Picked up vehicle from auto shop, work had been done on the front brakes, engine temp sensor, heater blower relay, map sensor, throttle control position sensor and ECM had been replaced. Shortly after I got on the freeway the vehicle started to accelerate very quickly W/O pushing the gas pedal hit the brakes but only slowed from 65 mph to 60. Gas pedal did not move from middle position up or down and brakes seamed mushy. Cruise control was not on, tried switching it on then off. Could not slow down, so went to great effort to avoid hitting any other vehicles. trying to slow down for an off ramp came close to crashing off the the edge into a ditch.Tried the emergency brake and downshifting. Finally turned off the key and started slowing down, car lurched forward and hit a crosswalk button pole. Utility pole was damaged also cars bumper, grill, hood, radiator, brakes, possibly transmission. State patrol arrived, vehicle towed to tow yard lot. No ticket was issued. Vehicle never had this issue prior to the auto shop updates, I notified the shop but they have not followed up on anything - they stated that they would contact their insurance provider but I do not believe they have done so. ECM computer, software, fuel system sensors were possibly not installed correctly. Vehicle is available for inspection upon request. Has not been inspected since the incident. My safety and the safety of any drivers or pedestrians in the vicinity was put at extreme risk by the vehicle operating at full throttle with no gas pedal control and no brake control.
The worst 1990 Ford E-150 problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Fuel system8
- Acceleration2
- Brakes2
- Wheels2
- Steering1
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Fuel system8
- Acceleration2
- Brakes2
- Wheels2
- Steering1
- Tires1
Recalls 3
Fuel system, gasoline: storage: auxillary tank: selector devices
- What is wrong
- The dual fuel tank selector valve may malfunction and cause an overfill condition in one of the fuel tanks, resulting in an overflow of fuel past the filler cap.
- Risk
- The overflow of fuel past the filler cap causes a fuelleakage, which can result in a fire when exposed to a source of ignition.
- Remedy
- Replace the dual fuel tank selector valve.
Recall number 91V146000 · Recall details
Seat belts: front: anchorage
- What is wrong
- Safety belt anchorages did not meet load requirements of fmvss 210; belt anchorage bar pulled through the floor of vehicle when subjected to loads of fmvss 210 test.
- Risk
- Seat occupants would not have adequate protection in theevent of a sudden stop or accident and would be subject to increased riskof injury.
- Remedy
- Secure safety belt anchorage bar to vehicle frame for added strength.
Recall number 91V119000 · Recall details
Power train: automatic transmission: gear position indication (PRNDL)
- What is wrong
- Under certain conditions, the snap ring that locates the park gear on the output shaft of the transmission may fracture.
- Risk
- When the gear is placed in park, the park gear would notengage, allowing the truck to roll freely if the parking brake is not properlyset. This could result in an accident.
- Remedy
- Install improved snap ring and revised transmission extension housing.
Recall number 90V101000 · Recall details
See all 3 recalls for the 1990 Ford E-150
Defect investigations
Loss of brake effectivenes
===
EA91044
Fuel expulsion
There is no summary currently available
EA91031
Loss of brake effectivenes
There is no summary currently available
PE91077
Transmission fluid fires
There is no summary currently available
PE91064
Technical service bulletins for the 1990 Ford E-150 1
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
1990 Ford E-150 fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.9L 6‑cyl | RWD | 12-14 | 14-17 | 13-15 |
| 5.0L 8‑cyl | RWD | 11-12 | 15-16 | 13 |
| 5.8L 8‑cyl | RWD | 10 | 14 | 12 |
What 1990 Ford E-150 owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
While driving gas started to spill out of front tank at cap. Vehicle has dual gas tanks. Stopped at local store and tried to figure out why. Two days earlier had smelled gas but did not know were it was coming from. When I came out of store truck would not start. Took to mechanic had fuel system repaired and selector switch bypassed. Now running fine . Found recall for ford recall #91s39. Called ford said does not apply to my vehicle. Recall says ford e150 club wagons 1989-1991 with dual tanks hard to understand how mine is not covered. Would like some explanation.
Gas spewing from gas cap input area during periods of warm weather. Gas continues to spew regardless of amount of gas in either tank. High potential for fire and loss of life. Ford knows of this problem and is saying they never had a recall on this subject.
There is a fuel leak that began a while back but only when both tanks were full. Now the leak is substantial and seems to occur even when less than full....but not at all when about half full. I am not sure of when I first noticed the occurrence but it has been quite some years now. I will enter a date.
No previous event before failure. Tire became deformed, probable cause belt separation. Caused severe handling problems at low speeds. Plan to return tire for replacement.
My local ford dealer refused to service my vehicle for the following: the federal safety agency id no.: 91v‑146 date of company notification: 9-4-91 make: ford model: econoline model year: 1989-91 model: f-150, f-250, f-350 model year: 1989 number of vehicles: 350,000 mfg. Campaign no. 91s39. Fuel tank, auxiliary. Dom: 2/89-2/91. Dual function fuel reservoir may malfunction and cause an overfill condition in one of the fuel tanks, resulting in an overflow of fuel past filler cap. Overflow of fuel past filler cap causes a fuel leakage, which can result in fire when exposed to a source of ignition. Correct by replacing dual function fuel reservoirs with new reservoirs containing o-rings of a revised material. They said this applies only to the pick-ups, and not the econoline van. Another dealer say that VIN number indicated that this was completed already, which I know was not... I am the original owner... And is the exact problem I am having is stated above... The fuel is spilling on the ground when I switch on the rear fuel tank.
While in motion, the left rear tire separated from the vehicle when the lug nuts backed out.
The federal safety agency campaign id number 91v146000 covers this 1990 model, but ford says not part of recall although the same exact failure did occur with gas/fuel spill inside enclosed garage. Rear tank return was to front tank forcing fuel overflow.
Consumer was traveling at neighborhood speeds when without warning steering wheel broke way from column. Dealer has been contacted. Please provide further details.
Left rear wheel studs broke off resulting in the wheel coming off while driving causing damage to vehicle (ohio traffic crash report).
Compare the 1990 Ford E-150
Other model years
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Questions about the 1990 Ford E-150
Is the 1990 Ford E-150 reliable?
Owners have filed 17 complaints about the 1990 Ford E-150, 1.4 times a typical E-150 model year.
What is the most common problem with the 1990 Ford E-150?
Fuel and propulsion system, with 8 complaints. Next is acceleration (2).
How many recalls does the 1990 Ford E-150 have?
3 recalls, covering fuel system, gasoline, seat belts and power train.
Was there a recall on the 1990 Ford E-150 fuel system?
Yes, 1 recall: 91V146000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
What year does the Ford E-150 have the most fuel system problems?
The Ford E-150 model years with the most fuel system complaints are 1997 (22 complaints), 1999 (20 complaints) and 1994 (17 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 1990 Ford E-150 get?
Official estimates for the 1990 Ford E-150 range from 12 to 15 mpg combined. The most efficient version (4.9L 6-cyl, RWD) gets 12-14 city and 14-17 highway.
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