The 2006 Ford E-250 has 11 NHTSA owner complaints and 30 recalls on file (U.S. federal records, as of August 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.
Significant reliability concerns on file. Read the trouble spots before buying.
0
Critical
30
Severe
0
Moderate
Should you avoid this 2006 E-250?
High-risk ownership
Repair exposure runs above average — only with money set aside and eyes open.
Reliability score 2.8/10 — below the segment average
30 recall campaigns on file
Our read of the federal NHTSA complaint and recall record for this exact year and model —
not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection. How we score.
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What owners are saying
recent NHTSA-filed complaints · verbatim
2006 E-250· electricalInjury
Thru testing by a industrial hygentist we have proof that our handicapped van customed in miss in 2005 and sold as a brand new vehicle in 2006 was in fact defective and contains more formaldehyde above human consumption. This vehicle was returned the dealership in plant city, fl…
Tl*contact owns a 2006 Ford e250. While driving 40 MPH, the electronic mobility control system failed. The contact was unable to steer the vehicle, lost control and crashed into the wall of a bridge. The passenger side of the van was damaged. A police report was filed. The…
I own I Ford freestyle, I am currently replacing the throttle body for the second time. It took a mechanic much trial and error to find the problem, which cost me a great deal of money. The car started acting the same way yesterday! This has been the 2nd time in less than a…
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New England Wheels (New England) is recalling certain model year 2006-2014 Ford E-250, E-350, and 2015 Ford Transit vans equipped with certain model S2005, S2010, S5005, S5010, S5505, and S5510 wheelchair lifts by Ricon
If the platform side plates crack or the platform mounting fails from out-of-position bearings, the lift platform can separate from the lift and come to rest against the vehicle's lift door. When the vehicle's doors are opened, the platform may fall onto the lift operator, increasing their risk of injury.
Fix: New England will notify owners, and Ricon dealers will inspect the link arms for damage or for displaced bearings. The platform will be inspected for cracks. Any damaged parts will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began on June 29, 2016. Owners may contact New England customer service at 1-800-886-9247. New England's number for this recall is 16E-020.
New England Wheels is recalling certain model year 2006-2014 Ford E-250, and E-350 cargo vans modified to be equipped with certain model S2005, S2010, S5005, S5010, S5505, and S5510 wheelchair lifts built by the Ricon Corporation
If the bearings move out of position, the stowed platform may have excessive movement resulting in failure of the platform mounting. This failure could cause the wheel chair lift platform to fall out of the vehicle when the doors are opened, increasing the risk of injury for the lift operator.
Fix: New England Wheels will notify owners, and Ricon dealers will inspect the link arms for damage or for displaced bearings. The platform will be inspected for cracks. Any damaged parts will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began on January 5, 2016. Owners may contact New England Wheels customer service at 1-800-866-9247, or Ricon Customer Service at 1-800-322-2884. New England Wheels' number for this recall is 15E-068. Note: These vans and wheelchair lifts were subject to a similar recall in 2014. All vehicles that received that recall remedy are still affected by this recall as well.
If the platform side plates crack, the lift platform can separate from the lift and come to rest against the vehicle's lift door. When the doors are opened, the platform may fall out, increasing the risk of injury to the lift operator. Additionally, if the bearings move out of position, the stowed platform may have excessive movement resulting in failure of the platform mounting. This failure could cause the wheel chair lift platform to fall out of the vehicle when the doors are opened, increasing the risk of injury for the lift operator.
Fix: Mobility Specialists will notify owners to take their vehicles to a Ricon dealer or service center who will install supplemental platform support bumpers. Any platform that has already started cracking will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began on November 13, 2015. Owners may contact Mobility Specialists customer service at 1-877-777-5438, or Ricon customer service at 1-800-322-2884.
It's got known weak points. With a reliability score of 2.8 out of 10 based on 11 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2006 Ford E-250 has a higher-than-average rate of reported issues. The areas to watch are listed above. Whether it's worth owning depends on price, condition, and how much repair exposure you can absorb.
Should you avoid the 2006 Ford E-250?
The 2006 Ford E-250 is a higher-risk ownership prospect. Repair exposure runs above average — only with money set aside and eyes open. The record behind that call: Reliability score 2.8/10 — below the segment average; 30 recall campaigns on file. This is our read of the federal complaint and recall data — not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection.
What should I check before buying a used 2006 Ford E-250?
There isn't enough NHTSA complaint data on the 2006 Ford E-250 to flag a standout failure pattern. Run the VIN for open recalls — those are free to fix regardless of warranty — get a standard pre-purchase inspection, and ask the seller for service records.
Is the 2006 Ford E-250 a good used car to buy?
It scores 2.8 out of 10 on our NHTSA-based read of 11 owner complaints. Priced fairly and clean on inspection, it's a reasonable used buy. Our data covers what this model is known for — pair it with a vehicle-history report on the VIN to see what that specific car has been through.
What's the most common problem on the 2006 Ford E-250?
No problem area has crossed our reporting threshold yet, which is a good sign for this vehicle.
What's the most expensive thing that goes wrong?
Major repair items haven't been flagged often enough on this vehicle to single one out.
How do I check if my Ford E-250 has open recalls?
Paste your VIN into the decoder at the top of this page. We pull live from NHTSA, so you'll see exactly which campaigns apply to your vehicle and whether the dealer has logged the fix. Recall repairs are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status.
Is an extended warranty worth it on a 2006 Ford E-250?
Math is straightforward: a quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. With 11 complaints on file, one major failure more than pays for it. The catch is reading the contract — many providers exclude wear items and require pre-authorization, so cheaper plans are not always better value.
Recall and complaint data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database, last synced 5 days ago. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2006/Ford/E-250.
Editorial commentary written by ProblemsByVin contributors and reviewed by ASE-certified mechanics.
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