1998 Ford F-150 reliability record
Every consumer complaint and recall the U.S. government (NHTSA) has on file for the 1998 Ford F-150 — the repair risk behind the ownership cost.
- NHTSA complaints
- 1,624
- 10 in the last 5 years
- Top problem area
- FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
- 141 complaints
- Recalls on record
- 1
- see below
- Reported harm
- 96 reported crashes · 61 injuries · 1 death · 107 fires
What owners report fails — 1998 Ford F-150
- FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE 141
- STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR 110
- TIRES 82
- SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:TORSION BAR 64
- ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE 60
1 recall on record for the 1998 Ford F-150
- NHTSA 11V385000 · 2011 · FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEM AS A RESULT OF THE CORROSION, ONE OR BOTH STRAPS MAY FAIL ALLOWING THE FUEL LINES TO SEPARATE FROM THE TANK, OR IN SOME
Estimate the 5-year cost to own a 1998 Ford F-150
A vehicle's complaint record hints at the repair and maintenance budget you'll need. Add your state, purchase price, and mileage to the TCO calculator for the full picture.
Open TCO calculatorThese are unverified consumer reports and manufacturer recalls filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — not validated defect rates, and not adjusted for how many 1998 Ford F-150 units were produced or sold. High-volume and older vehicles naturally accumulate more complaints. Use this as one research signal, not a verdict on any individual vehicle. Data as of 2026. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (public domain).
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1998 Ford F-150 reliable?
NHTSA has 1,624 consumer complaints on record for the 1998 Ford F-150 and 1 recall. The most-reported problem area is fuel system, gasoline (141 reports). These are unverified consumer reports filed with the government, not validated failure rates, and are not adjusted for how many 1998 Ford F-150 units were produced — popular vehicles naturally accumulate more reports.
What are the most common problems with the 1998 Ford F-150?
Owners most often report problems with: fuel system, gasoline (141), structure:body:door (110), tires (82), suspension:front:springs:torsion bar (64). Each figure is the number of complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
How much does it cost to own a 1998 Ford F-150?
Ownership cost depends on your state taxes, insurance, fuel, and the maintenance the vehicle's reliability record implies. Use the CarOutlay 5-year TCO calculator to estimate the full cost including the repair risk this complaint record suggests.