First post! I'm considering purchasing a 2012 E-350 Super Duty XL 3dr Ext Van (5.4L 8cyl 4A), and want to know the right problems to be aware of. It's been used by a school as a people-mover. Mileage is 161k and it's equipped with AdvanceTrac. I would use it primarily for chores, hauling furniture/appliances, and sometimes towing a small utility trailer/tent camper plus getting kids around town on occasion. Essentially my knock-around-town, get-stuff-done rig. My mechanical know-how is nil. What reliability issues/recurring problems should I be concerned about or budget for? The seller states there is a small transmission leak that will be fixed before purchase. Any issues with cracked heads (?) to watch out for? I've heard about issues with the 3-valve motors, but read on here that Econolines only have 2-valve motors? Also, someone told me the back ends can go out in those vehicles. Is that something I can check for prior to purchasing, or does it just happen if it's gonna happen?

Look forward to hearing input. Thank you!

 

There isn't much to be worried about with that truck, it's masively overbuilt for what you're going to use it for so it's not likely you will stress it. Yes the 2V was the only motor used in this truck, it did have a problem with blowing out spark plugs in the early 2000's but Ford redesigned both the heads and plugs to address this. There was a run of bad axle bearings around '05 but that was industry wide.. not just a problem for Ford or the Econoline and it was quickly addressed.

When test driving the truck look and listen for anything out of the ordinary, it should drive smoothly and quietly so vibrations, howling, smoking, grinding or anything else that would be considered a problem with another vehicle applies here.

 

Got it, that's great info. Thanks. I'll be sure to keep ears up for noises when test driving. My understanding is it's been taken care of, besides being kept outside, so I'm cautiously optimistic. I'll take a stab at a follow-up question—does this motor have an aluminum core/head? And if so is there a statistical possibility of significant repairs from expanding & contracting?

 

It's a cast iron block with aluminum heads, but no there doesn't seem to be a problem related to the expansion/contraction of dissimilar metals. My last van had 350k on it when it was retired due to body rust, the engine and trans still ran great, didn't leak and didn't consume excessive oil between changes. That doesn't seem to be an exception either, there are lots of reports of these running to 1/2 a million miles.

 

Check for rust around the roof drip rail. Common even in southern cars. I don’t think it’s a deal breaker unless there’s water intrusion. Could be a bargaining point.

Weak points I’ve experienced:

- rear heater core leak. Look for wet carpet, disconnected or purposely plugged coolant lines. You might not need rear heat.

- rear AC blend door failure. Rear air comes from floor vents even when set to cooling. It’s a PITA to get to and I heard the flap that breaks is expensive to purchase. I wedged it to only blow cold air and only through the roof vents. I’ll deal with it in the winter if necessary.

- leaky vacuum reservoir. Loss of AC when accelerating or going uphill. The original reservoir is difficult to get to so a workaround is to bypass the original and tuck another one under the dashboard in the passenger footwell. It doesn’t get in the passenger’s way. A new reservoir is about $25 from Ford and a check valve is $10. Also need some vacuum line and fittings.

- loose/sloppy steering at speed. Make sure ball joints are sound. Rest of steering gear too. Some swear by a steering stabilizer, others don’t notice a difference on a sound van. Go for the factory setup found on Econoline commercial trucks (ambulance, RV, box truck) even if it means used parts. Brackets are no longer available from Ford.

Sixto
07 E350 5.4 173K miles

 

That was the case on my '10 e350 with 55k miles when I bought it last December. I'll be sanding and rattle can spray painting the affected area..just need to get around to doing it.