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#BS-1998-FORF25-5427

1998 Ford F-250Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Based on reports from 77 owners and 10 recalls for this exact model.

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

Complaints
77
Crashes
2
Fires
1
Recalls
10
TSBs
220
🟢

Preliminary Verdict

Proceed with Caution

Based on 77 complaints, 2 crashes, 1 fires, and 10 recalls.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Top reported problems

1

spark plugs blow out of head

2 complaints • Severity 9/10

$X,XXX
2

engine hydro locked due to water entered combustion chamber

1 complaints • Severity 8/10

$X,XXX
3

rough idling coughs sputters and dies

1 complaints • Severity 8/10

$X,XXX
4

snapped torsion bars both sides

1 complaints • Severity 6/10

$X,XXX

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited SlipHIGH

7 owners reported service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip issues — failures commonly reported around 115K miles.

!Inspect the Suspension:front:springs:torsion BarMED
Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure
+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

Failure Timeline by Mileage

1
0–30K
4
30–60K
60–90K
10
90–120K
4
120–150K
4
150K+

Peak failure range: 90–120K miles (10 reports) • Median: 115K 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: Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip (7 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

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip7 (9%)
Suspension:front:springs:torsion Bar6 (8%)
Fuel System5 (6%)
Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline4 (5%)
Structure:frame And Members4 (5%)
Wheels & Tires4 (5%)
Engine And Engine Cooling:engine3 (4%)
Structure:body:door3 (4%)

1998 Ford F-250: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip Issues

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip complaints account for 9% of all reports filed for the 1998 Ford F-250, with 7 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 114,500 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 115K-mile mark.

Suspension:front:springs:torsion Bar Issues

Suspension:front:springs:torsion Bar complaints account for 8% of all reports filed for the 1998 Ford F-250, with 6 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to suspension:front:springs:torsion bar-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Fuel System Issues

Fuel System complaints account for 6% of all reports filed for the 1998 Ford F-250, with 5 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to fuel system-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline Issues

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline complaints account for 5% of all reports filed for the 1998 Ford F-250, with 4 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline-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

8
00
19
01
6
02
5
03
3
04
1
05
2
06
1
08
3
10
5
11
2
12
5
18

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 1998 Ford F-250. Recent trend: increasing.

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

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Recall History (10 recalls)

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.

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.

06E067000Jul 2006

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

CERTAIN MAXZONE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES, DEPO BRAND, P/NOS. 331-1129L-ASN AND 331-1129R-ASN, SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR THE ABOVE LISTED PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE PHOTOMETRIC REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.

06V286000Aug 2006

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

ON CERTAIN TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH SPEED CONTROL, GASOLINE OR NATURAL GAS ENGINES, THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH MAY OVERHEAT.

+ 5 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 (3)

All closed. Investigations are how NHTSA decides whether a defect needs a recall.

DP05005ClosedOpened Sep 2005 · closed Jan 2006

SPARK PLUG EJECTION FROM CYLINDER HEAD

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

EA05005ClosedOpened Mar 2005 · closed Aug 2006

ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

EA06012ClosedOpened Jun 2006 · closed Dec 2007

ENGINE STALLING

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:DIESEL

The worst model year for the Ford F-250 is the 2006 — 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. 77 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 10 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-250 Model Years

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View all Ford F-250 years →

1998 Ford F-250: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 1998 Ford F-250?
The most commonly reported issue with the 1998 Ford F-250 is related to the service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip, with 7 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 1998 Ford F-250 reliable?
The 1998 Ford F-250 has 77 complaints, 2 crash reports, and 1 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-250 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-250 have any recalls?
Yes, the 1998 Ford F-250 has 10 recalls on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
What mileage do Ford F-250 problems start?
Based on 23 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 114,500 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 90–120K mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.
When was the 1998 Ford F-250 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.
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