Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1981 E-250 Econoline.
The 1981 Ford E‑250 Econoline is a full‑size commercial van that entered its second generation of production, offering the robust chassis and drivetrain architecture Ford employed across its utility lineup of the era. While the model’s specifications were typical for a work‑oriented vehicle of its class, its durability is underscored by the modest tally of just one owner‑reported complaint—focused on the power‑train—and a total of five recalls recorded for the year. Positioned early in the Econoline’s long service record, the 1981 iteration demonstrates a relatively clean reliability profile, suggesting that its mechanical foundation was solid enough to set a baseline of dependability for subsequent model years.
Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.
| Refrigerant | R134a |
| Refrigerant Capacity | Front A/C only, 3.25; front and rear A/C, 4.00. lbs |
| Oil Group | PAG |
| Oil Type | 68 |
| Oil Capacity | Front A/C only, 9.00; front and rear A/C, 10.00. oz |
Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.
Owner complaints about the 1981 Ford E-250 Econoline dominate in one area — the power train, 1 of 1 reports (100%), well ahead of the next concern. None of this vehicle's 5 recall campaigns target the power train, 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 power train 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 1 complaints on record, top 1 components.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.
Showing 2 of 5 campaigns on record for this vehicle.
THE REINFORCEMENT FOR THE IN-BOX SPARE TIRE CARRIER MAY HAVE BEEN ATTACHED USING INCORRECT HEX HEAD BOLTS. IF THE CARRIER AND REINFORCEMENT ATTACHING BOLTS ARE INCORRECT, THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR THE TIRE SIDEWALL TO BE… Remedy: DEALER WILL REPLACE BOLTS AND ANY DAMAGED SPARE TIRES AT NO COST TO OWNER.
DURING A CHANGE IN ASSEMBLY PROCEDURES, CERTAIN OF THE MID-SHIP FUEL TANK STRAPS MAY HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY INSTALLED OR MISLOCATED. AS A RESULT, THEY FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 301… Remedy: DEALER WILL INSPECT AND, IF NECESSARY, RELOCATE FUEL TANK STRAPS WITHOUT CHARGE TO OWNER.
Showing 5 of 6 bulletins on record with NHTSA.
| Bulletin | Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 985A29 | 1998-03-18 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT EXCESSIVE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVEL, IRREGULAR FRONT LINING WEAR, AND… |
| 97511 | 1997-03-03 | Power Train | FLUID- TRANSMISSION FLUID USAGE CHARTS. *JD |
| 9747 | 1997-02-17 | Structure | FRAME- RIVET REPLACEMENT WITH BOLTS- SERVICE TIPS. *JD |
| 97310 | 1997-02-03 | Suspension | NOISE- "POPPING/CREAKING"- FRONT FRAME OR SUSPENSION BRACKETS- FRAME- "POPPING/CREAKING"… |
| 9597 | 1995-05-01 | Suspension | UNKNOWN |
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 5 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.