The Ford E-100 is a vehicle built from 1981 to 1983 over 7 generations. Worth buying? It scores near the top of what we track at 4.5/5 — and the year you pick matters far more than the badge (best and worst years →).
What the E-100 is
The Ford E-100 is a vehicle that Ford built from 1981 to 1983 — 3 model years. Our measurements put it at 7 generations, the current one starting in 1982. Its closest siblings in the Ford range: F-150, Bronco, Mustang.
E-100 generations, and what changed
These boundaries are not copied from a brochure — they fall out of the measurements. Where the E-100's length or wheelbase jumps between consecutive model years the platform changed: a facelift moves a bumper by centimetres, a new generation moves the whole car — for the E-100 that gives 7 distinct generations below.
| Generation | Length | Wheelbase | Weight | vs previous | Weight change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 472 cm | 315 cm | - | - | - |
| 1974 | 429 cm | 269 cm | - | -43 cm | - |
| 1975 | 525 cm | 351 cm | - | +96 cm | - |
| 1979 | 525 cm | 351 cm | - | +0 cm | - |
| 1980 | 472 cm | 315 cm | - | -53 cm | - |
| 1981 | 500 cm | 333 cm | - | +28 cm | - |
| 1982 | 475 cm | 315 cm | - | -25 cm | - |
Ford E-100 tire size, oil type & owner specs
The fitment E-100 owners look up most — tires, wheels, oil and batteries. Exact wheel and tire sizes decode from your VIN or the driver's door-jamb placard; the universal items are listed below.
Exact tire, wheel, oil grade, capacity and battery group are added per trim and model year — decode your VIN above for the factory fitment. Universal items shown as-is.
What engines does the Ford E-100 have? Power & range
Powertrain data warming… reload in a moment.
The E-100 by the numbers
What the federal and market records say about the Ford E-100. Each line opens the full breakdown by year.
| Topic | E-100 | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Recalls | 1 campaigns | NHTSA, all years |
| Reliability | 4.5 / 5 | Best and worst years |
Frequently asked questions
What kind of car is the Ford E-100?
The E-100 is a vehicle, built from 1981 to 1983 across 7 generations.
How many generations does the E-100 have?
7 by our measurements, the latest starting in 1982. We draw the boundaries where length or wheelbase jumps between model years — a facelift moves a bumper, a new generation moves the whole car.
What is the Ford E-100 warranty?
New models carry 3 years / 36,000 miles basic cover and 5 years / 60,000 miles on the powertrain. Worth knowing: across our complaint records the typical car reaches the halfway point of its faults at five years, so most repairs land after the basic warranty ends.
Is the E-100 reliable?
It scores 4.5/5 in our data. The honest answer depends on the year far more than the model — see the best and worst years, and when this car starts to break.
How do I check a specific E-100?
This page describes the model; it cannot tell you whether that car has an open recall or a branded title. Run its VIN against the records — free, and matched to the exact production run.
More in Ford
| Model | Years | Recalls | Best MPG | ForCar score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ford F-150 | 1981–2026 | 462 | 72 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Ford Bronco | 1981–2026 | 146 | 27 mpg | 3.5/5 |
| Ford Mustang | 1981–2026 | 240 | 26 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Ford Explorer | 1991–2026 | 212 | 39 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Ford Escape | 2001–2026 | 226 | 41 mpg | 4.5/5 |
| Ford Ranger | 1982–2026 | 278 | 58 mpg | 3.5/5 |