Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1978 E-150 Econoline.
The 1978 Ford E-150 Econoline represents Ford's full-size van offering for the model year, carrying a reliability record that pairs 10 manufacturer recalls with just 12 documented owner complaints. Steering stands out as the dominant concern in the data, establishing this system as the primary area requiring mechanical scrutiny, while the close ratio between recalls and complaint volume suggests a vehicle subject to factory-acknowledged corrections that did not translate into widespread owner-reported failures. Within the Econoline's reliability history, this model year sits in a moderate tier where the double-digit recall count and concentrated steering weaknesses indicate specific documented vulnerabilities demanding verification, yet the restrained complaint total points to a platform that remained serviceable when those identified issues were addressed.
Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.
Owner complaints about the 1978 Ford E-150 Econoline lead in one area — the steering, 3 of 12 reports (25%), well ahead of the next concern. None of this vehicle's 10 recall campaigns target the steering, so those reports read as owner-reported wear-and-tear rather than an acknowledged defect. 1 of the reports describe a crash and 0 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the steering pattern above. These are tallies of what owners actually reported to the federal government, not an editorial score — and higher-selling models naturally rack up more reports.
All 12 complaints on record, top 8 components.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.
Showing 2 of 10 campaigns on record for this vehicle.
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… 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.
SOME OF THE STEEL WHEELS ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED. THESE WHEELS, OVER A PERIOD OF TIME, COULD CRACK IN THE WHEEL RIM AREA THROUGH NORMAL OPERATION, WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. Remedy: DEALER WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, REPLACE THE WHEELS ON THE INVOLVED VEHICLES.
The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.
Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.
Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.
NHTSA lists 10 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.