Most common 2002 Ford E-350 problems
Share of the 53 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Ford E-350 complaints by model year
Best E-350 years: 2018, 2016, 2015. Years to avoid: 1997, 1995, 1999. Compare all years →
2002 Ford E-350 recalls (4)
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…
Equipment › Other › Labels
Certain vans and wagons fail to conform to the requirements of part 567, "certification." for certain 2003 e250 vans built with lt225/75r16e tires, the rear axle rating is incorrectly listed on the label.
Remedy: Owners will be provided with supplementary tire labels containing correct information and installation instructions. If an owner so desires, their dealer can install the label for them. The recall began on July 8, 2004.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 3 possible defects involving the 2002 Ford E-350:
HVAC Switch Failures
ODI has received 1 complaint and reports from 4 transportation fleets alleging 182 switch failures.Each fleet operates mini buses built on a Ford E350 or E450 cutaway chassis.The OEM HVAC blower switches have melted, smoked, burned or experienced open flame and become inoperable on vehicles in each fleet.Some drivers have reported a burning smell or smoke coming from the dash.One fleet reported a vehicle fire.No…
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 2002 Ford E-350 owners say
Engine & cooling all 20 →
Tl contact owns a 2002 Ford e-350. The contact stated that while driving at 65 MPH, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle was not able to restart. The failure recurred on several occasions. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 60,000.
Head on vehicle stripped because of the way it is made. There was a recall on regular e350 but mine is an rv. It was in motion when the spark plug popped out while driving down the highway on I-65 in birmingham alabama.
Wheels & tires
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Ford e-350 equipped with Michelin lt24575r16 tires, size: 245/756/16 (na). While driving approximately 55 MPH, the contact felt vibrations from the front tires. The contact noticed that the tread from the front passenger side tire was separated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified and stated that the tire was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 13t012000 (tires). The VIN was unknown. The approximate vehicle failure mileage was 108,362 and the approximate tire failure mileage was 20,000.
While driving on the highway the left rear tire tread separated causing the van to roll over. The ten passengers that were in the van at the time were transported to a local hospital for minor injuries.
Electrical system
2002 Ford e350 ambulance van. Person placed the key in ignition. Switched to on position (not turn the engine on). White smoke started coming out from under the steering wheel area. Smoke got thicker then grey. Flames started coming out from under the steering wheel area. Unable to save the vehicle. Completely burned in hospital parking lot. No injuries. Http://www.ocregister.com/articles/reported-fire-valley-2363353-call-fountain.
The truck shuts off. It sometimes is intermittent (runs fine at cruise, but wont idle) or it could be absolute. (truck just up and died! No reason!) there is no timeline, no precursor, no warning. I can drive for 200 miles, then it happens, or 1 to 7 miles. The failure is a stall. Engine light comes on, if a stall comes and doesn't shut down the truck, (usually because the RPM's are being revved up.) and is restarted, the engine light will no longer be on. The engine will restart, or not restart, but eventually it will restart. Then failure again. It started March 1 and continues. All else appears to be functioning fine. I believe it is the camshaft position sensor. I have not yet verified this with a mechanic, but if this is the problem a Ford part will be bought and it will be replaced.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2002 Ford E-350 a good car?
Based on 53 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2002 E-350 rates average: 1.2× as many complaints as a typical year of the E-350 at the same age. 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 2002 Ford E-350?
The engine & cooling — 20 complaints, 38% of all complaints for this model year, most often about engine. Next are the wheels & tires (8) and electrical system (6).
How many recalls does the 2002 Ford E-350 have?
There are 4 recalls for the 2002 Ford E-350, 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-350?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2018, 2016 and 2015. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 1997, 1995 and 1999. See the full Ford E-350 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2002 Ford E-350 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 80,000 miles; 24% 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.