1998 Ford Expedition Problems and Recalls (807 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 1998 Ford Expedition is Engine (16% of 807 owner reports). There are 7 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Engine — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 807 complaints · 7 recalls

What problems show up on the 1998 Ford Expedition?

131 of 807 filings named Engine (16% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Suspension (126 reports).

There are 7 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Lights, Transmission / driveline, and Wheels. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.

The 1997 has 836 reports on file; this year has 807. A smaller lifetime total is not a clean bill of health. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.

What to check before you buy a 1998 Ford Expedition

A useful visit to this page takes five minutes. YearTell does not score years and cannot see the vehicle in front of you.

  1. Look up the VIN for open recalls at nhtsa.gov. This year has 7 campaigns on file below.
  2. Engine. Have a shop check for oil consumption, coolant leaks, rough idle and unusual engine noise.
  3. Suspension. Listen for clunks over bumps and look at tire wear for alignment issues.
  4. Electrical. Have a shop scan for stored codes and check battery, charging and any warning lights that stay on.
  5. Skim a few owner reports below for Engine. Look for the same symptom repeating.
  6. Take that list to a mechanic. Do not turn the complaint total into a score.

What owners reported

System named most often: Engine 131 complaints · 16.2% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 43
  • Fires 73
  • Injuries 36
  • Deaths 1
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Which systems owners named

Share of owner complaints filed against each vehicle system. These shares are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold.

Which systems owners named Engine (ENGINE) appears in 131 of 807 owner complaints (16.2%) in this vehicle snapshot. Engine (ENGINE): 131 complaints, 16.2% of reports Engine (ENGINE) 8 fire reports 131 · 16.2% Suspension (SUSPENSION): 126 complaints, 15.6% of reports Suspension (SUSPENSION) 1 crash reports 126 · 15.6% Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM): 87 complaints, 10.8% of reports Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 1 crash reports 29 fire reports 87 · 10.8% Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL): 70 complaints, 8.7% of reports Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 8 crash reports 29 fire reports 70 · 8.7% Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN): 61 complaints, 7.6% of reports Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 3 crash reports 1 fire reports 61 · 7.6% Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY): 48 complaints, 6.0% of reports Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) 1 fire reports 48 · 6.0% Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES): 46 complaints, 5.7% of reports Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 5 crash reports 46 · 5.7% Steering (STEERING): 42 complaints, 5.2% of reports Steering (STEERING) 3 crash reports 42 · 5.2% Wheels (WHEELS): 39 complaints, 4.8% of reports Wheels (WHEELS) 5 crash reports 39 · 4.8% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 531 complaints, 65.8% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 30 crash reports 40 fire reports 531 · 65.8% 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

“Unclassified NHTSA leftover” is not a car part. It is a filing bucket and always sits last.

View component data as a table
System / Component Complaints Share of Reports Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires)
Engine (ENGINE) 131 16.2% 0 crashes · 8 fires
Suspension (SUSPENSION) 126 15.6% 1 crashes · 0 fires
Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 87 10.8% 1 crashes · 29 fires
Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 70 8.7% 8 crashes · 29 fires
Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 61 7.6% 3 crashes · 1 fires
Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) 48 6.0% 0 crashes · 1 fires
Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 46 5.7% 5 crashes · 0 fires
Steering (STEERING) 42 5.2% 3 crashes · 0 fires
Wheels (WHEELS) 39 4.8% 5 crashes · 0 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 531 65.8% 30 crashes · 40 fires
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

When reports and recalls showed up

When owners filed reports, and when recall campaigns showed up.

When reports and recalls showed up Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Jan 1998; the first recall shown was reported in Oct 1997. 1998-Q1: 10 owner reports 10 1998-Q2: 10 owner reports 10 1998-Q3: 20 owner reports 20 1998-Q4: 17 owner reports 17 1999-Q1: 73 owner reports 73 1999-Q2: 16 owner reports 16 1999-Q3: 27 owner reports 27 1999-Q4: 16 owner reports 16 2000-Q1: 9 owner reports 9 2000-Q2: 23 owner reports 23 2000-Q3: 19 owner reports 19 2000-Q4: 16 owner reports 16 2001-Q1: 22 owner reports 22 2001-Q2: 17 owner reports 17 2001-Q3: 24 owner reports 24 2001-Q4: 19 owner reports 19 2002-Q1: 18 owner reports 18 2002-Q2: 22 owner reports 22 2002-Q3: 20 owner reports 20 2002-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 2003-Q1: 21 owner reports 21 2003-Q2: 18 owner reports 18 2003-Q3: 21 owner reports 21 2003-Q4: 18 owner reports 18 2004-Q1: 11 owner reports 11 2004-Q2: 15 owner reports 15 2004-Q3: 19 owner reports 19 2004-Q4: 12 owner reports 12 2005-Q1: 35 owner reports 35 2005-Q2: 26 owner reports 26 2005-Q3: 13 owner reports 13 2005-Q4: 16 owner reports 16 2006-Q1: 9 owner reports 9 2006-Q3: 6 owner reports 6 2006-Q4: 7 owner reports 7 2007-Q1: 10 owner reports 10 2007-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2007-Q3: 4 owner reports 4 2007-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 2008-Q1: 10 owner reports 10 2008-Q2: 8 owner reports 8 2008-Q3: 5 owner reports 5 2008-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 2009-Q1: 10 owner reports 10 2009-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2009-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2009-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 2010-Q1: 8 owner reports 8 2010-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2010-Q3: 9 owner reports 9 2010-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2011-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2011-Q2: 4 owner reports 4 2011-Q3: 5 owner reports 5 2011-Q4: 5 owner reports 5 2012-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2012-Q2: 7 owner reports 7 2012-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2012-Q4: 5 owner reports 5 2013-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2013-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2013-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2014-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2014-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2014-Q3: 6 owner reports 6 2014-Q4: 6 owner reports 6 2015-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2016-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2016-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2016-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2016-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2017-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2017-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2017-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2018-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2018-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2019-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2020-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Oct 1997 Jan 2020 Recall campaign 97V171000 ◆ Recall campaign 97V171000 Recall campaign 98V095000 ◆ Recall campaign 98V095000 Recall campaign 00V073000 ◆ Recall campaign 00V073000 Recall campaign 00V168000 ◆ Recall campaign 00V168000 Recall campaign 05V388000 ◆ Recall campaign 05V388000 Recall campaign 06E060000 ◆ Recall campaign 06E060000 Recall campaign 06E067000 ◆ Recall campaign 06E067000 Investigation PE98024 ● Investigation PE98024 Investigation PE99060 ● Investigation PE99060 Investigation PE01022 ● Investigation PE01022 Investigation EA05005 ● Investigation EA05005 Investigation DP05005 ● Investigation DP05005
  • Campaign 98V095000 was reported 100 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 06E067000 was reported 2,738 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
1998-Q1 Owner reports 10
1998-Q2 Owner reports 10
1998-Q3 Owner reports 20
1998-Q4 Owner reports 17
1999-Q1 Owner reports 73
1999-Q2 Owner reports 16
1999-Q3 Owner reports 27
1999-Q4 Owner reports 16
2000-Q1 Owner reports 9
2000-Q2 Owner reports 23
2000-Q3 Owner reports 19
2000-Q4 Owner reports 16
2001-Q1 Owner reports 22
2001-Q2 Owner reports 17
2001-Q3 Owner reports 24
2001-Q4 Owner reports 19
2002-Q1 Owner reports 18
2002-Q2 Owner reports 22
2002-Q3 Owner reports 20
2002-Q4 Owner reports 4
2003-Q1 Owner reports 21
2003-Q2 Owner reports 18
2003-Q3 Owner reports 21
2003-Q4 Owner reports 18
2004-Q1 Owner reports 11
2004-Q2 Owner reports 15
2004-Q3 Owner reports 19
2004-Q4 Owner reports 12
2005-Q1 Owner reports 35
2005-Q2 Owner reports 26
2005-Q3 Owner reports 13
2005-Q4 Owner reports 16
2006-Q1 Owner reports 9
2006-Q3 Owner reports 6
2006-Q4 Owner reports 7
2007-Q1 Owner reports 10
2007-Q2 Owner reports 3
2007-Q3 Owner reports 4
2007-Q4 Owner reports 4
2008-Q1 Owner reports 10
2008-Q2 Owner reports 8
2008-Q3 Owner reports 5
2008-Q4 Owner reports 4
2009-Q1 Owner reports 10
2009-Q2 Owner reports 3
2009-Q3 Owner reports 2
2009-Q4 Owner reports 4
2010-Q1 Owner reports 8
2010-Q2 Owner reports 2
2010-Q3 Owner reports 9
2010-Q4 Owner reports 2
2011-Q1 Owner reports 2
2011-Q2 Owner reports 4
2011-Q3 Owner reports 5
2011-Q4 Owner reports 5
2012-Q1 Owner reports 2
2012-Q2 Owner reports 7
2012-Q3 Owner reports 1
2012-Q4 Owner reports 5
2013-Q1 Owner reports 2
2013-Q2 Owner reports 3
2013-Q3 Owner reports 1
2014-Q1 Owner reports 3
2014-Q2 Owner reports 1
2014-Q3 Owner reports 6
2014-Q4 Owner reports 6
2015-Q2 Owner reports 2
2016-Q1 Owner reports 2
2016-Q2 Owner reports 1
2016-Q3 Owner reports 2
2016-Q4 Owner reports 2
2017-Q1 Owner reports 1
2017-Q2 Owner reports 1
2017-Q3 Owner reports 1
2018-Q1 Owner reports 1
2018-Q4 Owner reports 1
2019-Q2 Owner reports 2
2020-Q1 Owner reports 1
Recall campaign 1 97V171000
Recall campaign 1 98V095000
Recall campaign 1 00V073000
Recall campaign 1 00V168000
Recall campaign 1 05V388000
Recall campaign 1 06E060000
Recall campaign 1 06E067000
Defect investigation 1 PE98024
Defect investigation 1 PE99060
Defect investigation 1 PE01022
Defect investigation 1 EA05005
Defect investigation 1 DP05005
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-09-06 Open source record

Safety Recalls (7)

Official campaigns. Each one says what could go wrong and what the dealer was told to fix.

In short, these campaigns were filed about Lights, Transmission / driveline, and Wheels.

  1. Recall campaign 00V073000

    Safety recall 00V073000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    THE TRAILER HITCH COULD THEN SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE TRAILER HITCH MOUNTING BOLTS AND NUT PLATES.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
  2. Recall campaign 00V168000

    Safety recall 00V168000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    THE LIGHT GIVEN OFF FROM THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS IS BRIGHTER THAN ALLOWED BY U.S. STANDARDS.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL BE ADVISED TO DEACTIVATE THE RUNNING LIGHT FUNCTION AND TO COMPLETE ANY OUTSTANDING SAFETY RECALLS ON THESE VEHICLES.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
  3. Recall campaign 05V388000

    Safety recall 05V388000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    A FIRE AT THE SWITCH COULD OCCUR.
    Remedy:
    BY LETTER DATED SEPTEMBER 12, 2005, OWNERS WERE INSTRUCTED TO RETURN THEIR VEHICLES TO THEIR DEALERS TO HAVE THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH DISCONNECTED. OWNERS WHO HAVE HAD THEIR SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATED ARE BEING NOTIFIED THAT PARTS WILL BE AVAILABLE AND ADVISED TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT TO RECONNECT THE SPEED CONTROL BEGINNING IN FEBRUARY 2006. OWNERS WHO DID NOT HAVE THEIR SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATED ARE BEING NOTIFIED TO HAVE THEIR SYSTEM REMEDIED BEGINNING IN FEBRUARY 2006. OWNERS ARE URGED TO AVAIL THEMSELVES OF THE FREE DISCONNECT SERVICE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF THE SIGNIFICANT RISK OF FIRE. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673. (NOTE: ALSO SEE RECALLS 05V017 AND 06V286)
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
  4. Recall campaign 06E060000

    Safety recall 06E060000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    LACK OF AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS IN THE LAMPS WILL DECREASE LIGHTING VISIBILITY TO OTHER DRIVERS AND MAY POSSIBLY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH
    Remedy:
    AAI MOTORSPORTS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE LAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 1, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT AAI MOTORSPORTS AT 909-923-9188.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
  5. Recall campaign 06E067000

    Lights

    Report date
    Component:
    Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING)
    Consequence:
    DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
    Remedy:
    MAXZONE WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER REIMBURSEMENT FOR ANY NONCOMPLIANT HEADLIGHTS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 28, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MAXZONE AT 909-822-3288.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
  6. Recall campaign 97V171000

    Transmission / driveline

    Report date
    Component:
    Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
    Consequence:
    THE CONDITION WOULD NOT ALLOW A DISENGAGEMENT OF THE TRANSMISSION FROM THE PARK POSITION OR AFFECT PROPER NEUTRAL START SWITCH OPERATION. UNINTENDED VEHICLE MOVEMENT COULD OCCUR IF THE PARKING BRAKE WAS NOT SET.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL MAKE THE PROPER ATTACHMENT OF THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT CONTROL CABLE TO THE STEERING COLUMN BRACKET AND ADD A TIE STRAP TO THAT CONNECTION.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
  7. Recall campaign 98V095000

    Wheels

    Report date
    Component:
    Wheels (WHEELS)
    Consequence:
    THIS CAN RESULT IN THE LOOSENING OF LUG NUTS, STUD FATIGUE FAILURE, AND THE POTENTIAL FOR A WHEEL SEPARATION FROM THE VEHICLE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
    Remedy:
    OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES WILL BE RECEIVING TWO NOTIFICATIONS. THE FIRST NOTIFICATION, WHICH BEGAN IN MAY 1998, WILL PROVIDE AN INTERIM REPAIR PROCEDURE UNTIL PARTS BECOME AVAILABLE. THIS INTERIM PROCEDURE CAN BE COMPLETED BY OWNERS OR THEIR DEALERS. IT SPECIFIES THAT THE LUG NUT TORQUE MUST BE VERIFIED TO BE 100 LBS. THEN THE LUG NUTS NEED TO BE TIGHTENED AN ADDITIONAL 1/8 TO 1/4 TURN MORE. THERE WILL BE A SECOND OWNER NOTIFICATION, WHICH IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN JULY 20, 1998, UNDER WHICH DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE WHEEL STUDS AND REPLACE THE WHEEL LUG NUTS.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

What owners actually wrote

Short excerpts from the public NHTSA file. Look for the same symptom repeating.

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-09-07
Safety incident filters
Showing 10 of 807 complaints · page 1 of 33
2020-01-20EXTERIOR LIGHTING
NHTSA ODI 11300577
CrashFireInjuryDeath
PARKING ON THE STREET IN IS GONE
2019-05-24Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL)
NHTSA ODI 11209744
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD EXPEDITION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND SURGED AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
2019-05-09Engine (ENGINE)
NHTSA ODI 11206618
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TAKATA RECALL: THE SPARK PLUGS HAVE BLOWN OUT OF THE ENGINE BLOCK. THEY HAVE BEEN REPAIRED 3 TIMES. EACH TIME, IT SMELLS OF AN ELECTRICAL LINE IS BURNING, THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER GOES ERRATIC AND THEY ZEROS OUT AND DOESN'T MOVE. THIS HAS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING ON CITY AND HIGHWAYS.
2018-12-26Engine (ENGINE)
NHTSA ODI 11163573
CrashFireInjuryDeath
5.4L GAS ENGINE. SPARK PLUGS HAVE BLOWN OUT OF 2 DIFFERENT CYLINDERS IN 2 MONTHS. I HAVE FOUND ONLY THAT THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE FOR SEVERAL MODELS WITH THIS ENGINE INCLUDING THE F-150. FORD HAD DONE NOTHING TO ADDRESS THIS FAULTY ENGINE DESIGN. BOTH TIMES MY PLUGS BLEW OUT I WAS ACCELERATING FROM A STOP WHILE TURNING LEFT.
2018-03-01Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 11075758
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TAKATA RECALL MY TRUCK HAS A BURNING SPELL AND WAS SOME SMOKE IT WAS PARK I WAS ABOUT TO PULL OFF ON MY STREET WHERE I LIVE
2017-09-18Suspension (SUSPENSION)
NHTSA ODI 11023952
CrashFireInjuryDeath
WHEN WE BOUGHT THE VEHICLE IT HAD 22 INCH CHROME WHEELS AND TIRES. IT ALSO WANDERED ALL OVER THE ROAD. WE BOUGHT NEW STOCK SIZED RIMS AND NEW STOCK SIZED TIRES. IT STILL WANDERS ALL OVER THE ROAD. WE HAD IT ALIGNED. IT STILL WANDERS ALL OVER THE ROAD. GOOGLE SHOWS MANY, MANY COMPLAINTS REGARDING THESE VEHICLES' SUSPENSION, BLAMING RUSTING REAR LOWER TRAILING ARMS AND IN ONE CASE A LEFT STABILIZER LINK BROKE. I HAVE NOT CRAWLED UNDER THE CAR AS IT IS MY SISTER'S AND SHE LIVES A WAYS AWAY, BUT SHE WANTS TO SELL IT AND IS WORRIED IF IT IS SOMETHING MAJOR SOMEONE MAY GET HURT. WE CAN BE DRIVING STRAIGHT DOWN THE ROAD FROM 25MPH TO 60MPH AND THE VEHICLE JUST SORT OF FEELS LIKE THE BACK END IS NOT IN LINE WITH THE FRONT OR SOMETHING AND IT JUST TRIES TO CHANGE LANES ON ITS OWN.
2017-04-09Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 10971476
CrashFireInjuryDeath
THE SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT FOR THE SECOND TIME IN2 MONTHS. IT SOUNDED LIKE THE MOTOR WAS KNOCKING . FORD ONLY PUT 3 THREADS IN THE CYLINDER HEAD TO HOLD THE SPARK PLUG BUT THE SPARK PLUGS HAVE 10 THREADS. I CALLED FORD AND THEY ACTED LIKE THEY NEVER HEARD OF THIS BEFORE. THERE ARE FORUMS GOING BACK TO 2002 THAT I WAS READING YESTERDAY ABOUT THIS ISSUE SO CLEARLY THEY WERE LYING. OWNERS REPORT ENGINE FIRES WHEN THE PLUG BLOWS OUT. MY VEHICLE DIDN'T CATCH FIRE .THEY REFUSE TO FIX THIS DEFECT AND DENY ITS THEIR FAULT.
2017-02-04Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 10949552
CrashFireInjuryDeath
(TAKATA RECALL) I HAVE PURCHASED MY TRUCK FROM A LEGAL CAR DEALERSHIP IN RENO NV HAD 135000 MILES WEN BOUGHT IVE HAD TO REPLACE FUEL PUMP HAD TO BUY DIFFERENT RIMS/TIRES DUE TO WEAR OF STOCK RIMS .. EXHAUST PROBLEMS REPLACED FUEL INJECTOR. . WEAR OF THING CAUSING WATER DAMAGE WHEN RAINING OUTSIDE. SPARK PLUG EJECTED FROM ENGINE WAS IN MOTION 45 MPH STATIONARY MOVING PROBLEMS ALSO N WEN TURNING.
2016-11-13Suspension (SUSPENSION)
NHTSA ODI 10925686
CrashFireInjuryDeath
I GOT IN MY 1997 EXPEDITION AND THE BRAKE WENT TO THE FLOOR WHEN HAVING THE BACK BRAKES INSTALLED THE MECHANICS NOTICED THE LOWER ON TROLL ARM WAS RUSTED OUT. HE THE LOOKED AT MY 1998 AND IT IS THE SAME WAY. HE SAID I CANNOT DRIVE THEM LIKE THIS. I DRIVE ON THE INTERSTATE DAILY.
2016-10-11Engine (ENGINE)
NHTSA ODI 10915249
CrashFireInjuryDeath
I HAVE A FORD 1998 EXPEDITION, EDDIE BAUER EDITION. IT HAS A 5.4 LITER ENGINE WITH ALUMINUM HEADS. THREE TIMES I'VE HAD A HELICOIL BLOWN OUT LEAVING ME STRANDED. NOW A SPARK PLUG HAS BLOWN OUT BREAKING TWO COILS. FORD HAS MADE THIS VEHICLE FOR YEARS WITH THIS ENGINE. ALL WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS OF COMPONENTS BLOWING OUT OF THE ENGINE. I FEEL IT IS FORD'S RESPONSIBILITY TO START A RECALL AND FIX THIS DEFECT.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 1998 Ford Expedition?

Owners named Engine most often — 131 of 807 reports (16%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 1998 Ford Expedition?

NHTSA lists 7 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Lights, Transmission / driveline, and Wheels. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov; a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific vehicle.

What should I inspect before buying a 1998 Ford Expedition?

Look up the VIN for open recalls. Have a shop check for oil consumption, coolant leaks, rough idle and unusual engine noise. Then skim owner filings for the same symptom and take that list to a mechanic.

Does a high complaint count mean I should skip this year?

No. Counts are reports people chose to file and they are not adjusted for sales volume. YearTell does not publish scores or a list of years to skip. Inspect the vehicle.

EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Supported range: 1,000–60,000 miles per year
Supported range: $1.50–$10.00 per gallon
55% city45% highway
Estimate unavailable

EPA fuel-economy data is unavailable for this vehicle.

No estimate is shown when required EPA values are unavailable.

Open Ownership Cost Calculator →

Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Source: NHTSA ODI / recalls, snapshot 2026-09-07. YearTell is not a government agency.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources