Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power windows, windshield, wipers, mirrors, sunroof).
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).
I have a 1998 Ford Expedition eb model. I just had to take it into the dealer because the windshield is not sealed properly and the gem module has been getting wet and needs to be replaced along with the fuse box. Apparently this is quite common with this year and modle.I have to spend 885 to have it fixed and now have to have the windshield replaced as well. The car would not start and the lights flickers on and off while I was driving the power locks would lock and unlock while I was driving. The windows would go up and down while I was driving. This is not safe! It died in the middle of an intersection once then the engine revved up and it wouldn't stop. The only way to stop it is to disconnect the battery. The dash started smoking and a beeping noise came from under the dash somewhere. I was lucky enough to get the battery disconnected before there was any real fire damage. …
We have our Expedition for a while and we know the people who owned it before us. While it is raining and days after the power to the truck does not turn off. The radio will turn on, the blower for heat or air will keep blowing, the lights will turn on, the four wheel drive will stop, ABS will stop, and the wiper blades will not work. So because the electrical items will turn on at random, they drain the battery and the truck will not start the next day. We found out that due to manufacturing error, the windshield leaks water into the general electric module. The other problem is the part not only expensive, but if you buy one and it does not work, it is not returnable. And that was told to us by multiple dealerships. So basically Ford knows of the problem and it is a safety issue and has done nothing about it.
When it rains water leaks onto the gem module and fuse box under the dashboard left of the steering column. Some of the effects are, windshield wipers stopping, transmission going into limp mode with od light flashing, battery going dead if raining overnight, speedometer not working, heater fan running while off, left front power window not working, and instrument panel warning lights flashing on and off. Everything comes back to normal after it dries out. I had the windshield replaced. I had the new windshield resealed twice. I had to replace the battery. I still can see water dripping next to the parking brake. I have browsed the net and found that this is a common problem with expeditions and f150's. I would like Ford to take responsibility and repair this defect.
I have a 98 Expedition, windows roll down, stereo come on heat turns on, all dash panel warning lights come on and off,the air bag light go on and off,and the wipers and overdrive go on and off ,the starter tries to start while running it started few years ago on occasion when it would rain now everytime ,found out the windshield leaks water on the fuse box and some other generic box, I feel Ford should fix the Expedition its there default look on the internet ,there are lots of other people with the exact same prob. Please help.
Power windows, front and back fail to operate. Drivers side will power down, but will not power up. Sometimes when I continuously operate the switch I can hear a clicking noise almost like something is not connecting. I have not yet taken it to a dealer to investigate because I am afraid the cost to 'fix' will be hugh. I have also had probles with the rear window wiper. It has never worked consistenly. I had it worked on one time, the dealer said it was locked up and fixed it. It worked about twice and has not worked since, that was about a year ago.
Dt*: the contact stated the driver's side power seat mechanism does not work properly, resulting in driver's inability to view the road. The seat moves up and down, but will not go forward or backward. The dealership determined the mechanism needed to be replaced. Updated 3/17/2006 - right front axle leaked, windshield washers failed. The glass in the driver's side window would not go up. The door locks locked the consumer out of the vehicle. The horn was difficult to locate. The rear tailgate window exploded.
Outside mirrors on both sides of auto have shown lines in the mirrors and they show up in sunlight and when in traffic at night. They cause you to lose some vision. I noticed this condition for some time but the dealers told me this was normal. This auto has only 500 miles now but this started back in 2000. I just went in for service 3/17/05 at Ford and they said its up to me to pay for replacement. I feel that this is a safety issue. Please let me know if this is common on Ford SUV. Thank you r vusich.
Both outside mirrors separated from the outside, making visual contact very poor. Owner took the vehicle to the dealership but was informed that because the vehicle is out of warranty, there was nothing else they could do. Sideview mirrord were delaminating,causing poor visibility. Side mirrors are delaminating causing poor visability.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while driving 35 MPH in rainy weather, water began to leak into the vehicle from the windshield area. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer for inspection. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 81,000.
Interrior light fails to go off, even with vehicle running. On one instance, it began flashing. This was very distracting and dangerous as it was at night. I was only able to turn the interior light off by pulling the relay. This is a known issue with 1999-2000 expeditions, but apparently it affects 1998 vehicles as well.
Window & Wiper complaints in other Expedition years
Frequently asked questions
How common are window & wiper problems on the 1998 Ford Expedition?
NHTSA has 54 complaints about the windows, wipers & sunroof of the 1998 Ford Expedition, 6% of the model year's 836 complaints. The component named most often is windshield wiper/washer (14 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1998 Ford Expedition window & wiper problems?
No. NHTSA lists no windows, wipers & sunroof recall for the 1998 Ford Expedition, though it has 5 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 1998 Ford Expedition window & wiper problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 81,000 miles, and 8% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 1 fire and 0 injuries to windows, wipers & sunroof 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.