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Engine & cooling

2021 Ford E-350 Engine problems

Owners have filed 14 complaints about the 2021 Ford E-350's engine & cooling with NHTSA - 56% of all its complaints, most recently on November 6, 2026. Stalling, loss of power, oil consumption, overheating, head gaskets, timing chains and engine failure.

Complaints
14
Recalls
2
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
0

Engine recalls for the 2021 Ford E-350

Engine

25V7930007,046 vehicles affected

The problem
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 E-350 and E-450 vehicles that received an incomplete software update under recall 20V795. The engine cover may become excessively hot.
The risk
Direct contact with certain areas of engine cover surface in the passenger compartment may increase the risk of injury or burns to the skin of the driver or front seat passenger.
The fix
Dealers will update the powertrain calibration for heat management under elevated idle conditions, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 7, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 25SC7. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning December 22, 2025.

Engine

20V79500029,344 vehicles affected

The problem
Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021 E-350 and E-450 vehicles. The underside of the engine cover may have mispositioned insulation, allowing the cover to get excessively hot.
The risk
Direct and continuous contact with certain areas of engine cover surface in the passenger compartment may increase the risk of injury or burns to the skin of the driver or front seat passenger.
The fix
Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine cover for gaps between the rubber seal and the insulation. If gaps are present, the dealer will install engine cover insulation patches in the right hand and left hand inner lower corners of the engine cover. The dealer will also update the powertrain calibration for heat management under elevated idle conditions should a vehicle be equipped with SEIC or BCP, free of charge. The recall began February 15, 2021. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20S73.

Engine complaints

Engine & cooling

Camshaft failure, Engine Replaced at McLarty Ford In Arkansas. Invoice #233829 Only 55,929 Miles on this engine, replaced under warranty

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11776233
Engine & cooling

Engine Failure. Replaced at McLarty Ford, invoice #219143

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11776229
Engine & cooling

Unsure of cause, needed new engine. New engine installed at Bob Utter Ford in [[redacted]]. Invoice #[redacted] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11776226
Engine & cooling

Engine misfire on a 2021 Ford E-350 cutaway, 7.3L V8, used for parcel delivery. The vehicle was delivered to Ford of Spartanburg (Ford dealership) for diagnosis. The vehicle is still out of service. Ford's diagnosis, Repair Order 593079, June 26, 2026: "WILL NEED TO REPLACE ALL SPARK PLUGS AND WIRES, WILL ALSO NEED TO REPLACED ALL COILS DUE TO MISFIRES ON ALMOST EVERY CYLINDER." The Ford service advisor wrote the same day: "The engine also has a misfire that is unrelated to the transmission concern." Ford quoted...

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$4,376.35 for the ignition components and wrote: "AFTER REPAIRING TRANSMISSION WILL NEED TO DIAGNOSE ALL OTHER CONCERNS WITH VEHICLE, CANNOT DIAG ANYTHING AT MOMENT DUE TO NOT BEING ABLE TO DRIVE VEHICLE." Ford has not completed the engine diagnosis; on July 27, 2026 it advised against a compression test and offered one at $920.00. This is the second engine failure on this VIN. In January 2024 at 103,177 miles, the same Ford dealership diagnosed "Found a misfire and low compression on cylinder 3, ordered engine and replaced the engine with new intake gaskets, exhaust manifold gaskets, torque converter nuts, found the reinforcement cracked and replaced it" and installed a Ford service engine, part LC3Z-6006-B (Invoice 551352C; I paid $10,000.00). That Ford replacement engine is the one now misfiring, after at least 63,580 miles. Note on mileage: Ford's RO 593079 records 103,778 miles; Ford's own January 2024 invoice recorded 103,177 and independent records show 166,757 on January 12, 2026 and 169,140 on February 4, 2026. The Ford RO figure is not an actual reading. The same 7.3L engine has failed on nine vehicles in this fleet; NHTSA holds VOQ 11582566, 11582592, 11582598, 11582601, 11582604 and ODI 11714692, 11714694, and NHTSA ODI (Mr. J. Williams) has the complete record as of September 6, 2026. North Carolina DOJ Consumer Protection File No. 2026-180591 is open on the same matter.

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11763935
Engine & cooling

Engine failure on a 2021 Ford E-350 cutaway, 7.3L V8, used for parcel delivery. The vehicle was taken out of service and has not run since. Two diagnoses, both in writing. ACME Mobile Service, July 27, 2026, at 152,760 miles: "Found the #5 cylinder is completely disabled and dropped out. Truck will need a new motor." Ford of Spartanburg (Ford dealership), Repair Order 595835, August 25, 2026: "FOUND ENGINE IS KNOCKING, WILL NEED TO REPLACE MOTOR." Ford quoted $16,000.82 for a long-block replacement. The engine is...

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available for inspection. This is the second engine failure on this VIN. In March 2023 at 83,575 miles the engine was rebuilt with new Ford parts (camshaft, sixteen lifters, rocker arms, cylinder heads) after a camshaft and lifter failure. On the day the rebuild was completed the shop recorded "03/31/2023- NEW ENGINE FAILED. ENGINE STARTED KNOCKING AND HAD NOISE COMING FROM TOP END." and Ford replaced the complete engine under warranty in April 2023 (Ford claim CAS-42271539-G0F3ZF). That Ford replacement engine is the one that has now failed, after 69,185 miles. Ford's own repair order of August 25, 2026 lists Safety Recalls 20S73 and 24S07 for this VIN at $0.00, i.e. not performed, while the vehicle sat at the Ford dealership. Ford Customer Experience declined assistance on August 25, August 28 and September 9, 2026 and closed the case. The same 7.3L engine has failed on nine vehicles in this fleet; NHTSA already holds VOQ 11582566, 11582592, 11582598, 11582601, 11582604 and ODI 11714692, 11714694 on those, and NHTSA ODI (Mr. J. Williams) has the complete vehicle-by-vehicle record as of September 6, 2026. North Carolina DOJ Consumer Protection File No. 2026-180591 is open on the same matter.

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11763932
Engine & cooling

fatal Camshaft and lifter failure requiring an engine replacement

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11714692
Engine & cooling

Engine failure at 78,172, excess wear to the camshaft lobes and valve tappet surface. We have had 22 failures. There was a recall -24B27 for 2021 and 2022 models year for idle oil pressure. Most vans had 70 to 80k on them by the time we received a letter. Some engine have been changed twice. Ford has a serious problem and is not acknowledging it. Please help! Montachusett Regional Transit Authority , Fitchburg MA 01420

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11701901
Engine & cooling

This is one of 4 of my 2021 ford econoline fleet vehicles purchased in 2021 that have had engine failure. I am one of many contractors in my area and others around the country who have had this issue with the same F59 engine. Ford has failed to issue a recall.

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11643148
Engine & cooling

This is one of 4 of my 2021 ford econoline fleet vehicles purchased in 2021 that have had engine failure. I am one of many contractors in my area and others around the country who have had this issue with the same F59 engine. Ford has failed to issue a recall.

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11643144
Engine & cooling

This is one of 4 of my 2021 ford econoline fleet vehicles purchased in 2021 that have had engine failure. I am one of many contractors in my area and others around the country who have had this issue with the same F59 engine. Ford has failed to issue a recall.

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11643142
Engine & cooling

See attached document for complaint,

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11582604
Engine & cooling

See attached document for complaint,

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11582598
Engine & cooling

See attached document for complaint,

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11582566
Engine & cooling

The contact owns a 2021 FORD E-350. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V795000 (ENGINE) however, the dealer informed the contact that only one part of the remedy, mentioned on the manufacturer's website, was available and not the other. The contact received the reprogramming (UPDATE THE POWERTRAIN CALIBRATION) mentioned on the Ford website but not the other portion of the repair mentioned on the website (INSTALL ENGINE COVER INSULATION PATCHES IN THE RIGHT HAND AND LEFT HAND INNER LOWER...

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CORNERS OF THE ENGINE COVE). The contact stated that the failure reoccurred and that when they looked up the recall on the NHTSA website stated that there was no recall repair available at all. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had stated that after they received the repairs regarding this matter their vehicle's engine cover still gets extremely hot. The failure mileage was unknown. Vin tool confirms parts not yet available.

Filed Incident EngineNHTSA 11421609

Ford E-350 engine complaints by year

E-350 engine problems, every year

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Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked . Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data

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