Most common 2001 Ford E-250 problems
Share of the 18 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Ford E-250 complaints by model year
Best E-250 years: 2009, 2007, 2008. Years to avoid: 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003. Compare all years →
2001 Ford E-250 recalls (3)
Vehicle speed control
Ford is recalling model years 1995-2003 windstar, 2000-2003 excursion diesel, 1993-1997 and 1999-2003 f-250 sd through f-550 sd diesel, 1992-2003 e-150 through e-550, 1995-2002 explorer, 1997 and 2002 Mercury mountaineer, 1995-1997 and 2001-2003 ranger, and 1994 f53 vehicles equipped with the texas instruments speed control…
Remedy: Ford will notify owners that dealers will install a fused wiring harness in line with the scds. On 1999-2003 windstar vehicles with a leaking scds, dealers will also inspect the ABS control module connector and repair…
Vehicle speed control › Cruise control
Ford is recalling 225,000 my 1992-2003 econoline, my 1993-1995 taurus sho, my 1992-1998 crown victoria, my 1993 bronco, f-series, my 1995-1997 f-series super duty stripped chassis, my 1992-1998 Mercury grand marquis, and my 1992-1995 Lincoln town car vehicles.
Remedy: Dealers will install a new wiring harness, or replace the mating electrical component. The recall began on February 18, 2008. Owners May contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673.
Vehicle speed control
On certain pickup trucks, passenger vehicles, sport utility vehicles, and motor homes chassis, the speed control deactivation switch May, under certain conditions, leak internally and then overheat, smoke, or burn.
Remedy: Dealers will install a fused wiring harness. Owners of the passenger cars included in this campaign will be instructed to return their vehicles to their dealers to have the speed control deactivation switch disconnected…
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 2001 Ford E-250:
HVAC Switch Failures
This investigation was opened based on one complaint and reports from four transportation fleets alleging 182 blower motor control switch failures.ODI was concerned that these melting and burning switches could lead to an open flame that could spread throughout the vehicle.After a comprehensive review of all data related to overheating blower motor control switches in the subject vehicles, ODI did not identify the…
Spark plug ejection from cylinder head
On September 6, 2005, odi received a petition requesting that the agency investigate allegations of engine spark plug ejection in certain model year 1997 through 2004 Ford vehicles with triton v-8 and v-10 engines.odi received a total of 474 non-duplicative complaints on the subject vehicles where the complainant, or the dealer repairing the vehicle, reported that a spark plug detached from the cylinder and/or…
What 2001 Ford E-250 owners say
Engine & cooling
I own a 2001 Ford e250 van. This van has been a reliable vehicle and maintenance has been easy and predictable. However today the third spark plug on the passenger side blew out of the cylinder head. Though it was a exhaust leak at first because of the sound. I pulled of the freeway and opened the engine cover. At this point I restarted the engine to find the exhaust leak. A large flame immediately began bursting out of the open spark plug hole. Although I was able to turn the engine off quickly this scared me considerably as I know their are fuel lines that run right by the spark plug. I had it towed from their to a shop. I have researched this and found that it is a common problem with many of fords engines. I even found cases were cars had been destroyed by fire as a result. It concerns me that there has been no recall. I do not expect warranty from Ford for a vehicle this old. …
Spark plug on cylinder #7 blew out of the cylinder head. 2nd time this has occurred on this vehicle. Repair shop states it is not repairable this time approx. $3000 for new head installed. This is a known problem on this 5.4 trition engine. Ford should recall to fix this problem 130,000 miles on this truck.
2001 Ford E-250 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.2L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 13 / 18 / 14 |
| 5.4L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 12 / 17 / 14 |
EPA ratings. Class: Van.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2001 Ford E-250 a good car?
Based on 18 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2001 E-250 rates use caution: 1.5× as many complaints as a typical year of the E-250 at the same age. It is one of the E-250 years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2001 Ford E-250?
The engine & cooling — 11 complaints, 61% of all complaints for this model year, most often about engine. Next are the wheels & tires (2) and suspension (2).
How many recalls does the 2001 Ford E-250 have?
There are 3 recalls for the 2001 Ford E-250, the most recent from October 13, 2009 (vehicle speed control). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Ford E-250?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2009, 2007 and 2008. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003. See the full Ford E-250 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2001 Ford E-250 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 120,000 miles; 8% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.