Most common 1998 Ford F-350 problems
Share of the 12 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Ford F-350 complaints by model year
Best F-350 years: 2009, 2007, 2013. Years to avoid: 1999, 2000, 1997. Compare all years →
1998 Ford F-350 recalls (1)
Vehicle speed control
On certain trucks equipped with speed control, gasoline or natural gas engines, the speed control deactivation switch May overheat.
Remedy: Dealers will install a fused wiring harness into the speed control system free of charge. The recall began on August 7, 2006. Owners May contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332. (note: also see recalls 05V017 and 05V388)
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 1998 Ford F-350:
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 F-350 owners say
Wheels & tires
While consumer was driving on the highway tread separated from right rear tire. Consumer had not struck anything, and tire was still inflated. He was able to pull to the side, and examined what was left of the tire. He realized that all the tread was gone but sidewall was still intact. It was a wide track baja a/s, lt245/75r16. The road was clear and dry. Ten minutes prior to the failure, the consumer felt vibration shuddering throughout the vehicle. Tire had approx. 35,000 miles on it. Consumer has one of the failed tires, he replaced and discarded the other three.
We sold a customer some 35-13.50-20 mickey thompson atz tires back in 2007 customer brought back the tires in May of 2010 for cracking around the sidewall and lugs contacted mickey thompson about this problem and that received a rga but was not told where to send them called repeatedly but with no answer. This same tire was recalled in 2006 for having the exact same problem was told that the customer would have to pay to ship them back to mickey and if they were in fact defective they would issue a prorated warranty on them if not we would have to pay to ship them back also I do have photos of the cracking all four tire are doing the exact same thing.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1998 Ford F-350 a good car?
Based on 12 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1998 F-350 rates better than average: 87% fewer complaints than a typical year of the F-350 at the same age. 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 F-350?
The wheels & tires — 5 complaints, 42% of all complaints for this model year, most often about tread/belt. Next are the air bags (1) and seats (1).
How many recalls does the 1998 Ford F-350 have?
There is 1 recall for the 1998 Ford F-350, the most recent from August 1, 2006 (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 F-350?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2009, 2007 and 2013. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 1999, 2000 and 1997. See the full Ford F-350 years comparison.
At what mileage do 1998 Ford F-350 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 85,000 miles; 0% 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.