Summary
The Ford E250 has 4 recalls spanning 1983 to 2002, with the most serious being a frame crossmember defect on 1990 models where the rear shock crossmember can crack, eventually separate, and contact the fuel and brake lines running beneath the vehicle.
The 1983-1987 model years with 7.5-liter engines, and 1985-1987 heavy-duty variants with the 5.8-liter four-barrel engine rated above 8,500 lbs gross vehicle weight, can generate excessive heat and fuel system pressure under hard use, raising the risk of a fuel-related fire. The 1989 model year with the 5.8-liter engine has vacuum lines for the exhaust gas recirculation and emissions systems that can contact the hot EGR valve and tube assembly, causing those lines to either leak or fuse shut, which disrupts the emissions system operation. The 2002 model year, on vehicles equipped with LT225/75R16E tires, has an incorrectly printed rear axle weight rating on the compliance label, meaning the stated load limit does not reflect the actual rating.