were 110,009.
- Vehicle speed control · Vehicle speed control › Cruise control
Tl*the contact owns a 1994 ford E150. the contact received a ford recall notice for the vehicle speed control: cruise control in december of 2007. he called the dealer and was informed that the parts for the recall repair were unavailable. on may 7, 2008, his vehicle caught fire and burned the…
Tl*the contact owns a 1994 ford E150. the contact received a ford recall notice for the vehicle speed control: cruise control in december of 2007. he called the dealer and was informed that the parts for the recall repair were unavailable. on may 7, 2008, his vehicle caught fire and burned the wiring harness fuse. as a result, the vehicle IS stuck in the park position. the dealer stated that because the harness was already melted, they would not assume any financial liability, nor would they attempt to repair the vehicle. the contact IS in the process of notifying the manufacturer. the failure and current mileages were 108,000. updated 5/30/08 *cn
- Air bags
Tl*the contact owns a 1994 ford E-150. the contact stated that the clock spring in the steering column was defective and had to be replaced approximately 6-7 times; three times at a dealer and the other three times at a repair shop. he believed that the defective spring would cause issues with…
Tl*the contact owns a 1994 ford E-150. the contact stated that the clock spring in the steering column was defective and had to be replaced approximately 6-7 times; three times at a dealer and the other three times at a repair shop. he believed that the defective spring would cause issues with the horn and the air bags. the current mileage was 132,500 and failure mileage was approximately 7,000. updated 6/30/08 *cn updated
- Vehicle speed control
Tl*the contact owns a 1994 ford E-150. at approximately 35 mph on april 6, 2007 the vehicle's acceleration automatically increased, even as the contact attempted to depress the brake pedal. there was a national safety recall on the cruise control of this vehicle and the remedy was performed one…
Tl*the contact owns a 1994 ford E-150. at approximately 35 mph on april 6, 2007 the vehicle's acceleration automatically increased, even as the contact attempted to depress the brake pedal. there was a national safety recall on the cruise control of this vehicle and the remedy was performed one year ago. the contact believed that the remedywas contributing to the vehicle's failure to stop. the current and failure mileage were 129,000.*ak
- Engine and engine cooling › Engine
TL*- the contact stated that when attempting to start the 1994 ford E150 he heard a loud noise. The contact felt that this was due to the oil rising to the top of the engine. The contact had to turn the vehicle off and waited 4 hours before he attempted to restart the vehicle. The contact was…
TL*- the contact stated that when attempting to start the 1994 ford E150 he heard a loud noise. The contact felt that this was due to the oil rising to the top of the engine. The contact had to turn the vehicle off and waited 4 hours before he attempted to restart the vehicle. The contact was then unable to start the vehicle without hearing the noise. He generally had this problem with the vehicle when he attempted to start the vehicle in the morning. He did not take the vehicle to the dealership to have it checked. The vehicle currently has 190000 miles. *Ak updated 03/19/07. *Jb
- Equipment › Appliance › Air conditioner
1994 E150 rear a/c lines had been capped off. the a/c lines under vehicle were corroded. *ts the vehicle had no rear a/c installed. *nm
- Vehicle speed control › Cruise control
Dt*: the contact stated the vehicle caught fire and burned. the vehicle was parked for 8 hours prior to the fire. the fire department stated in a written report the fire started in the engine compartment on the driver's side. additional property damage was sustained to 4 other vehicles. the insurance company investigated and deemed the vehicle a total loss.
- Vehicle speed control
Dt: the contact owns a 1994 ford E-150 conversion van. when she started to use the cruise control it would not work. about a month after the cruise control stopped working the instrument panel failed. the vehicle would not go into gear, the odometer stopped working, and the overdrive light kept…
Dt: the contact owns a 1994 ford E-150 conversion van. when she started to use the cruise control it would not work. about a month after the cruise control stopped working the instrument panel failed. the vehicle would not go into gear, the odometer stopped working, and the overdrive light kept flashing on and off. upon inspection by a local service dealer it was determined that it was the same problem that affected the ford vehicles that were under recall for vehicle speed control. the dealership said that there was a fuse blown , causing the instrument panel not work. this was caused by brake fluid leaking onto the cruise control switch and the cruise control servo. the manufacturer stated since the vehicle was not included in the recall that the contact would have to cover the cost of the repairs. for future reference she would need to keep the receipts for the repairs in case there was a recall for this vehicle and she wanted to seek reimbursement. *ak updated 01/11/06. *Jb
- Electrical system · Vehicle speed control › Cruise control
On september 12, 2005 while the family was away from home, our 1994 ford e 150(econoline) van spontaneously started on fire. the vehicle was parked and not running as we were not home. Upon return and following communication with the fire department and witnesses, the vehicle started smoking and…
On september 12, 2005 while the family was away from home, our 1994 ford e 150(econoline) van spontaneously started on fire. the vehicle was parked and not running as we were not home. Upon return and following communication with the fire department and witnesses, the vehicle started smoking and then burst into flames with no one near the vehicle. The hood and engine area were a mass of melted wires and plastic. The focus of damage was on the driver side of the engine. We were told by a neighbor at that time about a recall ford was suppose to have on their vehicles. after looking up the cruise control recall and comparing pictures, the burn evidence appears to be the same. the vehicle IS totaled. I would like to hear from the ford company as they only recalled the vehicles that the media was aware of and not the other vehicles with the same faulty equipment. (Recalled f 150 not e 150 with same cruise control that remains hot even when the engine IS off and vehicle IS parked over night.)
- Electrical system › Wiring › Front underhood
1994 ford E150 caught fire and burned shortly after being parked. Fire investigators believed the fire originated in the wiring harness in the engine compartment. *jb
- Vehicle speed control › Cruise control
Underhood fire starting in the cruise control switch on the master cylinder, which I saved for investigation. I happened to be outside, saw the smoke and flames and was able to extinguish it before major destruction occurred. The flames were coming from that switch. *nm
- Electrical system › Wiring › Front underhood
Dt: consumer complained about electrical problems. the cruise control was not working. one day was unable to get out of park. was taken to the service station and had parked there for 48 hours and experienced a fire in the night. the vehicle was a total loss. fire dept stated fire began under the hood. no repairs have been made. the vehicle also burned 2 other cars parked next to it. *ak
- Electrical system › 12v/24v/48v battery · Vehicle speed control › Cruise control
1994 ford E150 has problems with battery equipment. *mr there was a series of dead battery incidents. while connecting a new battery with the key out of the ignition, a considerable spark occurred at the battery terminal followed by a plume of smoke which emitted from the speed control switch assembly. *sc
- Electrical system › Ignition › Switch · Electrical system › Wiring · Engine and engine cooling · Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery › Fuel pump
While driving the motor shut down. Vehicle lost power steering and brakes. Vehicle will coast until it stops. After waiting about 15 minutes the vehicle will started up again, only to shut back down. Owner had the fuel pump/computer/pick up in the distributor/new ignition switch, and wiring harness changed. Yet the vehicle's performance had not changed. *Ak
Defect investigations
NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened these reviews into vehicles including this one.
- Engine compartment fires
Ea05-005 IS closed with ford?s actions in recalls 05v-017, 05v-388, and 06v-286, recalling approximately 6.7 million vehicles equipped with texas instruments speed control deactivation switches (scds).the brake systems in these recalled vehicles generate a vacuum that can potentially cause the scds to fail and, in…
Ea05-005 IS closed with ford?s actions in recalls 05v-017, 05v-388, and 06v-286, recalling approximately 6.7 million vehicles equipped with texas instruments speed control deactivation switches (scds).the brake systems in these recalled vehicles generate a vacuum that can potentially cause the scds to fail and, in certain switch installation orientations, catch fire.ford IS also including the entire population of 1998 explorers.ford has informed odi that testing to determine the cause of failures in the 1998 explorers will continue after this investigation IS closed.odi believes that the vehicles exhibiting the factors causing scds failure described in this report correlate well with the observed failure rates on these vehicles by model and model year.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by nhtsa that a safety-related defect does not exist in the non-recalled vehicles manufactured with scds that are not included in ford?s recalls.odi will continue to monitor the non-recalled population for incidence of engine compartment fires.the agency reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances.see attached closing report for details.
- Loss of steering control
There is no summary currently available
Service bulletins
Technical service bulletins and other communications the manufacturer sent dealers about this vehicle. Ask a dealer for the full document by its number.
- 3055237Unknown
- 613335Subject regarding a new transmission case and main control released for service on aode / 4r70w transmissions.
- 601048Subject regarding on-vehicle caliper-mount lathe machining setup procedures.
- 601047A shudder / vibration and / or squealing heard while braking - revised front brake lining.
- 601046A comprehensive pull and drift diagnostic procedure has been developed to assist technicians in resolving brake pull or drift concerns.
- 50440Vehicles may exhibit an exhaust leak &/or noise due to warped exhaust manifolds.
- 50356Information on aode/4r7w transmission main control & case replacement.
- 45086Delayed forward engagement and/or heat stained forward clutch plates after installing center support service.
- 45059Vehicles experiencing occasional harsh reverse engagement concerns.
- 39887There may be an intermittent loss of torque during or just after the 3-4 upshift or in 4TH gear on some vehicles.
Every Ford E-150 model year
Bars are owner complaints, dots mark years with recalls. Select a year to open its report.