Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (wheels, lug nuts, original-equipment tires, TPMS).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1998 Ford F-150 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
October 13,2018 entire wheel assembly driver front wheel came off while driving on hwy 64 rocky mount north carolina, cause my truck to hit guard rail, the air bag did not deploy which cause me serious injury to my neck, I did not have the protection of the air bag.
My husband and I were on I-95 the rear tire thread separated and lost complete control of truck which cause it to hit the wall in the median twice. As a result we both sustained injuries in which we are currently under doctors care along with therapy. Bottom line we almost lost our lives. The tire had been purchase almost 6 months prior of accident to replace another one we told was defective. It was a p275/70r16 continental tire on our 1998 f-150 truck.
While driving at approximately 55 miles left rear tire blew out and came off the vehicle, and there was a roll over. Wheel and tire brook off. Both consumer and passenger where injured in the accident. Consumer and passenger filed a claim due to the injuries sustained during the accident. Claim number 00181339133.
While attempting to back up my vehicle(1998 Ford f-150 4 x 4 6 cyl) I thought I was hung up on something as there was a great deal of resistance in doing so. When I got out to check for obstructions in the roadway, I was horrified to see that both of my front tires were facing each other (toed in). After much ado, and many men stopping to see what my problem was, I learned that the front passenger side tie rod had let go without any warning! With only 60,000 miles on my truck, everyone told me to investigate why this happened because it should not have occurred. It is my understanding that Ford used to have a greased fitting holding the tierods and has switched to a nylon fitting that is non-greasable to save money>.... …
I have a 1998 Ford f150 4x4 and the cable that secures the spare tire under the bed broke while driving . I was lucky because I was only going about 5 miles an hour when the tire and the holder dropped to the road behind me. I feel if I had been going at 60 or any other speed this could have caused some major damage to any one traveling behind. I have called Ford motor company at their customer relations line on February 17,2010 to see if they could offer some assistance. I am more than able to install this item my self. I live on maui in a town called hana and I am about 2 1/2 hours from a dealer. I have called the dealer and the cable that broke will cost me just over 100.00 dollars. That May not seem to be a lot at this time but if the tire had come off I May have had to pay for a whole lot more. I have now returned to our home in california ,but the vehicle is in hana. …
Vehicle had factory original full size spare general ameri550 as with less than 400 total miles driven had tread separation, virtually all the tread came off and tire stayed inflated while driving at highway speeds. This tire had never been driven on previously and was in as new condition when I installed it just two weeks ago rim and all when I had a flat in my regular tire. After recovering the tread I found that the rubber appeared more brittle and had suffered severe wear in less than 400 miles, there were bits and pieces of rubber missing from the tread from driving on my gravel road, the other tires of different brand remain in great shape after thousands of miles. I could have lost control easily. Vehicle is a 98 f150 2wd.
While driving at less than 10 miles per hour on a country road the spare tire support cable on my 1998 Ford f-150 failed, causing the tire to fall beneath the truck, bounce, and strike the undercarriage. The unit had not shown prior signs of wear when the spare tire was last serviced about 16 months ago. The unit has been cycled probably five times during the life of the vehicle. There were no warning signs of "thumping" which would indicate a loose fitting of tire in the spare well. While no one was injured due to the low speed and location, a release on a highway would likely have resulted in an accident and possible serious injury. I plan to order a replacement part and will retain the damaged unit for inspection.
Tl contact owns a 1998 Ford f-150. The vehicle has general grabber aw tires, size p275/60/r17 (na). The contact noticed that within the last three years, all three tires (excluding the driver side rear tire) have spontaneously blown out. The failures have occurred while driving 60 MPH. After inspecting the tires, he noticed that the tread was separating from the tires and the wires were sticking out. He inspected the rear driver's side tire and noticed a large bubble forming on the interior of the sidewall. The contact has pictures of the failed component, and still has possession of the defective tires. The tire failure mileage was 10,000. The current and failure mileages were 40,000.
What isn't wrong with this truck? With less than 80,000 miles on it...spare tire fell off while being driven, interior lights randomly stay on, both doors are rusting out from the bottom, knob to regulate temperature fell off and assembly needed replacement, front brakes calipers stuck and caught on fire, exhaust system has rusted off twice, transmission went up and was replaced under warranty at less than 20,000 miles, radiator rusted through, and the headliner is falling down off the ceiling. I've probably missed something but can tell you that I will never own another Ford.
While driving on highway front left tire went flat, and then consumer replaced tire with spare. About 50 miles later,tire came completly off vehicle. Vehicle crashed in the side of road, and did some damage to vehicle. Contacted dealer, and the dealer said that they could not do anything for him. The spare wheel that was used during replacing flat tire came off due to defective coating that the vehicle manufacturer had recalled for coating breakdown and causing the lug nuts to come loose and spin off. ( the tire make and model was not given)
Related recalls
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.
Wheel & Tire complaints in other F-150 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are wheel & tire problems on the 1998 Ford F-150?
NHTSA has 195 complaints about the wheels & tires of the 1998 Ford F-150, 14% of the model year's 1,381 complaints. The component named most often is tread/belt (54 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1998 Ford F-150 wheel & tire problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 98V-095 (lugs/nuts/bolts/studs, May 13, 1998). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 1998 Ford F-150 wheel & tire problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 93,000 miles, and 6% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 9 crashes, 0 fires and 7 injuries and 1 death to wheels & tires 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.