1998 Ford F-150 problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
1,122 owner complaints analyzed
8 distinct recall campaigns
113,468 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1998 model year. Data snapshot: . 552 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Fuel System, Gasoline is the most frequently named component, appearing in 139 of 1,122 complaints (12.4%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel system concerns | 185 | 16.5% |
| Braking behavior | 119 | 10.6% |
| Steering behavior | 51 | 4.5% |
| Transmission and shifting | 37 | 3.3% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 36 | 3.2% |
| Engine operation | 13 | 1.2% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 139 |
| Structure:Body:Door | 93 |
| Tires | 70 |
| Steering:Linkages:Tie Rod Assembly | 58 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 56 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 51 |
| Tires:Tread/Belt | 51 |
| Vehicle Speed Control:Cruise Control | 46 |
Fuel System, Gasoline: 139; Structure:Body:Door: 93; Tires: 70; Steering:Linkages:Tie Rod Assembly: 58; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 56; Engine And Engine Cooling: 51; Tires:Tread/Belt: 51; Vehicle Speed Control:Cruise Control: 46
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 16 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 33 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 68 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 103 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 192 |
| 150,000 and above | 140 |
Under 25,000: 16; 25,000 to 49,999: 33; 50,000 to 74,999: 68; 75,000 to 99,999: 103; 100,000 to 149,999: 192; 150,000 and above: 140
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (192). 570 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 141 |
| 2001 | 189 |
| 2002 | 100 |
| 2003 | 103 |
| 2004 | 73 |
| 2005 | 105 |
| 2006 | 40 |
| 2007 | 42 |
| 2008 | 39 |
| 2009 | 22 |
| 2010 | 49 |
| 2011 | 145 |
| 2012 | 22 |
| 2013 | 11 |
| 2014 | 13 |
| 2015 | 6 |
| 2016 | 4 |
| 2017 | 5 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 7 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2023 | 3 |
2000: 141; 2001: 189; 2002: 100; 2003: 103; 2004: 73; 2005: 105; 2006: 40; 2007: 42; 2008: 39; 2009: 22; 2010: 49; 2011: 145; 2012: 22; 2013: 11; 2014: 13; 2015: 6; 2016: 4; 2017: 5; 2018: 1; 2019: 7; 2020: 1; 2021: 1; 2023: 3
Pattern summary
Fuel System, Gasoline leads the component reports. Fuel system concerns appears in 185 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 119 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 51 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10033954 · 2003-08-14 (August 14, 2003)
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIGHT DUTY 4-WHEEL DRIVE PICKUP TRUCKS. IF THE VEHICLE IS OVERLOADED, THE REAR LEAF SPRINGS CAN BE OVERSTRESSED. A FATIGUE FRACTURE OF THE SPRING CAN OCCUR. THE CENTER LEAF OF THE SPRING CAN FRACTURE AT THE FORWARD EDGE OF THE SPRING SEAT AND, IN SOME CASES, CONTACT THE FUEL TANK. CONSUMER HAS THE SAME PROBLEM.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10033954 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10048106 · 2003-11-18 (November 18, 2003)
UPON STARTING VEHICLE DRIVER NOTICED A GAS SMELL COMING THROUGH THE VENTS. CONSUMER GOT OUT OF VEHICLE TO INVESTIGATE THE ODOR, AND NOTICED FUEL LEAKING FROM FUEL RAIL. CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10048106 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10010852 · 2003-03-21 (March 21, 2003)
WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES, THE PEDAL SEEMS TO JERK AND SLOW TO STOP. WHEN COMING TO A STOP THERE IS A TICKING NOISE, IT SEEM TO BE COMING FROM THE FIREWALL. THE ABS LIGHT HAS CAME ON SEVERAL OCCASION. I'VE HAD BOTH SET OF BRAKES SERVICED AND ROTORS TURNED THREE DIFFERENT TIMES AND STILL HAVE PROBLEM. *NLM
Owner-reported narrative. 86,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10010852 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10021917 · 2003-07-11 (July 11, 2003)
THE FRONT LEFT TIE ROD BROKE, WHICH CAUSED LOSS OF STEERING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS. *AK *TS. THE DEALER REPLACED ALL 4 TIE RODS. THE ROTORS WERE REPLACED WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO VIBRATE WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. *JB
Owner-reported narrative. 62,441 miles reported. Look up ODI 10021917 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10009988 · 2003-03-06 (March 6, 2003)
THE STEERING FAILED, WHICH CAUSED CONSUMER TO LOSE CONTROL AND CRASHED INTO A POLE. DEALER DETERMINED THE ROD HAD COMPLETELY SHEARED OFF OF THE STEERING BOX.*JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10009988 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10020937 · 2003-06-03 (June 3, 2003)
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.*AK
Owner-reported narrative. 30,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10020937 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10000845 · 2003-01-09 (January 9, 2003)
THE TRANSMISSION IS GOING OUT IN MY 1998 FORD F-150
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10000845 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10005453 · 2003-02-07 (February 7, 2003)
TRANSMISSION IS NO GOOD. PH
Owner-reported narrative. 66,513 miles reported. Look up ODI 10005453 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10010656 · 2003-03-18 (March 18, 2003)
WHEN DOORS ARE CLOSED THE DOME LIGHT, DOOR AJAR LIGHT, AND EXTERIOR LIGHT ABOVE TRUCK BED REMAIN ON. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN RECURRING FOR THE LAST 3-4 YEARS. I HAVE ASKED DIFFERENT REPAIR SHOPS CONCERNING THE PROBLEM AND GET MANY REPLIES FROM BAD DOOR SWITCH, BAD RELAY SWITCH TO IT'S A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH 1998 FORD F-150'S AND YOU HAVE TO LIVE WITH IT. THE LIGHTS CAN STAY ON FOR 1 MINUTE OR 30 MINUTES, OCCASIONALLY I HAVE TO REMOVE THE FUSE. THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO OCCUR MOST FREQUENTLY WHEN THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE GOES FROM COLD TO WARMER WE…
Owner-reported narrative. 20,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10010656 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10016739 · 2003-04-30 (April 30, 2003)
I WAS COMING FROM THE DOCTOR WITH MY WIFE WHEN MY TRUCK STARTS DOING A LAUD KNOCKING SOUND. I COULD NOT FIGURE WHAT WAS GOING ON. THE TEMPERATURE, BATTERY, OIL PRESSURE AND EVERYTHING WAS FINE. THE NEXT DAY I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC AND HE TOLD ME I HAD A BAD HEAD GASKET AND FOUND THAT IT DAMAGE A #1 CYL, BEND CONNECTING ROD, CRACK PISTON AND OF COURSE A BAD HEAD. TO FIX IT WAS OVER $2,500. I LIVE IN A SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY WITH A FIX INCOME SINCE FEBRUARY AND CANNOT AFFORD TO PAY ALL THAT MONEY AND BARELY MAKE THE PAYMENTS. THE MECHANIC TOL…
Owner-reported narrative. 81,095 miles reported. Look up ODI 10016739 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10021604 · 2003-05-27 (May 27, 2003)
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WITHOUT WARNING THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL AND IT BECAME DIFFICULT FOR THE CONSUMER TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. *NLM. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10021604 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10089106 · 2004-10-22 (October 22, 2004)
VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN GARAGE WHEN IT ROLLED BACKWARDS DOWN THE DRIVEWAY AND CRASHED INTO A BARN. *MR THE CONSUMER PLACED THE VEHICLE IN PARK AND WHEN HE HAD GONE INTO THE HOUSE, THE CRASH WAS HEARD. THE VEHICLE CAUSED MINOR INJURIES TO THE CONSUMERS HORSES THAT WAS IN THE STALL AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. RECALL# 97V171000. *SC *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10089106 at NHTSA ↗