Most common 1998 Ford F Series problems
Share of the 20 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Ford F Series complaints by model year
Best F Series years: 1995, 1996, 2004. Years to avoid: 2000, 1997, 2001, 1999, 2002. Compare all years →
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 1998 Ford F Series:
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 Series owners say
Engine & cooling
I have a 1998 Ford pickup with a 5.4l engine and just today as I was driving it the spark plug blew out. As soon as I heard the popping sound I immediately shut the truck down. I opened the hood and there was the plug dangling there. I was able to install the plug back on but got 3 turns on it and it was tight. No way should a spark plug only have a few turns on it and no way should a plug fly out of an engine that is spewing gasoline and the plug still sparking. If there is a class action lawsuit against this company sign me up. Never again will I buy a Ford product. All their vehicles catch fire( remember the cruise control). This is a prime example why the us auto industry sucks and they still want us to bail them out. I have half a mind to go to detroit and beat the crap out of an engineer there. I am all for an attorney to call me if it is a class action lawsuit. …
I was driving an heard a loud squealing noise from under the hood. Lost power and lights dimmed for a brief period. I pulled over and smelled antifreeze before I opened the hood. I checked the coolant recovery tank level and it was slightly low. Looked for a leak and found a 1/16th" pinhole approximately one inch below the thermostat housing gasket line producing a steady stream of antifreeze directly onto the serpentine belt. This strong leak continues as long as the proper fluid level is maintained, and stops once the level falls below the hole. To refill the tank to it's proper level takes approximately one us gallon of coolant, which immediately begins to squirt out the hole, whether the engine is running or not; hot or cold. Took it to my mechanic who told me all he could do is replace the engine, which I have not done. …
Wheels & tires
I currently have a 1998 Ford f150 4.2l engine that has 65000 miles and am experiencing head gasket failure. Ford moco stats there is no tsp's or recalls reguarding this. I pulled the owners notification 98b33 off your web site. My engine build date is nov 1997 at the essex plant. I am in the army and am stationed in Germany. The dealership here quoted me 2500.00 for the estimate. At this time they will not honor the U.S. ESP purchased from the original dealer. I am currently trying to get this resolved. Ford will not give part to me at no cost to fix there defective head gaskets and lower intake manidols gaskets and engine front cover gaskets. They are giving me the run around and can't get me straight answers. I am continuing working with my dealership. I am afraid they will sit on this until my warranty runs out on the 22 January 2003.
I own a 1998 f150 approx. Two and a half years ago I purchased a set of 4 general ameritrac SUV tires from sears, size p225/70 r16 109s. Within a period of one year and a range of 18 to 28 thousand miles, three of the tires have had the tire separate from the steel belts, the last which happened today, almost killed me. Something is wrong with the manufacture of these tires. I do check the pressure on a regular basis,every 2 to 3 weeks. I still have the last two tires that have failed.
Fuel & propulsion system
Spark plug blew out of the head with such force that it cracked the coil and was sparking on the fuel line with fuel vapors coming out of the head at the same time. This could have caused a fire/explosion if the vehicle could not have been shut off quickly enough. I was idle in my driveway and not on the highway where it would have taken longer to shut the vehicle off. Internet research returned astonishing amount of complaints for the same issue.
I had the truck on a lift to check for a noise from the undercarriage. I noticed that the front fuel tank strap was rusted thru and the tank was loose. Had to make a temporary repair. I checked the VIN on the Ford website and the information was there was no recall.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1998 Ford F Series a good car?
Based on 20 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1998 F Series rates average: 35% fewer complaints than a typical year of the F Series 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 Series?
The engine & cooling — 7 complaints, 35% of all complaints for this model year, most often about engine › gasoline. Next are the wheels & tires (4) and fuel & propulsion system (4).
How many recalls does the 1998 Ford F Series have?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 1998 Ford F Series. You can still confirm with your VIN using our VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Ford F Series?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 1995, 1996 and 2004. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2000, 1997, 2001, 1999 and 2002. See the full Ford F Series years comparison.
At what mileage do 1998 Ford F Series problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 90,000 miles; 6% 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.