1998 Ford F-150 Problems and Recalls (1,296 Complaints)

The most-reported problem on the 1998 Ford F-150 is Fuel system (15% of 1,296 owner reports). There are 18 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Fuel system — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-10-15 1,296 complaints · 18 recalls

What problems show up on the 1998 Ford F-150?

195 of 1,296 filings named Fuel system (15% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.

Second is Engine (168 reports).

There are 18 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Lights, Fuel system, Transmission / driveline, Cruise / speed control, and Wheels. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.

The 1997 has 2,582 reports on file; this year has 1,296. 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 F-150

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 18 campaigns on file below.
  2. Fuel system. Check for fuel smell, leaks and whether it starts and idles cleanly.
  3. Engine. Have a shop check for oil consumption, coolant leaks, rough idle and unusual engine noise.
  4. Body / frame. Look for rust, collision repair and body gaps that do not match a clean truck.
  5. Skim a few owner reports below for Fuel system. 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: Fuel system 195 complaints · 15.1% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
  • Crashes 82
  • Fires 91
  • Injuries 53
  • Deaths 0
Compare with 1997 →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-10-14 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 Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) appears in 195 of 1,296 owner complaints (15.1%) in this vehicle snapshot. Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM): 195 complaints, 15.1% of reports Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 1 crash reports 7 fire reports 195 · 15.1% Engine (ENGINE): 168 complaints, 13.0% of reports Engine (ENGINE) 1 crash reports 10 fire reports 168 · 13.0% Body / frame (STRUCTURE): 122 complaints, 9.4% of reports Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 2 crash reports 122 · 9.4% Suspension (SUSPENSION): 121 complaints, 9.3% of reports Suspension (SUSPENSION) 1 crash reports 2 fire reports 121 · 9.3% Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL): 98 complaints, 7.6% of reports Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 9 crash reports 31 fire reports 98 · 7.6% Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES): 92 complaints, 7.1% of reports Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 14 crash reports 3 fire reports 92 · 7.1% Steering (STEERING): 82 complaints, 6.3% of reports Steering (STEERING) 10 crash reports 82 · 6.3% Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN): 69 complaints, 5.3% of reports Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 5 crash reports 69 · 5.3% Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM): 68 complaints, 5.3% of reports Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 1 crash reports 34 fire reports 68 · 5.3% Unclassified NHTSA leftover: 994 complaints, 76.7% of reports Unclassified NHTSA leftover 65 crash reports 57 fire reports 994 · 76.7% 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)
Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) 195 15.1% 1 crashes · 7 fires
Engine (ENGINE) 168 13.0% 1 crashes · 10 fires
Body / frame (STRUCTURE) 122 9.4% 2 crashes · 0 fires
Suspension (SUSPENSION) 121 9.3% 1 crashes · 2 fires
Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) 98 7.6% 9 crashes · 31 fires
Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) 92 7.1% 14 crashes · 3 fires
Steering (STEERING) 82 6.3% 10 crashes · 0 fires
Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) 69 5.3% 5 crashes · 0 fires
Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) 68 5.3% 1 crashes · 34 fires
Unclassified NHTSA leftover 994 76.7% 65 crashes · 57 fires
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-10-15 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 Apr 1997; the first recall shown was reported in Oct 1997. 1997-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 1997-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 1997-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 1998-Q1: 13 owner reports 13 1998-Q2: 15 owner reports 15 1998-Q3: 27 owner reports 27 1998-Q4: 42 owner reports 42 1999-Q1: 83 owner reports 83 1999-Q2: 24 owner reports 24 1999-Q3: 32 owner reports 32 1999-Q4: 14 owner reports 14 2000-Q1: 21 owner reports 21 2000-Q2: 23 owner reports 23 2000-Q3: 33 owner reports 33 2000-Q4: 28 owner reports 28 2001-Q1: 56 owner reports 56 2001-Q2: 48 owner reports 48 2001-Q3: 37 owner reports 37 2001-Q4: 22 owner reports 22 2002-Q1: 13 owner reports 13 2002-Q2: 33 owner reports 33 2002-Q3: 34 owner reports 34 2002-Q4: 16 owner reports 16 2003-Q1: 27 owner reports 27 2003-Q2: 28 owner reports 28 2003-Q3: 21 owner reports 21 2003-Q4: 24 owner reports 24 2004-Q1: 17 owner reports 17 2004-Q2: 14 owner reports 14 2004-Q3: 23 owner reports 23 2004-Q4: 18 owner reports 18 2005-Q1: 31 owner reports 31 2005-Q2: 30 owner reports 30 2005-Q3: 27 owner reports 27 2005-Q4: 17 owner reports 17 2006-Q1: 14 owner reports 14 2006-Q2: 6 owner reports 6 2006-Q3: 13 owner reports 13 2006-Q4: 6 owner reports 6 2007-Q1: 13 owner reports 13 2007-Q2: 13 owner reports 13 2007-Q3: 8 owner reports 8 2007-Q4: 8 owner reports 8 2008-Q1: 11 owner reports 11 2008-Q2: 17 owner reports 17 2008-Q3: 6 owner reports 6 2008-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2009-Q1: 5 owner reports 5 2009-Q2: 6 owner reports 6 2009-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2009-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 2010-Q1: 7 owner reports 7 2010-Q2: 8 owner reports 8 2010-Q3: 18 owner reports 18 2010-Q4: 15 owner reports 15 2011-Q1: 13 owner reports 13 2011-Q2: 69 owner reports 69 2011-Q3: 36 owner reports 36 2011-Q4: 26 owner reports 26 2012-Q1: 13 owner reports 13 2012-Q2: 4 owner reports 4 2012-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2012-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2013-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2013-Q2: 4 owner reports 4 2013-Q3: 4 owner reports 4 2013-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2014-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2014-Q2: 4 owner reports 4 2014-Q3: 3 owner reports 3 2014-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2015-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2015-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2015-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2016-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2016-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2016-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2017-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2017-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2017-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2017-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2018-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2019-Q2: 4 owner reports 4 2019-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2020-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2021-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2023-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2023-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2023-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Apr 1997 Oct 2023 Recall campaign 97V171000 ◆ Recall campaign 97V171000 Recall campaign 98V007000 ◆ Recall campaign 98V007000 Recall campaign 98V095000 ◆ Recall campaign 98V095000 Recall campaign 98V161000 ◆ Recall campaign 98V161000 Recall campaign 00V168000 ◆ Recall campaign 00V168000 Recall campaign 00V284000 ◆ Recall campaign 00V284000 Recall campaign 05V388000 ◆ Recall campaign 05V388000 Recall campaign 06E023000 ◆ Recall campaign 06E023000 Recall campaign 06E052000 ◆ Recall campaign 06E052000 Recall campaign 06E060000 ◆ Recall campaign 06E060000 Recall campaign 06E064000 ◆ Recall campaign 06E064000 Recall campaign 06E065000 ◆ Recall campaign 06E065000 Recall campaign 06E067000 ◆ Recall campaign 06E067000 Recall campaign 07E066000 ◆ Recall campaign 07E066000 Recall campaign 08E050000 ◆ Recall campaign 08E050000 Recall campaign 09E012000 ◆ Recall campaign 09E012000 Recall campaign 09E025000 ◆ Recall campaign 09E025000 Recall campaign 11V385000 ◆ Recall campaign 11V385000 Investigation PE98024 ● Investigation PE98024 Investigation EA98018 ● Investigation EA98018 Investigation RQ98022 ● Investigation RQ98022 Investigation DP99002 ● Investigation DP99002 Investigation PE99019 ● Investigation PE99019 Investigation PE99047 ● Investigation PE99047 Investigation PE01033 ● Investigation PE01033 Investigation EA05005 ● Investigation EA05005 Investigation DP05005 ● Investigation DP05005 Investigation PE10036 ● Investigation PE10036 Investigation EA11006 ● Investigation EA11006
  • Campaign 97V171000 was reported 18 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 98V007000 was reported 134 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 00V284000 was reported 1,243 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 06E023000 was reported 2,597 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 06E052000 was reported 2,688 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.
  • Campaign 07E066000 was reported 3,775 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 08E050000 was reported 3,479 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 09E025000 was reported 3,752 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 11V385000 was reported 4,637 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
1997-Q2 Owner reports 1
1997-Q3 Owner reports 2
1997-Q4 Owner reports 3
1998-Q1 Owner reports 13
1998-Q2 Owner reports 15
1998-Q3 Owner reports 27
1998-Q4 Owner reports 42
1999-Q1 Owner reports 83
1999-Q2 Owner reports 24
1999-Q3 Owner reports 32
1999-Q4 Owner reports 14
2000-Q1 Owner reports 21
2000-Q2 Owner reports 23
2000-Q3 Owner reports 33
2000-Q4 Owner reports 28
2001-Q1 Owner reports 56
2001-Q2 Owner reports 48
2001-Q3 Owner reports 37
2001-Q4 Owner reports 22
2002-Q1 Owner reports 13
2002-Q2 Owner reports 33
2002-Q3 Owner reports 34
2002-Q4 Owner reports 16
2003-Q1 Owner reports 27
2003-Q2 Owner reports 28
2003-Q3 Owner reports 21
2003-Q4 Owner reports 24
2004-Q1 Owner reports 17
2004-Q2 Owner reports 14
2004-Q3 Owner reports 23
2004-Q4 Owner reports 18
2005-Q1 Owner reports 31
2005-Q2 Owner reports 30
2005-Q3 Owner reports 27
2005-Q4 Owner reports 17
2006-Q1 Owner reports 14
2006-Q2 Owner reports 6
2006-Q3 Owner reports 13
2006-Q4 Owner reports 6
2007-Q1 Owner reports 13
2007-Q2 Owner reports 13
2007-Q3 Owner reports 8
2007-Q4 Owner reports 8
2008-Q1 Owner reports 11
2008-Q2 Owner reports 17
2008-Q3 Owner reports 6
2008-Q4 Owner reports 1
2009-Q1 Owner reports 5
2009-Q2 Owner reports 6
2009-Q3 Owner reports 3
2009-Q4 Owner reports 4
2010-Q1 Owner reports 7
2010-Q2 Owner reports 8
2010-Q3 Owner reports 18
2010-Q4 Owner reports 15
2011-Q1 Owner reports 13
2011-Q2 Owner reports 69
2011-Q3 Owner reports 36
2011-Q4 Owner reports 26
2012-Q1 Owner reports 13
2012-Q2 Owner reports 4
2012-Q3 Owner reports 3
2012-Q4 Owner reports 2
2013-Q1 Owner reports 1
2013-Q2 Owner reports 4
2013-Q3 Owner reports 4
2013-Q4 Owner reports 2
2014-Q1 Owner reports 2
2014-Q2 Owner reports 4
2014-Q3 Owner reports 3
2014-Q4 Owner reports 3
2015-Q1 Owner reports 1
2015-Q2 Owner reports 3
2015-Q4 Owner reports 2
2016-Q1 Owner reports 1
2016-Q2 Owner reports 2
2016-Q3 Owner reports 1
2017-Q1 Owner reports 1
2017-Q2 Owner reports 1
2017-Q3 Owner reports 2
2017-Q4 Owner reports 1
2018-Q4 Owner reports 1
2019-Q2 Owner reports 4
2019-Q4 Owner reports 3
2020-Q2 Owner reports 1
2021-Q4 Owner reports 1
2023-Q1 Owner reports 1
2023-Q2 Owner reports 1
2023-Q4 Owner reports 1
Recall campaign 1 97V171000
Recall campaign 1 98V007000
Recall campaign 1 98V095000
Recall campaign 1 98V161000
Recall campaign 1 00V168000
Recall campaign 1 00V284000
Recall campaign 1 05V388000
Recall campaign 1 06E023000
Recall campaign 1 06E052000
Recall campaign 1 06E060000
Recall campaign 1 06E064000
Recall campaign 1 06E065000
Recall campaign 1 06E067000
Recall campaign 1 07E066000
Recall campaign 1 08E050000
Recall campaign 1 09E012000
Recall campaign 1 09E025000
Recall campaign 1 11V385000
Defect investigation 1 PE98024
Defect investigation 1 EA98018
Defect investigation 1 RQ98022
Defect investigation 1 DP99002
Defect investigation 1 PE99019
Defect investigation 1 PE99047
Defect investigation 1 PE01033
Defect investigation 1 EA05005
Defect investigation 1 DP05005
Defect investigation 1 PE10036
Defect investigation 1 EA11006
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-10-15 Open source record

Safety Recalls (18)

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, Fuel system, Transmission / driveline, Cruise / speed control, and Wheels.

  1. 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 →

  2. Recall campaign 00V284000

    Safety recall 00V284000

    Report date
    Component:
    Unclassified NHTSA leftover
    Consequence:
    THESE VEHICLES DO NOT COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS.
    Remedy:
    OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED A LABEL WITH THE REQUIRED STATEMENT, ALONG WITH INSTRUCTIONS FOR AFFIXING THE LABEL AT THE FUEL FILLER DOOR. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN NOVEMBER 2, 2000. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673.
    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 06E023000

    Lights

    Report date
    Component:
    Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING)
    Consequence:
    WITHOUT THE AMBER REFLECTORS, THE VEHICLE WILL BE POORLY ILLUMINATED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
    Remedy:
    ANZO WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE HEADLAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN MAY 9, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT ANZO USA AT 909-468-3688.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  5. Recall campaign 06E052000

    Lights

    Report date
    Component:
    Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING)
    Consequence:
    DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
    Remedy:
    SABRY LEE WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER FULL CREDIT FOR ANY NONCOMPLIANT HEADLAMP. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON JUNE 14, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABRY LEE ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE AT 1-866-467-2279.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  6. 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 →

  7. Recall campaign 06E064000

    Safety recall 06E064000

    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:
    TRADESONIC WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE LAMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING JULY 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TRADESONIC AT 626-934-8884.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  8. Recall campaign 06E065000

    Safety recall 06E065000

    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:
    AJ MOTORSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE LAMPS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 31, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT AJ MOTORSPORT AT 626-618-2026.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  9. 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 →

  10. Recall campaign 07E066000

    Safety recall 07E066000

    Report date
    Component:
    Unclassified NHTSA leftover
    Consequence:
    IF THE TRAILER LIGHTS ARE NOT WORKING PROPERLY, A VEHICLE CRASH CAN OCCUR.
    Remedy:
    ALL OF THE DEFECTIVE TOW PACKAGES ARE STILL AT THE DISTRIBUTOR LEVEL AND HAVE NOT BEEN SOLD TO ANY CONSUMERS.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  11. Recall campaign 08E050000

    Lights

    Report date
    Component:
    Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING)
    Consequence:
    WITHOUT THE AMBER SIDE REFLEX REFLECTORS, THE LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY BE AFFECTED, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
    Remedy:
    K2 MOTOR WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMEBER 17, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT K2 MOTOR AT 1-909-839-2992.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  12. Recall campaign 09E012000

    Safety recall 09E012000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
    Remedy:
    SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT 1-909-598-7589.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  13. Recall campaign 09E025000

    Lights

    Report date
    Component:
    Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING)
    Consequence:
    DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
    Remedy:
    DOPE, INC. WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 28, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DOPE, INC. AT 1-626-272-1798.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  14. Recall campaign 11V385000

    Fuel system

    Report date
    Component:
    Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
    Consequence:
    AS A RESULT OF THE CORROSION, ONE OR BOTH STRAPS MAY FAIL ALLOWING THE FUEL LINES TO SEPARATE FROM THE TANK, OR IN SOME CASES, CAUSING THE TANK TO CONTACT THE GROUND. EITHER SCENARIO MAY RESULT IN A FUEL LEAK PRESENTING A FIRE HAZARD.
    Remedy:
    FORD WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND INSTRUCT THEM TO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO A FORD OR LINCOLN DEALER TO HAVE THE FUEL TANK STRAPS REPLACED WITH STRAPS THAT HAVE INCREASED CORROSION PROTECTION. EARLY IN THIS CAMPAIGN, IF REPLACEMENT STRAPS ARE NOT AVAILABLE, DEALERS MAY INSTALL A CABLE SUPPORT UNDER THE STRAP AS AN INTERIM REPAIR OR A STEEL REINFORCEMENT OVER THE EXISTING STRAP AS A PERMANENT REPAIR. ANY REPAIRS WILL BE PERFORMED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 16, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD MOTOR COMPANY CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP CENTER AT 1-866-436-7332. FORD'S RECALL CAMPAIGN NUMBER IS 11S21
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  15. 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 →

  16. Recall campaign 98V007000

    Cruise / speed control

    Report date
    Component:
    Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL)
    Consequence:
    INCREASED BRAKE PEDAL EFFORTS OR SOME INCREASE IN STOPPING DISTANCE COULD RESULT.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL INSTALL A REVISED PCV SYSTEM ON THESE VEHICLES.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  17. 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 →

  18. Recall campaign 98V161000

    Fuel system

    Report date
    Component:
    Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
    Consequence:
    FUEL TANK CONTACT CAN DAMAGE THE TANK AND RESULT IN FUEL LEAKAGE. FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE CAN RESULT IN A FIRE.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE REAR SPRINGS AND INSTALL AN ADDITIONAL CLIP ON THE FORWARD END OF THE REAR SPRINGS TO PREVENT FUEL TANK CONTACT IN THE EVENT OF A LEAF FRACTURE. ANY FRACTURED SPRINGS WILL BE REPLACED.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-10-14 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 2026-10-14
Safety incident filters
Showing 8 of 1,296 complaints · page 1 of 52
2023-12-18Body / frame (STRUCTURE)Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11560757
CrashFireInjuryDeath
1998 Ford F150 S/N [redacted] Mechanic said the frame is rusting badly. Suggested I not pull a heavy trailer or haul heavy loads in the bed.
2023-06-04Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL)
NHTSA ODI 11525253
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Unknown
2023-01-23Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11503088
CrashFireInjuryDeath
My driver's side seat belt does not work at all for the past 6-8 months its been stuck and locked and it doesn't release the belt at all so I been driving without a seat belt for awhile now it needs to be repaired and as for the other issues unknown like bank-1 & bank-2 not working properly also evap-leaks and sensors not working
2021-12-19Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 11444287
CrashFireInjuryDeath
I have multiple issues that hit all around same time. Body rusted and water leaks getting the bcm wet which causes the truck to go haywire, lights flashing, doors locking and unlocking, radio stays on, caused multiple things to stop working, fuel tank leaks when filling it up where the fuel tank fill hose rusted into the tank, causing multiple vacuum leaks and horrible running conditions and truck dies if not holding clutch, gas and brake at light. Rear trailer wiring plug when it's connected causes multiple lights to stay on even though vehicle not running and everything off. Also melted all wires on 2 trailers causing shorted out lights, replaced clutch 2 times since purchase on 3rd clutch and mechanics not sure why even after showing them I am properly using the clutch system, not pulling heavy loads, or driving it like a race truck. ABS system light won't shut off even though no codes or problems with abs system, multiple vacuum leaks and can't get rid of running lean and bad O2 sensors even after replacing them all.
2020-06-01Unclassified NHTSA leftover
NHTSA ODI 11326791
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1998 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED WITH THE VEHICLE RUNNING AND INSIDE FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME, THE INSULATION ON THE ROOF MELTED CAUSING A FIRE. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED THIRD DEGREE BURNS ON THE HEAD. A POLICE REPORT WAS MADE FILED. FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CONTACTED AND CAME OUT TO EXTINGUISHED THE FLAMES. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS CONTACTED AND TOOK THE CONTACT TO THE HOSPITAL WHERE HE STAYED HOSPITALIZED FROM APRIL 4 2020 TO MAY 8 2020 FOR HIS BURNS. THE VEHICLE WAS DEEMED A LOSS. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURE WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 150,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
2019-12-23Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 11290982
CrashFireInjuryDeath
MY VEHICLE HAS A RECALL ON THE FUEL STRAPS I TOOK IT INTO THE DEALER THEY LOOKED AT IT THEY SAID THEY CANNOT FIX IT BECAUSE THE STRAP CALL THROUGH THE BED RAIL FRAME WHAT'S THE STRAP IS WHAT CAUSED THE CORROSION AND RUST TO THE BED RAIL FRAME .THEY WILL NOT PROCEED WITH THE REPAIRS EVEN THOUGH THE RECALL STATES THAT THE STRAPS RUST AND ARE KNOWN TO CORRODE AND IF THE GAS THING FALLS IT SHALL BE REPLACED. OUR GAS TANK FELL AND WAS ROCKING AROUND ON THE SKID PLATES AND IT PUNCTURED THE GAS.
2019-11-20Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 11281266
CrashFireInjuryDeath
I WAS FILLING MY FUEL TANK AND ANOTHER CUSTOMER POINTED OUT THERE APPEARED TO BE SOMETHING DRIPPING FROM MY TRUCK. I FOUND THAT AS I FILLED THERE WAS A STEADY STREAM COMING DOWN WHAT APPEARS TO BE THE FRAMEWORK HOLDING UP THE FUEL TANK AND DRIPPING TO THE GROUND A COUPLE OF FEET FORWARD OF THE FILLING POINT. AS THE TANK FILLED IT APPEARED TO ALSO DRIP DIRECTLY UNDER THE FILLING POINT. I DID FIND THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE FUEL STRAP WHICH I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED OF EVEN THOUGH I HAVE HAD THIS TRUCK REGISTERED IN OHIO FOR ABOUT 18 YEARS AND THUS REGISTERED IN THE RUST BELT STATES. WE DID NOT NOTICE ANY DRIPPING AT OUR HOME, ONLY ON FILLING THE TANK.
2019-10-15Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
NHTSA ODI 11268510
CrashFireInjuryDeath
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL TANK WAS LEAKING FUEL AND THE FUEL TANK STRAPS WERE DETERIORATING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 231,000.

Ford F-150 Years With the Most NHTSA Complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on the 1998 Ford F-150?

Owners named Fuel system most often — 195 of 1,296 reports (15%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.

Are there recalls for the 1998 Ford F-150?

NHTSA lists 18 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Lights, Fuel system, Transmission / driveline, Cruise / speed control, 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 F-150?

Look up the VIN for open recalls. Check for fuel smell, leaks and whether it starts and idles cleanly. 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 2026-10-04 Open source record

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-10-04
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 2026-10-14 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 2026-10-14. YearTell is not a government agency.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources