1998 Ford F-150 Vehicle speed control Problems
- Complaints
- 116about this part
- Share
- 8%of 1,381 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 108,500miles
- Trend
- RisingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% higher than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA recorded 116 complaints about the vehicle speed control of the 1998 Ford F-150, 8% of the 1,381 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 108,500 miles. 11 of these say a crash was involved and 37 a fire, according to the filers. 2 recall campaigns on record are filed under a similar system.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“I woke up to a whooshing sound and immediately heard banging on my door with my neighbor screaming that my Ford f150 was on fire. According to the fire chief, the fire started in the engine compartment. Our cruise control was not working prior to this fire. This may have been the cause of the fire. The vehicle is now melted to my driveway and we have some damage to our home.”
NHTSA complaint #10226047, filed 2008-04, 128,000 miles“1998 Ford F-150; fire under the hood. Truck was parked in my driveway with the ignition turned off. Fire started on the drivers side next to the firewall area. I received a recall notice on the cruise control sensor, but it said parts were not available to repair until after february 2006. Fire marshall of cypress creek volunteer fire dept was at the seen and wrote a report.”
NHTSA complaint #10147891, filed 2006-01, 135,000 miles“This is the third time the horn and speed control have gone out on this truck and I feel it needs to be recalled I am tired of replacing the same parts in 2 years.”
NHTSA complaint #10493106, filed 2013-01, 140,440 miles“The horn and cruise control do not work. According to many website postings the two are related. Evidently there is a so called spring clip in the steering column that needs replacing- cost is around 300.00. This is quite a common problem on the f-series pickups. I can put a fuse in and it will short when I use the horn.”
NHTSA complaint #10020937, filed 2003-06, 30,000 miles“My 1998 Ford F-150 started acting up when the cruise control buttons were set on. The car would hesitate and not want to pull. Once we got home we turned the vehicle off and did not think anything more about it. The following day we went for a drive and noticed what we thought was steam coming from underneath the hood. I pulled the vehicle over and lifted the hood to inspect it. When I lifted the hood I was engulfed in flash flames. I immediately dropped to the ground to put out the flames. When my friend helped me off the ground the truck was on fire under the hood. …”
NHTSA complaint #10360850, filed 2010-10, 155,000 milesRelated recalls
- 05V388000Sep 7, 2005On certain pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles equipped with speed control, the speed control deactivation switch may overheat, smoke, or burn.Covers: Ford F-150 1994–2002, F-250 1994–1999, Expedition 1997–2002 +3 more
- 98V007000Jan 21, 1998Vehicle description: light duty pickup trucks equipped with a 4.2l engine and originally sold or currently registered in one of the following states: alaska…Covers: Ford F-150 1997–1998
Vehicle speed control: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 1 | 8% |
| 2025 | 11 | 10% |
| 2024 | 8 | 4% |
| 2023 | 18 | 4% |
| 2022 | 16 | 3% |
| 2021 | 21 | 2% |
| 2020 | 17 | 2% |
| 2019 | 44 | 3% |
| 2018 | 73 | 3% |
| 2017 | 66 | 5% |
| 2016 | 102 | 5% |
| 2015 | 146 | 8% |
| 2014 | 102 | 7% |
| 2013 | 304 | 10% |
| 2012 | 194 | 11% |
| 2011 | 213 | 10% |
| 2010 | 39 | 5% |
| 2009 | 54 | 17% |
| 2008 | 41 | 11% |
| 2007 | 54 | 11% |
| 2006 | 31 | 5% |
| 2005 | 57 | 5% |
| 2004 | 70 | 3% |
| 2003 | 32 | 8% |
| 2002 | 86 | 10% |
| 2001 | 180 | 15% |
| 2000 | 188 | 17% |
| 1999 | 79 | 8% |
| 1998 | 116 | 8% |
| 1997 | 223 | 8% |
| 1996 | 36 | 11% |
| 1995 | 76 | 12% |
| 1994 | 76 | 11% |
| 1993 | 40 | 7% |
| 1992 | 13 | 3% |
| 1991 | 10 | 3% |
| 1990 | 5 | 2% |
| 1989 | 13 | 6% |
| 1988 | 4 | 3% |
| 1987 | 4 | 4% |
| 1986 | 1 | 2% |
| 1985 | 1 | 4% |
| 1984 | 2 | 13% |
| 1983 | 1 | 10% |
Other parts of the 1998 Ford F-150
201 complaintsEngine cooling
174 complaintsTires
152 complaintsBody and structure
138 complaintsSuspension
132 complaintsBrakes
114 complaintsSteering
96 complaintsElectrical system
87 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
83 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
66 complaintsWheels
44 complaintsAir bags
42 complaints
← All problems reported for the 1998 Ford F-150
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology