Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1998 Ford Ranger owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I hit a deer while comming home from work at 45 MPH and bent bumper, dented left quarter panel,broke left turn signal lens and cracked plastic grile. Airbags did not apply or engage. I also have taken my truck to the local dealership 4 times to get my door alarm chip replaced @ 50 dollars each time. On last attempt my extended waranty had expired and they refused to honer the problem and promise to replace.even though it was an exsisting problem. This was prior to hitting the deer.
Took my 1998 Ford Ranger in for an inspection on 01/13/2015 only to find out that the back of the frame is almost completely rotted away. I bought the vehicle only two days earlier from a dealership in va(01/11/2015) that's run by a mechanic. I contacted the dealership as soon as I saw my mistake, and they told me they didn't see the rust, and that the vehicle passed inspection in va only two months prior to my purchase. The frame is about to split in half its so badly rusted and now I cant register it, not to mention drive it, out of fear of it snapping and me losing my life. Oh and did I mention I paid $3650 for this pos?
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 Ford Ranger. While driving various speeds, a knocking type noise was present coming from the bed of the vehicle when the brakes were applied. The contact indicated that the vehicle failed inspection due to rusting and corrosion of the subframe and cross members. The cause of the failures was not diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was not available. The manufacturer was not notified of the failures. The failure mileage was 169,000.
The frame has rusted so severely that the rear suspension is detaching from frame and frame is almost rusted completely through and will separate soon. The spare tire and carrier have fallen off where is was attached to the frame due to the excessive rust and the bed mounts have rusted away and no longer attach to the frame leaving the bed with no solid mount. Spare tire and carrier fell off on interstate while driving.
The rear frame completely rusted off between the rear spring shackles and rear bumper, the spare tire mount if almost completely rusted away, and the gas tank cross member is also nearly rusted away,1/2 is missing on the passenger side. The rear springs detached when the shackled rusted away. The vehicle was stationary
The rear frame of the truck has rotted away. The rear suspension and bumper are about to fall off. The body itself is in excellent condition. I didn't find out until I stepped on the rear bumper and it began sagging down and then realized that a large majority of the frames cross members were already gone!
Frame is rusting out even though the rest of the truck looks great . The truck has not been driven in winter because I have a work car with front wheel drive that I use for this and the frame on that vehicle is in better condition than my Ranger. We have owned the truck since 2002 and it's a 1998 model.
Vehicle back bumper fell off due to excessive rust (while in motion). Ball joints, tie rods, upper and lower control arm brackets rusted out as well as holes in the frame (all identified while stationary).
Frame/ chassis is rusting. I heard Toyota was fixing this problem with their trucks. Why doesn't Ford and or have you checked these trucks out. You are welcome to come and see mine. Thanks,
The cab of my 1998 Ford Ranger truck leaks when it rains. At first, I thought it was the seal over the passenger door, but the water is running in the cab above the rear window and the seal is tight on the window. As far as I can tell, the water is getting in along the seam of the cab roof just behind the door on both sides of the cab. The water has found its way up into the felt and roof insulation and left water marks but (thankfully) no separation of the roof felt from the cab body yet. I did use ge silicone caulk to fill in the seams on the outside of the cab, and it did reduce the amount of water getting in, but yesterday it rained and I noticed that the water is still getting in on the passenger side of the cab roof. I really don't know how to fix this problem. I have inspected the door seals and they seem pliable and firmly affixed to the body of the truck. …
Body complaints in other Ranger years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 1998 Ford Ranger?
NHTSA has 45 complaints about the body & structure of the 1998 Ford Ranger, 8% of the model year's 576 complaints. The component named most often is body (14 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1998 Ford Ranger body problems?
No. NHTSA lists no body & structure recall for the 1998 Ford Ranger, 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 Ranger body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 126,000 miles, and 3% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 2 fires and 0 injuries to body & structure 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.