2010 Ford E-250 Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
Avoid The 2010 Ford E-250 has a complaint index of 85, ranking 3rd worst among 14 model years, and carries an Avoid verdict. It has 9 complaints and 11 recall campaigns, mostly tied to aftermarket wheelchair-lift equipment, with engine and suspension issues topping owner reports.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 85/100
- #3 of 14 E-250 years
- Verdict
- Avoid
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 9
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 11
- distinct NHTSA campaigns
- Crashes
- 2
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 1
- Injuries
- 0
- Top issue
- Engine
Top 2010 Ford E-250 problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Engine3 (33%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires3 (33%)
- Brakes2 (22%)
- Electrical System2 (22%)
- Other1 (11%)
- Structure & Body1 (11%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Brakes reportedly failed to engage or locked up, in one case causing the vehicle to surge forward and crash at low speed.
- Electrical wiring and the blower switch reportedly melted, with one incident leading to a fire.
- Front tires reportedly developed sidewall bulges that owners say did not match OEM specifications.
- Owners describe a violent front-end vibration or 'death wobble' occurring at highway speeds around 50 mph.
- Spark plugs reportedly got pushed out of the cylinder head after a long trip, causing power loss and fire concern at 95,000 miles.
2010 Ford E-250 recalls
11 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- NHTSA 16V350000May 24, 2016Other2 vehicles
Equipment adaptive/mobility
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. The platform side plate of the affected wheelchair lifts may crack. Additionally, the lifts are equipped with folding link arms that may have pivot holes that are too big, allowing the bearings to move out of position.
Risk: 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.
Remedy: 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.
- NHTSA 15V779000Nov 20, 2015Other278 vehicles
Equipment adaptive/mobility
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. The affected lifts are equipped with folding link arms that may have pivot holes that are too big, allowing the bearings to move out of position.
Risk: 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.
Remedy: 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.
- NHTSA 15V763000Nov 17, 2015Other285 vehicles
Equipment adaptive/mobility
Mobility Specialists, Inc. (Mobility Specialists) is recalling certain model year 2006-2014 Ford E-250, and E-350 vehicles modified to be equipped with certain model S2005, S2010, S5005, S5010, S5505, and S5510 wheelchair lifts manufactured by Ricon Corporation. The platform side plate of the affected wheelchair lifts may crack. Additionally, the affected lifts are equipped with folding link arms that may have pivot holes that are too big, allowing the bearings to move out of position.
Risk: 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.
Remedy: 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.
2010 compared with other E-250 years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2010 Ford E-250 reliable?
- NHTSA data shows the 2010 E-250 has a complaint index of 85 and ranks 3rd worst out of 14 model years for this model, earning an Avoid verdict relative to other E-250 years.
- What are the most common problems with the 2010 Ford E-250?
- Owner complaints split evenly between engine issues and suspension, wheels and tires, each making up 33% of complaints, followed by brakes and electrical system issues at 22% each.
- Does the 2010 Ford E-250 have recalls?
- NHTSA lists 11 recall campaigns for the 2010 E-250, most involving Ricon wheelchair lifts installed by aftermarket mobility conversion companies; none are do-not-drive recalls.
- At what mileage do 2010 E-250 problems typically show up?
- Median mileage at failure varies by system: engine problems showed up around 81,427 miles, brake problems around 67,854 miles, and suspension problems around 99,950 miles.
- Were there any crashes or fires reported for the 2010 E-250?
- NHTSA complaint data lists 2 crashes and 1 fire for the 2010 E-250, with no reported injuries or deaths.