1981 FORD ECONOLINE

2 recalls, 0 complaints - 4 TSBs

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP

Defect Description

CERTAIN FEDERAL-MOGUL AFTERMARKET FUEL PUMPS SOLD UNDER THE BRAND NAMES OF CARTER, ACCUFLOW, NAPA, TRUFLOW, PARTS DEPO, AND PARTS MASTER, SHIPPED BETWEEN AUGUST 2006 AND JULY 2007 FOR USE ON THE VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. THE FUEL PUMP DIAPHRAGM IN CERTAIN PRODUCTION RUNS MAY HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY INSTA... Read more

Consequence

A LEAKING FUEL PUMP COULD CREATE A VEHICLE FIRE HAZARD.

Remedy

FEDERAL-MOGUL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE FUEL PUMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 15, 2007. OWNERS CAN CONTACT FEDERAL-MOGUL AT 248-354-7700.

34,000 vehicles affected

Manufacturer: FEDERAL-MOGUL CORPORATION

POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION:SHIFT PATTERN INDICATOR

Defect Description

THE GEAR POSITION INDICATORS ON CERTAIN VEHICLES MAY BE TOO SHORT TO BE READILY VISIBLE TO SOME DRIVERS. THIS IS NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 101, "CONTROLS AND DISPLAY", WHICH STATES THAT THE GEAR POSITION DISPLAY MUST BE VISIBLE TO DRIVER.

Remedy

IF POINTER OF GEAR POSITION INDICATOR IS FOUND TO BE TOO SHORT, IT WILL BE REPLACED WITHOUT CHARGE TO OWNER.

1,650 vehicles affected

Manufacturer: FORD MOTOR COMPANY

No complaints found for this vehicle.

Technical Service Bulletins, 1981 FORD ECONOLINE

4 manufacturer communications from 4 unique bulletins. TSBs describe known problems and recommended fixes from the manufacturer.

Most Affected Components

Component	Bulletins
103000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION	2
160000 STRUCTURE	1
110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	1

110000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

FORD MOTOR COMPANY HAS RELEASED A NEW ELECTRICAL GREASE ( F8AZ - 19G208-AA ) TO REDUCE THE POSSIBILITY OF MOISTURE CORROSION AT THE TERMINALS. *YC

103000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

INFORMATION ON A NEW TRANSMISSION FLUID USAGE CHART. *YC

103000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

FLUID- TRANSMISSION FLUID USAGE CHARTS. *JD

160000 STRUCTURE

FRAME- RIVET REPLACEMENT WITH BOLTS- SERVICE TIPS. *JD

NHTSA Safety Investigations, FORD ECONOLINE

Investigations opened by NHTSA into potential safety defects. These are separate from recalls and may or may not result in a recall.

PE, Closed , Model Year: 1994

SEPARATION OF STEERING GEAR FROM FRAME

THE BOLTS WHICH SECURE THE STEERING GEAR TO VEHICLE STRUCTURE MAY FAIL, ALLOWING THE STEERING GEAR TO SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE FRAME AND CAUSE INACCURATE STEERING AND/OR LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL.

PE, Closed , Model Year: 1994

TRNS OIL COOLER LINE FAILS

FORD HAS ACKNOWLEDGED A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH THE ACCESSORY DRIVE BELT SYSTEM (SERPENTINE BELT) IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.SEVERAL SERVICE BULLETINS HAVE BEEN ISSUED TO ADDRESS CONCERNS RELATED TO BELT TRACKING OR WEAR.FORD MAINTAINS THAT THE SUBJECT CONDITION DOES NOT PRESENT AN UNREASONABLE RISK TO HI... GHWAY SAFETY, ARGUING THAT THE LOW INCIDENCE OF FAILURES ALLEGING SAFETY CONSEQUENCES (I.E., FIRES, FLUID LEAKS, AND/OR ACCIDENTS) IS STRONG EVIDENCE IN SUPPORT OF THIS CLAIM.FORD HAS INDICATED RECEIPT OF 4,445 FIELD REPORTS AND 46891 WARRANTY CLAIMS CONCERNING THE SUBJECT CONDITION. FORD MAINTAINS THAT THE LOW NUMBER OF REPORTED HOSE RUPTURES AND/OR FIRES, RELATIVE TO TOTAL BELT FAILURES, SHOWS THAT THE PROBLEM IS A DURABILITY CONCERN THAT PRESENTS VERY LITTLE RISK TO MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY.FORD INTENDS TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEMIN A SERVICE BULLETIN SCHEDULED FOR PUBLICATION THE WEEK OF MARCH 13, 1995.ODI HAS RECEIVED SEVERAL CLAIMS ALLEGING THAT INCIDENTS OF BELT FAILURE ARE CAUSING COLLATERAL DAMAGE TO ADJACENT FLUID SYSTEMS (E.G., POWER STEERING HOSE, COOLANT HOSE, AND AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER HOSE).RELEASE OF THESE FLUIDS WITHIN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE FIRE, IF EXPOSED TO A SUFFICIENTLY HOT SURFACE AREA.THE AUTOIGNITION TEMPERATURE FOR TRANSMISSION OIL MAY BE AS LOW AS 300 C (570 F), WHILE POWER STEERING FLUID AND ENGINE COOLANT ARE GENERALLY HARDER TO IGNITE (CLOSER TO 500 DEGREE C (900 DEGREEF)).DAMAGE TO BATTERY CABLE INSULATION HAS ALSO BEEN ALLEGED AS A CONSEQUENCE OF SERPENTINE BELT FAILURE.ODI HAS RECEIVED FOUR REPORTS ALLEGING FAILURE OF ADJACENT FLUID SYSTEM HOSES FROM CONTACT WITH A BROKEN SERPENTINE BELT.ONE REPORT INVOLVED AN ECONOLINE RV CUTAWAY CHASSIS WITH A 7.3L V-8 NAVISTAR ENGINE, USED IN THE TRANSPORT OF DISABLED CHILDREN.AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE DESTROYED THE VEHICLE IN NOVEMBER 1994.THE FIRE IS ALLEGED TO HAVE BEEN CAUSED WHEN THE SERPENTINE BELT BROKE AT HIGHWAY SPEED AND RUPTURED A TRANSMISSION COLLER LINE. THE REPORT ALLEGES FINDING BELT FRAGMENTS AND TRACES OF TRANSMISSION FLUID UP THE ROAD FROM THE FIRE SCENE, NEAR WHERE THE DRIVER HAD HEARD A POP JUST PRIOR TO THE FIRE.THE DRIVER REPORTEDLY SUSTAINED MINOR BURN INJURIES WHILE EVACUATING PASSENGERS.OWNER REPORTS ALSO ALLEGE SOME LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL OCCURS WITH THE BELT FAILURES, DUE TO THE LOSS OF POWER ASSIST CAPABILITY TO THE BRAKING AND STEERING SYSTEMS.THE SERPENTINE BELT DRIVES THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND THE VACUUM PUMP FOR THE BRAKE BOOSTER IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.AS STATED IN FORD BULLETIN 93-23-27: SOME DIESEL POWERED VEHICLES ARE EXPERIENCING DRIVE BELT TRACKING CONCERNS.THIS IS CAUSED BY FRONT END ACCESSORY DRIVE (FEAD) MISALIGNMENT, WHICH MAY RESULT IN THE BELT COMING OFF THE ACCESSORY DRIVE PULLEYS.IF THIS OCCURS, SEVERAL WARNING LIGHTS WILL ILLUMINATE AND THE VEHICLE WILL LOSE ALTERNATOR AND A/C FUNCTION AND WATER PUMP CIRCULATION.IN ADDITION, STEERING EFFORTS WILL INCREASE AND, AFTER ONE OR A FEW BRAKE APPLICATIONS, BRAKE EFFORTS WIL PROGRESSIVELY INCREASE. THERE ARE THREE ODI COMPLAINTS AND FIVE FORD COMPLAINTS, NOT INCLUDED IN THE FAILURE REPORT SUMMARY OF THIS RESUME, ALLEGING THAT THE REDUCTIONIN VEHICLE CONTROL ASSOCIATED WITH ACESSORY DRIVE BELT FAILURE RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT.THIS INVESTIGATION IS BEING UPGRADED TO FURTHER ANALYZE THE POTENTIAL SAFETY CONSEQUENCES OF SERPENTINE BELT FAILURE IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.Read more

FORD ECONOLINE - All Years Overview

Complete safety history for the FORD ECONOLINE across all model years (1967, 2026).

151 Total Recalls

1,161 Total Complaints

2 Investigations

87 Reported Crashes

102 Reported Fires

10 Reported Deaths

FORD ECONOLINE - Year by Year

Compare recalls and complaints across model years. Click any year to see full details.

Year	Recalls	Complaints
2026	1	0	View
2019	2	1	View
2018	2	0	View
2017	1	7	View
2016	1	3	View
2015	1	0	View
2014	1	0	View
2013	1	0	View
2012	1	2	View
2011	1	0	View
2010	1	1	View
2009	1	1	View
2007	2	0	View
2006	2	0	View
2005	2	0	View
2003	4	27	View
2002	4	25	View
2001	5	31	View
2000	5	46	View
1999	7	102	View
1998	4	61	View
1997	4	100	View
1996	5	96	View
1995	6	98	View
1994	6	164	View
1993	5	71	View
1992	5	113	View
1991	3	37	View
1990	4	38	View
1989	2	41	View
1988	0	33	View
1987	5	19	View
1986	6	7	View
1985	6	15	View
1984	7	10	View
1983	6	2	View
1982	3	1	View
1981 (current)	2	0
1980	4	1	View
1979	8	1	View
1978	2	0	View
1977	3	0	View
1976	2	0	View
1975	2	0	View
1972	1	0	View
1971	1	0	View
1969	3	0	View
1967	1	0	View

Other FORD Models

Model	Recalls	Complaints
MUSTANG	1,104	11,600	View
RANGER	928	10,371	View
F-350 SD	776	2,363	View
F-450 SD	692	624	View
F-150	692	46,142	View
F-250 SD	638	3,635	View
EXPLORER	624	42,549	View
F-550 SD	578	603	View

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