Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (struts, shocks, control arms, ball joints, springs).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1998 Ford Explorer owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the vehicle felt as though it would tip over and swayed when driving approximately 70-75 MPH. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the suspension malfunctioned. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The approximate failure mileage was 123,000.
Since purchasing a used 1998 Ford Explorer I have been blessed with nothing but problems with it. 6 months after purchasing the vehicle my wheel bearings went out and damaged the spindle. This was a $500 expense as the spindle was a dealer part. When I purchased it there were 26000 miles on it...there were about 36000 when the bearings went out...just as the warranty expired. Then, about a year later, the upper air intake manifold got a hole burned in it. Again, Ford couldn't offer me any kind of help and said it was a $800-1000 repair. On a side note, this type of problem was a known issue by Ford. In fact, recalls were made by Ford to replace the intakes free of charge to fleets but not to the general public. Just recently my freeze plugs rusted through and caused my car to overheat. This has been quoted by Ford as a $1300 repair. …
Car driving40 MPH on straight, wet, cement terrain, during daylight hours. Driver attentive with hands at 10 & 2 position beginning to acclerate. Back wheels of vehicle begin to shimmy, shake. Front of vehicle begins to veer left. Driver steers car away from cement embankment, left tire goes slightly up embankment, no collision. Car straightend out, driver begins to acclerate again car veers sharp right hits embankment head on, vehicle does complete rollover. Tie rod completely severed. Both times car veered driver attempted to correct car, but unable to steer vehicle.
Dt: contact stated that right after purchasing the vehicle he had replace the brakes, tires, fuel filter, the fuel injection was cleaned , the anti lock sensors where replaced, the windshield was replaced . The air bags are also deployed. While driving the vehicle it vibrates on the left side. He took the vehicle to a mechanic they put the vehicle on a rack trying to line the vehicle. It would not line up. They found that the ball joints bad, also the motor mounts are broken. The mechanic told him that the frame is bent beyond repair.
During the annual vehicle safety inspection, it was reported that the two front suspension stabilizer link bolts were broken. Each bolt had failed as a result of rust and corrosion at the upper end where it attached to the stabilizer. This resulted in a degradation of handling ability, which in a SUV vehicle with high center of gravity, could have caused a serious accident. Parts were replaced and I am retaining what is left of the failed parts for further examination.
My wife was driving our 1998 Ford Explorer "eddie bauer" and experienced a sudden pull to the left. Upon arriving at our mechanic, la autobody - newton ma, we were informed that we were missing both of our sway bars. Has there been other complaints from Ford truck owners? If so when will a recall be demanded by the NHTSA. According to our mechanic he has seen this many times and it can cause accidents on the road.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving approximately 5 MPH, a noise emitted when the steering wheel was being maneuvered. The malfunction occurred whenever making a turn. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who stated that the front and rear ball joints were defective. The manufacturer was notified of the problem. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.
After being cut off on I-287, the Explorer went into a series of swerves which became uncontrollable. It finally flipped over on the driver's side and skidded along the roadway on its side. Driver sustained a broken rib and a collapsed lung. The road was dry and clean. The tires were new michelins. The car should not have gone out of control and flipped.
I was driving my truck and one day it started acting weird. My stereo started shutting off and coming in by itself. A couple days later I was driving and my stereo and information center went out and came back on. My truck will only go about 30mps cause it won't shift either. Couple days ago it started back firing. What could be the problem.
Explorer roll over killed my sister-very unsafe vehicle-didn't have Firestone tires-vehicle is very unsafe and they should be removed from the roads-she was going 35mph and swerved to avoid a head on collision with another vehicle in her lane-Explorer flipped and she was killed instantly
Suspension complaints in other Explorer years
Frequently asked questions
How common are suspension problems on the 1998 Ford Explorer?
NHTSA has 111 complaints about the suspension of the 1998 Ford Explorer, 6% of the model year's 1,959 complaints. The component named most often is front (40 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1998 Ford Explorer suspension problems?
No. NHTSA lists no suspension recall for the 1998 Ford Explorer, though it has 9 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 Explorer suspension problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 90,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 12 crashes, 0 fires and 12 injuries and 2 deaths to suspension 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.