1998 Ford F Series Problems
- Complaints
- 20filed with NHTSA
- Median mileage
- 87,521miles, 16 complaints with mileage
- Recalls
- 0campaigns on record
- Trend
- StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
Sources: NHTSA records for the 1998 Ford F Series (complaints, recalls, investigations). Report an error
NHTSA recorded 20 consumer complaints for the 1998 Ford F Series. The part named most often is engine cooling, with 7 complaints (35% of the total), followed by fuel system (4) and tires (4). 16 of the complaints include a mileage, and 6% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 87,521 miles. NHTSA lists 0 recall campaigns and 3 technical service bulletins for this model year. Engine cooling complaints overlap with 1 technical service bulletin filed under the same part.
This model year has fewer than 25 complaints on record, so the numbers below can change a lot with a few new reports.
Which parts are reported most
Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.
- Engine cooling7 35%
- Fuel system4 20%
- Tires4 20%
- Electrical system3 15%
- Body and structure3 15%
- Equipment2 10%
- Interior lighting2 10%
- Other or unknown2 10%
- Suspension1 5.0%
Also reported: Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (1).
Example complaints
Engine cooling: “Spark plug blew out of the head with such force that it cracked the coil and was sparking on the fuel line with fuel vapors coming out of the head at the same time. This could have caused a fire/explosion if the vehicle could not have been shut off quickly enough. I was idle in my driveway and not on the highway where it would have taken longer to shut the vehicle off. Internet research returned astonishing amount of complaints for the same issue.”
NHTSA complaint #10440314, filed 2011-12, 193,442 milesFuel system: “I had the truck on a lift to check for a noise from the undercarriage. I noticed that the front fuel tank strap was rusted thru and the tank was loose. Had to make a temporary repair. I checked the VIN on the Ford website and the information was there was no recall.”
NHTSA complaint #10435304, filed 2011-11, 84,211 milesTires: “I currently have a 1998 Ford f150 4.2l engine that has 65000 miles and am experiencing head gasket failure. Ford moco stats there is no tsp's or recalls reguarding this. I pulled the owners notification 98b33 off your web site. My engine build date is nov 1997 at the essex plant. I am in the army and am stationed in germany. The dealership here quoted me 2500.00 for the estimate. At this time they will not honor the u.s. Esp purchased from the original dealer. I am currently trying to get this resolved. …”
NHTSA complaint #10000247, filed 2002-12, 65,000 milesElectrical system: “The anti- theft alarm goes off for no reason at all hours for no reason. Rogers Ford hchecked it & couldn't get it to go off. I told them they couldn't make it go off. It does it whenever. It's been going on for two years now & it's a real pain in the neck. I see I am not the only one to complain about this. But there are probably thousands who have not sent in a complaint to you. I've emailed Ford motor company about it & never got a reply.”
NHTSA complaint #10062496, filed 2004-03, 50,000 milesMileage when problems were reported
6% of the 16 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 65,000 and 113,000 miles.
Complaints by year filed
Trend: stable. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
Recalls and investigations
NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for the 1998 Ford F Series in the data used here. A recall can apply to some vehicles of a model year and not others, so check a specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Technical service bulletins
TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 3 on record; the latest 3 are shown.
- 10029029Dec 29, 2008Engine cooling, Electrical system. Jerr-dan: anti stall feature for ford f series light duty chassis with v10 gas engine and an engine drive clutch pump. Model years unknown.
- 10014086Dec 13, 2004Transmission and drivetrain. General (pcm) power train control module programming procedures.
- 10013369Nov 1, 2004Transmission and drivetrain. General power train control module (pcm) programming procedures.
Other model years of the Ford F Series
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | Crash ★ | MPG | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 9 | 44,500 | 0 | — | — | — | Not enough data |
| 2004 | 7 | 99,500 | 0 | — | — | — | Not enough data |
| 2002 | 34 | 98,000 | 1 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 2001 | 44 | 100,000 | 1 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 2000 | 41 | 73,500 | 1 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1999 | 36 | 80,000 | 0 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1998 | 20 | 87,521 | 0 | — | — | — | Stable |
| 1997 | 47 | 118,000 | 0 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1996 | 16 | 104,000 | 0 | — | — | — | Stable |
| 1995 | 16 | 110,080 | 0 | — | — | — | Stable |
| 1994 | 7 | 125,000 | 0 | — | — | — | Not enough data |
| 1993 | 5 | 160,825 | 0 | — | — | — | Not enough data |
| 1991 | 6 | 49,995 | 0 | — | — | — | Not enough data |
| 1988 | 6 | 92,500 | 1 | — | — | — | Not enough data |
All Ford F Series model years · Best and worst years by complaints
Frequently asked questions
How many NHTSA complaints does the 1998 Ford F Series have?
NHTSA recorded 20 consumer complaints for the 1998 Ford F Series as of Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
What part of the 1998 Ford F Series is reported most often?
Engine cooling is named most often, in 7 complaints (35% of the total), followed by fuel system with 4.
Has the 1998 Ford F Series been recalled?
NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for this model year in the data used here. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
At what mileage are problems with the 1998 Ford F Series reported?
Among the 16 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 87,521 miles and the middle half falls between 65,000 and 113,000 miles; 6% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.