2008 Ford E-450 problems, complaints & recalls
Most-reported problem areas: Wheels (1) · Vehicle Speed Control (1) · Tires (1)
🧭 Reliability snapshot
Compared against other Ford E-450 model years — complaint volume vs the model's median year, recalls and severity. How we score →
Safety recalls (4)
Equipment Adaptive/Mobility 2015-02-25 · campaign 15V112000 · 117 vehicles
Defect: Farber Specialty Vehicles (Farber) is recalling various specialty vehicles modified by Farber and equipped with 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.
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.
Fix: Farber 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 March 24, 2015. Owners may contact Farber customer service at 1-800-331-3188, or Ricon customer service at 1-800-322-2884. Farber's number for this recall is 14E-041.
Equipment Adaptive/Mobility 2014-09-24 · campaign 14V595000 · 437 vehicles
Defect: Elkhart Coach (Elkhart) is recalling certain model year 2006-2014 Ford E-350 and Ford E-450 vehicles manufactured January 1, 2006, to May 1, 2014 and 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.
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.
Fix: Elkhart will notify owners to take the 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 October 1, 2014. Owners may contact Ricon customer service at 1-800-322-2884. Owners may also contact Elkhart customer service at 1-574-264-5179. This recall has been superseded by campaign 15V-768.
Equipment Adaptive/Mobility 2010-04-02 · campaign 10V128000 · 41 vehicles
Defect: ELKHART COACH HAS NOTIFIED NHTSA OF A DEFECT IN CERTAIN TRANSIT BUSES FITTED WITH RICON PUBLIC USE LIFTS. THE RESTRAINT BELT ON THESE LIFTS WAS DESIGNED TO PREVENT THE LIFT FROM MOVING, UNLESS THE TONGUE OF THE BELT IS FULLY ENGAGED AND LATCHED IN THE BUCKLE. RICON HAS DISCOVERED, HOWEVER, THAT IT IS POSSIBLE FOR THE OPERATOR TO INSERT THE BELT TONGUE INTO THE BUCKLE WITHOUT FULLY ENGAGING THE LATCHING MECHANISM. IN THIS CASE, THE RESTRAINT BELT WOULD APPEAR TO BE LATCHED, AND THE OPERATOR C
Risk: THE USER OF THE LIFT COULD BE INJURED SHOULD THE LIFT MOVE WITHOUT THE RESTRAINT BELT PROPERLY BUCKLED.
Fix: ELKHART COACH IS WORKING WITH RICON AND RICON WILL BE HANDLING THE REMEDY FOR THIS CAMPAIGN. PLEASE SEE RICON'S DEFECT REPORT 09E-060. RICON WILL PROVIDE CUSTOMERS WITH A WARNING DECAL AND A DVD-BASED TRAINING AID. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 27, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT RICON CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 800-322-2884, EMAILING AT WWW.DMATA@WABTEC.COM.
Equipment Adaptive/Mobility 2010-04-02 · campaign 10V130000 · 200 vehicles
Defect: ELKHART COACH HAS NOTIFIED NHTSA ABOUT A DEFECT IN CERTAIN TRANSIT BUSES EQUIPPED WITH CERTAIN RICON S SERIES AND K SERIES L-MODEL WHEELCHAIR LIFTS, DUE TO A PROBLEM IN THE SOFTWARE THAT CONTROLS THE LIFT'S "UP" FUNCTION. IF THE "UP" SWITCH IS RELEASED BEFORE THE FLOOR LEVEL LIMIT SWITCH IS ACTIVATED, THE LIFT MAY CONTINUE ITS UPWARD TRAVEL FOR APPROXIMATELY 1 SECOND BEFORE STOPPING. THE CONTINUED UPWARD TRAVEL MAY OVERRUN THE FLOOR LEVEL CUT OFF POINT.
Risk: WHEN THE PLATFORM OVERRUNS THE VEHICLE FLOOR LEVEL AND STOPS AT AN ANGLE FROM 15-20 DEGREES, IT IS POSSIBLE FOR A PERSON IN A WHEELCHAIR TO TIP OVER AND FOR SOMEONE STANDING ON THE PLATFORM TO FALL, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN INJURIES.
Fix: ELKHART COACH WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND THE REPAIRS WILL BE PERFORMED BY AUTHORIZED RICON DEALERS FREE OF CHARGE. CURRENTLY RICON IS DEVELOPING A SOFTWARE SOLUTION AND IS NOT AVAILABLE. UNTIL THE SOFTWARE SOLUTION IS AVAILABLE, RICON WILL PROVIDE OWNERS WITH A BULLETIN OUTLINING PROPER WHEELCHAIR LIFT OPERATION AND WILL SHIP OWNERS A DVD-BASED TRAINING AID TO PROMOTE PROPER LIFT OPERATION AT NO COST. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 27, 2010. OWNERS MAY CONTACT RICON CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 800- 322
Service bulletins (18)
Technical service bulletins are repair instructions manufacturers send dealers for known issues. Unlike recalls, the fix is not automatically free — but naming the bulletin at the service desk can save diagnosis time and support goodwill repairs.
Unknown Or Other 2026-02-24 · SSM 54601 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
ford and lincoln vehicles equipped with wired keyless entry keypad systems and accessory wireless keyless entry keypad systems may or may not come with a wallet card containing the master code. unlike the integrated wired keypad, the accessory wireless keypad master code cannot be retrieved from the
Equipment 2024-04-24 · SSM 52476 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
all accessory stick-on keyless entry keypads come with a wallet card containing the master code. if the accessory keypad was factory installed, this card will be placed in the glove box and should be handed to the vehicle s owner during initial delivery. unlike the integrated (wired) factory keypad,
Power Train:automatic Transmission 2023-09-07 · SSM 51909 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
when performing any transmission fluid changes or topoffs involving mercon sp, mercon lv has replaced all versions of mercon sp and can be used going forward. mixing mercon lv and mercon sp in the same transmission is acceptable. after 30-jun-2023, mercon sp atf will no longer be manufactured and wi
Equipment 2018-03-30 · SSM 47201 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
replacing the original equipment sync/navigation system with either an aftermarket sync/navigation kit or modifying original sync/navigation parts to provide additional features is not recommended nor supported on any ford, mercury or lincoln vehicle. only approved genuine ford accessories or origin
Equipment:electrical 2018-01-10 · SSM 47009 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
the accessory (wireless) keyless entry keypad can only be used with vehicles that are factory built with remote keyless entry (rke). the master code for the accessory (wireless) keyless entry keypad can be retrieved from fmcdealer - parts and service - parts product line information - keys/entry dev
Power Train:automatic Transmission 2014-05-01 · ASI-44534 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions
ford: when shifting between park, reverse and/or during 2-3 shift, an intermittent clunk occurs with a torqshift transmission. model 2003-2014 f-super duty, e series, excursion, f-53 motorhome chassis, low cab forward. *pe
Showing the 6 most recent of 18 bulletins. Search all of them free at nhtsa.gov.
What owners report
2023-03-27 · Vehicle Speed Control“the component that failed was the transmission and transmission pump. we have receipts and digital verification of this situation as a common problem with this ford model. our safety was put at risk as the vehicle suddenly lost power on the highway in a rural area and we had to drift with what speed we had left to the right lane shoulder and hope…”
2013-12-22 · Engine · 20,000 mi“while driving on interstate hwy engine loss power. truck would not go over 35 mpg. approx three months later it done it again. on two more times it shut off on interstate . *tr…”
2013-11-05 · Wheels · 36,986 mi“purchased this motor-home new in 2009. drove the motor-home 4 years approximately 25,000 miles with no problems. in may of 2013, i purchased 6 delta essential tires ( lt225/75r16 ) to replace the old tires that would not pass state inspection due to cracks in the side walls. then we took a 7500 mile trip across the country and back without incident…”
2009-12-02 · Fuel System, Gasoline · 7,852 mi“tl*the contact owns a 2008 ford econoline e450. the contact stated that he smelled fuel. he also checked the fuel tank and fuel lines and didn't observed any damage to the fuel tank. the dealer confirmed that there was a bad seam weld on the fuel tank. the fuel tank was replaced according to the warranty. the manufacturer was not notified. the curr…”
2009-03-13 · Tires“2008 ford e450, gulfstream class "c" motor home. no accident. observed severe cracking in all tires, dryrot. later question to id which tire, listed rf. it is all 6 tires on ground and spare. 7 total. took in to dealer this date. the contacted mfg. mfg ok'ed replacement however requires 20% payment. *tr…”
2008-07-31 · Engine And Engine Cooling:engine · 150 mi“tl*the contact owns a 2008 ford e450 he purchased in 2007. he stated that the vehicle would lurch forward when he depressed the brake pedal. in addition, he felt that the accelerator is too close to the brake pedal. the dealer refused to repair the vehicle it is a recreational vehicle. the failure mileage was 150 and current mileage is 2,300.…”
Excerpts of consumer complaints filed with NHTSA, lightly truncated. They are owner statements, not verified findings.