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ProblemsByVinFile / 2008-FORD-E-250NHTSA data synced 5 days ago
Ford
2008 Ford E-250 problems
The 2008 Ford E-250 has 21 active recall campaigns on file and only 6 owner complaints in the NHTSA database. Often that means the recall caught it before the field did.
The 2008 Ford E-250 has 6 NHTSA owner complaints and 21 recalls on file (U.S. federal records, as of August 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.
Limited NHTSA data — only 6 complaints on file. The score reflects what's reported, but a small sample skews easily. 21 active recalls on file.
0
Critical
21
Severe
0
Moderate
Should you avoid this 2008 E-250?
Not enough data for a verdict
Only 6 NHTSA complaints on file — too few for a confident call. The 21 active recalls above remain authoritative; read those first.
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
2008 E-250· airbagsCrash
I was driving in the rain going 45 and as I was heading downhill I attempted to slow down. The vehicle began to hydroplane and I could not control the direction I was going. I ran front first into a guardrail and my van flipped over and rolled. The air bags never deployed and…
My transmission went about two weeks ago. I was told that Ford had bad transmissions in the years of my van, by the mechanic. Then friday night I was driving along and the van started acting funny, not accelerating and a wrench light came on. Then a little engine light came…
When the engine on the 2008 e250 Ford cargo van was started and the truck put into the drive gear, the engine raced at a high RPM rate sufficient to spin the rear wheels, lunge forward under what felt like full power, slammed through a fence and down into a ravine. The van was a…
Thankfully I was driving slowly between curves on a stretch of roadway with a 30mph speed limit (one lane each direction) when I 'blew a spark plug'. The coil was also damaged I was told. I was also told there's no guarantee that it would never happen again, and I have 7 other…
Had a problem with your 2008 Ford E-250?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free and official — owner filings are what build the federal safety record behind this page.
New England Wheels (New England) is recalling certain 2008, 2013 and 2014 Ford E-250 vehicles modified to be equipped with Ricon Wheelchair lifts
If the wheelchair lift platform stops above the vehicle floor, the wheelchair user can tip inwards towards the vehicle when exiting the lift, increasing their risk of injury.
Fix: New England has notified owners, and Ricon dealers will replace the lift positioning input cam, free of charge. The recall began on March 18, 2019. Owners may contact Ricon customer service at 1-800-322-2884 or New England customer service at 1-978-663-9724.
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.
Limited NHTSA data. Only 6 owner complaints have been filed for the 2008 Ford E-250, which is not enough for a meaningful reliability score. Active recalls (if any) are listed on this page and remain authoritative — those are verified defects regardless of complaint volume. For a confident reliability read we look for at least 10 owner complaints in the federal database.
Should you avoid the 2008 Ford E-250?
Only 6 NHTSA complaints on file — too few for a confident call. The 21 active recalls above remain authoritative; read those first. We don't issue a buy/avoid verdict on the 2008 Ford E-250 without a meaningful complaint sample — doing so off a handful of filings would be guesswork.
What should I check before buying a used 2008 Ford E-250?
There isn't enough NHTSA complaint data on the 2008 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 2008 Ford E-250 a good used car to buy?
Hard to say from federal data alone — only 6 owner complaints have been filed. Lean on the recall list above, a pre-purchase inspection, and a vehicle-history report on the specific VIN. Our data tells you what the model is known for; a history report tells you what that exact car has been through.
What's the most common problem on the 2008 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 2008 Ford E-250?
Hard to say from NHTSA data alone with only 6 complaints on file. A quality service contract runs $1,800–3,500 over 3 years. The decision comes down to your specific situation: vehicle cost, miles on it, how long you plan to keep it, and whether you can absorb a $3K–$8K repair without straining cashflow. With limited public data on this vehicle, lean on the recall list above and check owner forums before committing.
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/2008/Ford/E-250.
Editorial commentary written by ProblemsByVin contributors and reviewed by ASE-certified mechanics.
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