Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (accelerator pedal, throttle, sudden acceleration, cruise control).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1998 Ford Expedition owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
My husband was parked in our driveway. He switched the truck from park to reverse as he does to slowly back up, without accelerating, the truck accelerated at full force in reverse and he went clear through our garage door which bent, crushed and de-hinged, the garage door was then pushed back into his motorcycles and into the framing of the house causing mass destruction. The car would not stop, the gear would not switch into park and the breaks would not work. The vehicle could not be stopped from accelerating at top speed in reverse into my home. There is burn out marks in my garage from where the wheels were spinning full speed, there is a tailpipe burn mark where the truck was launched into the garage door. The vehicle clearly failed mechanically and in the process of that there is mass destruction to my home, our vehicle, our bikes and a ton of stuff in the garage. …
He brake pedal is loated too close to the accelerator and when depressed goes down below the accelerator so when the extreme right side of the brake is depressed by a bruad shoe the accelerator is also depressed causing the car to accelerate rather than braking. This can and did result in an accident in which I rear ended the car stopped in front of me. This occurred on a city street when I was moving in traffic below the posted 30mph limit.
Tl contact owns a 1998 Ford Expedition. The contact noticed a large amount of smoke while the vehicle was parked in a carport. Suddenly, the vehicle erupted uncontrollably in flames and exploded. The fire department was called to the scene and a fire report was filed. There were no warnings prior to the failure. The two pet dogs that were outside when the massive fire erupted sustained severe burns. There were no personal injuries. The property damage consisted of the carport and portions of the house, such as the roof, siding, and a couple of rooms inside. The vehicle was completely destroyed and currently remains at the scene for investigation purposes. The contact is in the process of notifying the manufacturer. The insurance company was notified, but the cause of the failure has not yet been determined. The failure and current mileages were 181,000. …
Tl contact owns a 1998 Ford Expedition. The contact's vehicle caught fire while parked. The fire department was notified and extinguished the fire. The entire hood and engine of the vehicle was destroyed. The fire inspector stated that he was aware of recall # 05V388000 (vehicle speed control). The contact notified the manufacturer and found that the contact's VIN was included in the recall, but he is not the original owner. A police report was filed. The current and failure mileages were 134,000. Updated 12/30/08 the consumer stated Ford hired a consultant to investigate the fire, but it could not be determined what caused the fire. The consumer claim was denied by Ford. Updated 01/05/08.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that the vehicle caught on fire while parked in the driveway overnight. The contact was awakened by a loud explosion when she discovered the vehicle in flames. The fire department arrived to assist and advised that the fire originated from the engine. The vehicle was destroyed and a fire report was filed. The contact referenced NHTSA campaign id number: 05V388000 (vehicle speed control) and stated that she was advised by the manufacturer that the vehicle was included with the recall but had not received recall repairs. The failure and current mileage was 185,467.
Tl contact owns a 1998 Ford Expedition. The vehicle caught fire while idling and was completely destroyed. An investigator from fire forensics stated that the fire originated from the cruise control switch. Ford stated that they sent the recall notice to the original owner and could not provide her with any further assistance. A police report was filed. The contact filed a formal complaint with the manufacturer. She still has possession of the vehicle. The powertrain and recall number were unknown. The failure and current mileages were 180,000.
Dt*: the contact stated the vehicle caught fire while parked in the driveway. The fire was coming from under the hood area. The fire spread to the garage and damage was sustained. The fire department extinguished the fire. The vehicle was towed to the insurance company. The manufacturer was alerted. There is a recall for the vehicle speed control the NHTSA campaign id# 05V388000. This vehicle was included in the recall but the contact was never notified. The Ford manufacturer had the vehicle inspected.
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.
On Sunday 5-15-05, I had just returned home from visiting my brother in the hosp. From a gun shot wound to the face. I sat down in my front home and I have a glass storm door, so I could see outside. Not 5-min. After I was in the house I could see a lot of smoke outside. I said oh my god something is on fire. My husband and I went out with the fire extinguisher and raised the hood on the vehicle, there was no actual flames to be seen at that time, only smoke and melted wires.
Dt*: the contact stated the vehicle caught fire and burned while parked. A fire department report was taken. The vehicle was taken to a service dealer who determined that the fire started due to an overheated speed control deactivation switch. There was a NHTSA recall # 05V388000 which pertained to the vehicle speed control. The dealer determined that the vehicle was included in the recall, however the contact stated that there was no recall notice received.
Related recalls
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.
Acceleration complaints in other Expedition years
Frequently asked questions
How common are acceleration problems on the 1998 Ford Expedition?
NHTSA has 78 complaints about the speed control & acceleration of the 1998 Ford Expedition, 9% of the model year's 836 complaints. The component named most often is cruise control (28 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1998 Ford Expedition acceleration problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 05V-388 (vehicle speed control, Sep 7, 2005). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 1998 Ford Expedition acceleration problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 112,000 miles, and 3% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 9 crashes, 31 fires and 5 injuries to speed control & acceleration problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.