BumperScan
Powered byNHTSA|EPA|Community Reports|Updated
Your report: 3 of 4 steps complete75%
Car identifiedData collectedBasic analysisFull AI analysis

Free Preview

#BS-1998-FORF15-76F2

1998 Ford F-150Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Based on reports from 1,624 owners and 18 recalls for this exact model.

Data updated ·checked October 30, 2026 · NHTSA complaints through October 28, 2026

Complaints
1,624
Crashes
96
Fires
107
Recalls
18
TSBs
285
🛑

Preliminary Verdict

Red Flag

Based on 1,624 complaints, 96 crashes, 107 fires, and 18 recalls.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Top reported problems

1

spark plugs eject themselves

14 complaints • Severity 8.3/10

$X,XXX
2

door ajar and dome lights will not turn off

6 complaints • Severity 6/10

$X,XXX
3

car alarm goes off for no reason

4 complaints • Severity 6/10

$X,XXX
4

shift indicator is off

3 complaints • Severity 5.3/10

$X,XXX
5

rust

2 complaints • Severity 7/10

$X,XXX

Preview: What's in your full report

Each card shows a real sample from your report — unlock all 10 sections from $2.00

Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the Fuel SystemHIGH

165 owners reported fuel system issues — failures commonly reported around 113K miles.

!Inspect the Structure:body:doorMED
Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure
+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

Failure Timeline by Mileage

24
0–30K
54
30–60K
149
60–90K
136
90–120K
128
120–150K
168
150K+

Peak failure range: 150K+ miles (168 reports) • Median: 113K miles

Full report: which components fail at each mileageUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Fuel System (165 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Fuel System165 (10%)
Structure:body:door110 (7%)
Wheels & Tires86 (5%)
Engine65 (4%)
Suspension:front:springs:torsion Bar64 (4%)
Engine And Engine Cooling:engine60 (4%)
Steering:linkages:tie Rod Assembly60 (4%)
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip58 (4%)

1998 Ford F-150: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Fuel System Issues

Fuel System complaints account for 10% of all reports filed for the 1998 Ford F-150, with 165 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 112,674 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 113K-mile mark.

Structure:body:door Issues

Structure:body:door complaints account for 7% of all reports filed for the 1998 Ford F-150, with 110 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to structure:body:door-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Wheels & Tires Issues

Wheels & Tires complaints account for 5% of all reports filed for the 1998 Ford F-150, with 86 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to wheels & tires-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Engine Issues

Engine complaints account for 4% of all reports filed for the 1998 Ford F-150, with 65 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to engine-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Complaint trend by year

161
00
216
01
117
02
122
03
80
04
121
05
49
06
49
07
55
08
25
09
56
10
169
11
25
12
15
13
14
14
8
15
7
16
6
17
1
18
10
19
1
20
3
21
7
23

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 1998 Ford F-150. Recent trend: increasing.

Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own

Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

Get Report — From $2.00

Recall History (18 recalls)

00V168000Jul 2000

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MINI VANS, LIGHT PICKUP TRUCKS, AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES. OFF LEASE CANADIAN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS WHICH MEET CANADIAN REQUIREMENTS AND NOT THE PHOTOMETRIC REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." ACCORDING TO FORD, THE VEHICLES WERE IMPORTED INTO THE U.S. ERRONEOUSLY.

00V284000Nov 2000

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: BI-FUEL CNG PICKUP TRUCKS AND BI-FUEL CNG VANS, MODIFIED BY CFI CONTROL SYSTEMS, INC., FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 303, "FUEL SYSTEM INTEGRITY OF COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS VEHICLES." THE LABEL AFFIXED TO THE FUEL FILLER DOOR BY THE VEHICLE MODIFIER CONTAINS THE INSPECTION DATE AND EXPIRATION DATE OF THE CNG TANK. HOWEVER, IT DOES NOT CONTAIN THE STATEMENT "SEE INSTRUCTIONS ON THE FUEL CONTAINER FOR INSPECTION AND SERVICE LIFE."

05V388000Sep 2005

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH SPEED CONTROL, THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH MAY OVERHEAT, SMOKE, OR BURN.

06E023000May 2006

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

CERTAIN ANZO COMBINATION HEADLAMP ASSEMBLIES SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS WHICH FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT."

06E052000Jun 2006

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

CERTAIN EAGLE EYES HEADLAMPS, P/NOS. FR208-B101R, FR208-B101L, FR208-B001R, AND FR208-B001L, SOLD FOR USE AS REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT FOR THE PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE PHOTOMETRIC REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.

+ 13 more recalls in the full report

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

Unlock

NHTSA Defect Investigations (11)

1 investigation still open: NHTSA is examining whether a defect warrants a recall.

DP05005ClosedOpened Sep 2005 · closed Jan 2006

SPARK PLUG EJECTION FROM CYLINDER HEAD

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

DP99002ClosedOpened Mar 1999 · closed Mar 1999

SPARE TIRE MOUNTING

STRUCTURE

EA05005ClosedOpened Mar 2005 · closed Aug 2006

ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

EA11006ClosedOpened May 2011 · closed Aug 2011

Fuel Tank Strap Failure Due to Corrosion

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY

EA98018ClosedOpened Aug 1998 · closed Sep 1999

ALLEGED LOSS OF THROTTLE CONTROL

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES

+ 6 more in the full report

The worst model year for the Ford F-150 is the 2018 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is engine.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 1,624 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 18 recalls found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Last updated (checked October 30, 2026). NHTSA complaints received through October 28, 2026.

Other Ford F-150 Model Years

202720262025202420232022202120202019201820172016201520142013201220112010200920082007200620052004200320022001200019991998199719961995199419931992199119901989198819871986198519841983198219811980197919781977197619751973
View all Ford F-150 years →

1998 Ford F-150: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 1998 Ford F-150?
The most commonly reported issue with the 1998 Ford F-150 is related to the fuel system, with 165 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 1998 Ford F-150 reliable?
The 1998 Ford F-150 has 1,624 complaints, 96 crash reports, and 107 fire reports filed with NHTSA. The full report analyzes whether these numbers indicate real risk or are proportional to the vehicle’s popularity.
How much does it cost to fix 1998 Ford F-150 problems?
Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.
Does the 1998 Ford F-150 have any recalls?
Yes, the 1998 Ford F-150 has 18 recalls on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
What mileage do Ford F-150 problems start?
Based on 659 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 112,674 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 150K+ mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.
When was the 1998 Ford F-150 data last updated?
BumperScan last checked this vehicle against NHTSA on October 30, 2026, covering owner complaints received through October 28, 2026 plus the latest recalls, investigations and technical service bulletins. Its numbers last changed on October 4, 2026.
What’s in the full report?
10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.
How is this different from Carfax?
Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.
What if the report isn’t useful?
100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.
RaccoonEagleRoverCat

Get the Full 1998 Ford F-150 Report

10 sections of AI analysis based on 1,624 owner reports. Know before you buy.

Get Full Report — From $2.00Money-back guarantee
Instant delivery|One-time purchase|No hidden fees