The 1983 Ford E350 has 3 recalls, all centered on fire risk: deteriorating coolant hoses can spray engine coolant onto hot exhaust components, and fuel system defects on certain configurations can lead to leaks or fuel expulsion.
The coolant hose concern affects vans and Club Wagons operated under extreme conditions, where heater or engine bypass hoses can break down prematurely and discharge coolant directly onto the exhaust manifold, where the heat is sufficient to ignite it. On the fuel system side, ambulance models equipped with the 7.5-litre engine face a separate but related danger: excessive heat under the vehicle or pressure buildup in the fuel system can cause fuel to leak or spray out of the filler pipe when the cap is removed, creating a fire or burn hazard near any ignition source. There is also a fuel system integrity concern shared across vans and Club Wagons that does not meet Canadian safety standards for containing fuel in a crash, meaning a collision raises the risk of a fuel release that could feed a fire.
