RoadVitals

1998 Ford Club Wagon Engine Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Engine reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
9
Latest May 20, 2014
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
32%
of 28 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1998 Ford Club Wagon submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 9 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming engine

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Engine
Filed May 20, 2014

FORD TELLS ME THIS DOES NOT PERTAIN TO MY 1998 E350 7.3L DIESEL, AND THEY WILL NOT REPLACE THE RECALLED PART FROM FORD RECALL NO. 07S57 MY VEHICLE STALLS ON AVERAGE 2-3 TIME PER MONTH, CAUSING ME TO QUICKLY PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL - RESTART THE ENGINE BEFORE ALL MY BREAKS ARE GONE. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR APPROX 3 YEARS NOW. I'VE HAD A FEW CLOSE CALLS BECAUSE OF THIS. FORD RECALL NO. 07S57 NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 07V553000NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: EA06012 THE FOLLOWING IS FROM THE NHTSA SITE: " VEHICLE MAKE / MODEL: MODEL YEAR(S): FORD / E-SERIES 1997-2003 FORD / EXCURSION 1997-2003 FORD / F-250 SD 1997-2003 FORD / F-350 SD 1997-2003 FORD / F-450 SD 1997-2003 FORD / F-550 SD 1997-2003 MANUFACTURER: FORD MOTOR COMPANYREPORT RECEIPT DATE: DEC 05, 2007 NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 07V553000NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: EA06012 COMPONENT: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:DIESEL POTENTIAL NUMBER OF UNITS AFFECTED: 1,176,000 SUMMARY: ON CERTAIN HEAVY DUTY TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH 7.3L DIESEL ENGINES, THE CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR LOCATED ON THE ENGINE OF THE VEHICLE MAY FUNCTION INTERMITTENTLY, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN AN ENGINE STALL. CONSEQUENCE: IN THE EVENT OF AN ENGINE STALL, A CRASH COULD RESULT WITHOUT WARNING. REMEDY: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE SENSOR AND REPLACE IT WITH AN IMPROVED CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 29, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-866-436-7332. NOTES: FORD RECALL NO. 07S57. CUSTOMERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV. "UPDATED 06/25/14 *BF UPDATED 06/30/2014 *JS *TR

NHTSA ID
10592843
Incident
May 1, 2002
Mileage
130,000 mi
Engine
Filed Jul 14, 2012

I BECAME ONE MORE VICTIM OF AN UNACCEPTABLE DESIGN FLAW FOISTED UPON THE MOTORING PUBLIC BY THE ONCE PROUD FORD MOTOR COMPANY. #3 SPARK PLUG TOOK AN UNAPPROVED LEAVE OF ABSENCE AND HAS GROUNDED MY E-350 VAN FOR THE PAST 2 MONTHS. I AM WEIGHING MY OPTIONS; SHOULD I ATTEMPT AN EXPENSIVE REPAIR ONLY TO HAVE IT FAIL IN THE NEAR FUTURE OR SHOULD I RETURN IT TO THE SHOWROOM OF MY CLOSEST FORD DEALER AFTER HOURS? SO MUCH FOR THE ENGINEERING THAT LED TO WINS AT LE MANS IN THE 1960'S. THERE WAS NO VEHICLE FIRE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS MISHAP; HOWEVER, I HAVE SEEN PICTURES OF FIRES DUE TO THIS PROBLEM SUFFERED BY OTHERS. I AM ONE AMONG THOUSANDS OF FORD TRUCK OWNERS DEALING WITH THIS SITUATION. *TR

NHTSA ID
10465681
Incident
May 13, 2012
Mileage
185,000 mi
Engine
Filed Mar 29, 2012

SPARK PLUG BLEW FROM ENGINE, WILL NOT THREAD BACK INTO BLOCK.

NHTSA ID
10453431
Incident
Jun 1, 2010
Engine
Filed Feb 29, 2008

FORD E-350 VAN W/ V10 ENGINE BLEW A SPARK PLUG OUT OF THE CYLINDER. *TR

NHTSA ID
10219695
Incident
Feb 10, 2008
Mileage
76,000 mi
Engine
Filed Aug 16, 2005

VIN FMRE11LXWHC14619 1998 FORD VAN CLUB WAGON V8 TRITON ENGINE 5.4 LITER- SPARK PLUG BLOW OUT. HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO MCCOY AND MILLS FORD 700 WEST COMMONWEALTH, FULLERTON CA 92832 WORK ORDER 985469 APPRX DATE FEB 11,2005 CUSTOMER #WHC14619. FORD DEALER SERVICE DEPT. QUOTED A REPAIR FEE FOR HEAD REPLACEMENT OF MINIMUM $3500. FOR BLOW OUT OF SPARK PLUG AND CYLINDER DAMAGE. WHEN MS. MABRY INQUIRED OF THE COST FOR THE ENTIRE NEW ENGINE REPLACEMENT AS OPPOSED TO ONLY ONE CYLINDER REPAIR, THE RESPONSE WAS--A MINIMUM OF $5600. FAILURE AND ITS CONSEQUENCES: SINCE VEHICLE OWNER MABRY DID NOT HAVE $3500 , THEN MABRY AGAIN PAID ANOTHER TOWING SERVICE TO TOW VEHICLE TO MABRY A DISTANCE OF APPROX 150 MILES (A VERY EXPENSIVE TOWING FEE). THE THIRD TOWING WAS TO A REPAIR SHOP 25 APPX MILES FROM SHY LANE. PARTIAL TOWING FEES $250 CASH AND $128 CASH TO 3 GUYS TOWING, FULLERTON CA. THE REPAIR OF #3 SPARK PLUG CYLINDER DAMAGE, IGNITION COIL, HELICOIL. THE REPLACED PARTS WERE SAVED. APPROXIMATE COSTS OF THREE TOWING SERVICES, VEHICLE REPAIR, OVERNIGHT STAY WAITING FOR REPAIR ESTIMATE FROM MILLS FORD AND ULTIMATE VEHICLE REPAIR, TAXI TRIPS TO FROM AND TO FINAL REPAIR STOP APPROX $1100.00. *JB

NHTSA ID
10133085
Incident
Feb 11, 2005
Mileage
104,029 mi
Engine
Filed Apr 24, 2001

ENGINE BLEWOUT WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WARNING. AS CONSUMER WAS DRIVING/TURNING VEHICLE SHUTDOWN. DASHBOARD DID NOT SHOW ANY WARNING LIGHTS, AND VEHICLE WAS WELL MAINTAINED. MECHANIC HAS ADVISED CONSUMER THAT THIS WAS A "COMMON PROBLEM". DEALER HAS ADVISED THAT ENGINE JUST SHUTDOWN, AND WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED AT CONSUMER'S EXPENSE.*AK

NHTSA ID
886700
Incident
Apr 22, 2001
ElectricalEngine
Filed Mar 18, 2001

ALUMINUM HEAD FAILURE, SPARK PLUGS BLEW OUT OF HEAD AT 60 MPH--MILD EXPLOSION, ENGINE SHUTDOWN AT SPEED--COULD HAVE BEEN A FATAL REAR END ACCIDENT IF IT HAD HAPPENED DURING NORMAL DAY HOURS, BUT IT WAS AT 3 AM---FAILURE STILL NOT FIXED AFTER 2 FULL WEEKS, DEALER IS FAMILY FORD, CARLISLE PA.---THEY STATE THAT THIS IS A KNOWN FAILURE, AND THEY HAVE DONE SEVERAL.

NHTSA ID
742616
Incident
Mar 7, 2001
EngineTransmission
Filed Jan 16, 2001

VAN IS ON 2ND ENGINE&TORQUE CONVERTER.HAS VIBRATION @ ALL SPEEDS.PULLS HARD LEFT. ANY SORT OF ROUGH ROAD & YOU THINK YOU WILL LOSE CONTROL. VIBRATES SO BAD FRONT DOORS ARE EATING IN TO BODY. HAS TERRIBLE SMELL VENTILATION & HEATING SYSTEM. WHAT A HUNK OF JUNK !!!

NHTSA ID
739476
Engine
Filed Aug 12, 1999

STRONG ODOR OF FUEL FUMES ARE COMING IN AND AROUND THE VEHICLE. DEALER STATED TO MAKE SURE THAT WINDOWS ARE ROLLED DOWN, AND A/C IS SHUT OFF. VEHICLE IS SUBJECT TO EXPLODE. DEALER CLAIMS THERE IS NO SOLUTION. *AK

NHTSA ID
841505

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .