Most common 1998 Ford E-250 problems
Share of the 16 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Ford E-250 complaints by model year
Best E-250 years: 2009, 2007, 2008. Years to avoid: 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003. Compare all years →
1998 Ford E-250 recalls (4)
Vehicle speed control
Ford is recalling model years 1995-2003 windstar, 2000-2003 excursion diesel, 1993-1997 and 1999-2003 f-250 sd through f-550 sd diesel, 1992-2003 e-150 through e-550, 1995-2002 explorer, 1997 and 2002 Mercury mountaineer, 1995-1997 and 2001-2003 ranger, and 1994 f53 vehicles equipped with the texas instruments speed control…
Remedy: Ford will notify owners that dealers will install a fused wiring harness in line with the scds. On 1999-2003 windstar vehicles with a leaking scds, dealers will also inspect the ABS control module connector and repair…
Vehicle speed control › Cruise control
Ford is recalling 225,000 my 1992-2003 econoline, my 1993-1995 taurus sho, my 1992-1998 crown victoria, my 1993 bronco, f-series, my 1995-1997 f-series super duty stripped chassis, my 1992-1998 Mercury grand marquis, and my 1992-1995 Lincoln town car vehicles.
Remedy: Dealers will install a new wiring harness, or replace the mating electrical component. The recall began on February 18, 2008. Owners May contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673.
Vehicle speed control
On certain pickup trucks, passenger vehicles, sport utility vehicles, and motor homes chassis, the speed control deactivation switch May, under certain conditions, leak internally and then overheat, smoke, or burn.
Remedy: Dealers will install a fused wiring harness. Owners of the passenger cars included in this campaign will be instructed to return their vehicles to their dealers to have the speed control deactivation switch disconnected…
Equipment › Other › Labels
Vehicle description: bi-fuel cng pickup trucks and bi-fuel cng vans, modified by cfi control systems, inc., fail to conform to the requirements of FMVSS no. 303, "fuel system integrity of compressed natural gas vehicles." the label affixed to the fuel filler door by the vehicle modifier contains the inspection date and…
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.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 1998 Ford E-250:
HVAC Switch Failures
This investigation was opened based on one complaint and reports from four transportation fleets alleging 182 blower motor control switch failures.ODI was concerned that these melting and burning switches could lead to an open flame that could spread throughout the vehicle.After a comprehensive review of all data related to overheating blower motor control switches in the subject vehicles, ODI did not identify the…
Spark plug ejection from cylinder head
On September 6, 2005, odi received a petition requesting that the agency investigate allegations of engine spark plug ejection in certain model year 1997 through 2004 Ford vehicles with triton v-8 and v-10 engines.odi received a total of 474 non-duplicative complaints on the subject vehicles where the complainant, or the dealer repairing the vehicle, reported that a spark plug detached from the cylinder and/or…
What 1998 Ford E-250 owners say
Brakes
1998 Ford econoline van 5.4l eng. ABS brakes: while applying brakes, the brake pedal responds with forceful back pressure to prohibit brakes from operating. Operator then exerts excessive pressure to force braking, still yet vehicle brakes very sluggishly. Operator notes that when the condition occurs, if he releases then re-applies brake pedal pressure the brakes tend to grab and try to lock up. Operator has taken the van in for service, replaced the speed sensor on rear diff, problem went away for 2 days recurring there after. Shop mgr states that the problem could be a dump valve causing malfunction. Still investigating problem. Vehicle mfr has recently sent a recall notice identifying desc # 09s09, speed control system modification. Operator will be scheduling the service. More to follow on this subject. Problem has been noted and continues to this day, dec 28 2010
Front brakes lock up, causing the vehicle to have extended stopping distance which almost caused an accident. Dealer replaced calipers/rotors and pads. Dealer cannot determine problem. Cause unknown. Please provide further information.
Steering
Consumer is experiencing excessive play in the steering wheel (attorney for client). Nlm
Engine & cooling
Spark plug blew out of head with threads in my 98 e250 with 92,000 well maintained miles on it. The cost is yet to be determined.
Consumer states this vehicle is experiencing problems with this vehicle similar to those stated in TSB 99-20-7.
1998 Ford E-250 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.2L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 13 / 17 / 15 |
| 5.4L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 12 / 16 / 13 |
EPA ratings. Class: Van.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1998 Ford E-250 a good car?
Based on 16 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1998 E-250 rates average: 1.4× as many complaints as a typical year of the E-250 at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 1998 Ford E-250?
The brakes — 4 complaints, 25% of all complaints for this model year, most often about foundation components. Next are the steering (4) and engine & cooling (4).
How many recalls does the 1998 Ford E-250 have?
There are 4 recalls for the 1998 Ford E-250, the most recent from October 13, 2009 (vehicle speed control). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Ford E-250?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2009, 2007 and 2008. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003. See the full Ford E-250 years comparison.
At what mileage do 1998 Ford E-250 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 92,000 miles; 29% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.