Most common 1998 Ford Expedition problems
Share of the 836 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Ford Expedition complaints by model year
Best Expedition years: 2014, 2013, 2012. Years to avoid: 2019, 2020, 2024, 2017, 2018. Compare all years →
1998 Ford Expedition recalls (5)
Vehicle speed control
On certain pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles equipped with speed control, the speed control deactivation switch May overheat, smoke, or burn.
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.
Exterior lighting
Vehicle description: Mini vans, light pickup trucks, and sport utility vehicles. Off lease canadian vehicles equipped with daytime running lights which meet canadian requirements and not the photometric requirements of FMVSS 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." according to Ford, the vehicles were…
Remedy: Dealers will be advised to deactivate the running light function and to complete any outstanding safety recalls on these vehicles.
Trailer hitches
Vehicle description: multi-purpose vehicles. The trailer hitch assembly to the frame attaching bolts could lose the clamp load.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the trailer hitch mounting bolts and nut plates.
Wheels › Lugs/nuts/bolts/studs
Vehicle description: multi-purpose vehicles and light duty pickup trucks. The lug nuts on these vehicles May not create sufficient clamp load allowing wheel movement in relation to the hub/rotor mounting surface.
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.
Power train › Automatic transmission › Gear position indication (PRNDL)
Vehicle description: light duty pickup trucks and multi-purpose passenger vehicles. If the automatic transmission shift cable assembly was not fully attached to the steering column bracket, the shift cable assembly can come out of the bracket.
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.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 5 possible defects involving the 1998 Ford Expedition:
Factory installed towing hitch separatio
This investigation was opened on September 27, 1999 based on five consumer reports alleging that some of the eight hitch mounting bolts either became loose or came completely out of its retaining plate.one of the complaints indicated that while towig a trailer the hitch actually separated from the frame on the passenger's side of the vehicle when the four mounting bolts on that side came completely out.
Tie rod end failures
There is no summary currently available
Front stabilizer link
Engine compartment fires
Ea05-005 is closed with Ford?s actions in recalls 05v-017, 05v-388, and 06v-286, recalling approximately 6.7 million vehicles equipped with texas instruments speed control deactivation switches (scds).the brake systems in these recalled vehicles generate a vacuum that can potentially cause the scds to fail and, in certain switch installation orientations, catch fire.Ford is also including the entire population of…
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 Expedition owners say
Suspension all 144 →
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.
The consumer parked the vehicle for approximately 10 minutes, and upon her return, smoke was coming from under the hood. The consumer checked the vehicle, and the fire smoldered itself out. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, and the wire harness was burned. The problem was caused by the cruise control sensor/switch. Ford stated that there was nothing they could do. The air suspension control module malfunctioned also the indicator for the gear shift had broken and were replaced.
Engine & cooling all 143 →
Tl* the contact owned a 1998 Ford Expedition. While the vehicle was parked, the engine caught fire. The fire was extinguished by the fire department. The vehicle was deemed destroyed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. A police report was not filed. The approximate failure mileage was 160,000.
Went to store, came out battery dead, car wouldn't start. Had not left lights or any accessories on. Got a jump, drove to auto parts store. They checked alternator and battery and said battery dead, needed an overnight charge. Let them charge battery, put back in car, horn started blowing and would not stop despite my using both the key and key fob. Horn blew for 5 hours before I found out how to disconnect from google. Got horn to stop, and car wouldn't start. Ford dealer said anti-theft system had to be reprogrammed at cost of $250 plus tow to dealer. I never armed the system and it should not have shut my truck down and prevented me from driving it. I don't have $250 and then I found out the repair is only $100 at most. …
Electrical system all 115 →
I arrived at home and parked vehicle in garage ~5:15 pm. My wife walked on the treadmill (which is in the garage) from 7:15 ? 7:45 pm and did not smell or notice anything unusual. At 10:00 pm I looked through garage door to make sure lights were out and garage doors shut. I noticed a small red light below the truck. After further investigation, I found it was a flame. I came back in the house told my wife to notify the fire dept. I used a hose and fire extinguishers to exhaust flame as the fire dept. Arrived. The heat was so intense it melted the garage light lens above the vehicle. The vehicle would not go into neutral due to damage, so I used my neighbor?s truck to pull the vehicle out of the garage. It appears to have been the defective cruise switch according to a fire investigator. The damage to the vehicle is obvious I can email photos (except I did not photo damaged windshield). …
I have a 1998 Ford Expedition, and the cruise control stopped working, the anti-lock brakes stopped working, the brake lights stopped working, and I could not put the car in gear. I looked at the fuse box and found a fuse blown. When I replaced the fuse, the engine compartment in the car started smoking profusely. I pulled the fuse out right away, and had someone watch as I put it back in. The smoking started again, and it was coming from some type of brake switch on the front of the master cylinder. I took the car to airport Ford in florence, ky, and they said it was the same problem that the 2000 fords were being recalled for. I asked them if it was covered under the re-call, and they said it was not the right year or VIN. They said they didn't know why because it was the exact same switch causing the exact same fire that others are experiencing. …
1998 Ford Expedition engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.6L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 13 / 18 / 15 |
| 4.6L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 12 / 16 / 14 |
| 5.4L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 12 / 16 / 13 |
| 5.4L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 11 / 15 / 13 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1998 Ford Expedition a good car?
Based on 836 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1998 Expedition rates avoid: 3.5× as many complaints as a typical year of the Expedition at the same age. It is one of the Expedition years we suggest avoiding. 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 Expedition?
The suspension — 144 complaints, 17% of all complaints for this model year, most often about front › springs › torsion bar. Next are the engine & cooling (143) and electrical system (115).
How many recalls does the 1998 Ford Expedition have?
There are 5 recalls for the 1998 Ford Expedition, the most recent from September 7, 2005 (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 Expedition?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2014, 2013 and 2012. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2019, 2020, 2024, 2017 and 2018. See the full Ford Expedition years comparison.
At what mileage do 1998 Ford Expedition problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 110,000 miles; 6% 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.