RoadVitals

1998 Ford E-Series Owner Complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full

Data refreshed

Complaints on fileComplaints 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.
13
Latest Jul 2, 2005
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
0
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
0
Reports on file since Aug 21, 1998

What this page shows

Our database holds 13 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1998 Ford E-Series. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.

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

Complaints, most recent first

Showing 1–13 of 13

Other / unspecified
Filed Jul 2, 2005

I HAVE NOT HAD AN "INCIDENT" WITH MY 1998 FORD EXPEDITION, BUT I AM SCARED SENSELESS HAVING READ THE MANY REPORTS BY OWNERS WHO HAVE. I HAVE TWO DAUGHTERS AGES 3 AND 7 WHO RIDE DAILY IN OUR FAMILY VEHICHLE. I AM URGING YOU TO CONSIDER A MANDATORY RECALL ON EXPEDITIONS WITH SIMILAR CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEMS TO THE 2000 MODELS. PLEASE DON'T ALLOW ANYONE ELSE TO SUFFER OR DIE.

NHTSA ID
10127323
Incident
Jul 1, 2005
Tires & wheels
Filed Sep 6, 2004

TIRE TREAD SEPARATION OF FIRESTONE STEELTEX RADIAL R4S LT 225 75 R/16 MS LOAD RANGE E TUBELESS RADIAL 2 STEEL PLY TIRE. ON 1999 WINNEBAGO MINNIE MOTORHOME (FORD V10 - E SUPERDUTY SERIES) WITH 9,400 MILES. WE LIMPED THE VEHICLE INTO NEAREST GAS STATION WITH STEEL BELT SHOWING ON TIRES. NO APPARENT ROAD DAMAGE TO TIRE. THE TREAD JUST SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE. TIRES WERE CHECKED AT DEALERSHIP TWO DAYS PRIOR TO TRIP FOR PROPER AIR PRESSURE AND WEAR PRIOR TO LEAVING ON TRIP. EVERYTHING CHECKED OUT FINE. WE ARE GOING TO TRY AND CONTACT FIRESTONE DIRECTLY REGARDING THIS MATTER AND SEE IF THEY WILL ASSIST.*AK

NHTSA ID
10090514
Incident
Sep 5, 2004
Mileage
9,400 mi
Fuel system
Filed Jan 15, 2004

I HAVE A 1998 FORD DIESEL VAN THAT I HAVE JUST PURCHASE ABOUT A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO. THE FORMER OWNER GAVE ME A CLUE OF A PROBLEM THAT I DIDN'T PICK ON WHEN I BOUGHT IT. HE SAID DON'T FILL THE TANK FULL OR THE FUEL WILL OVERFLOW. WELL IT DOES OVERFLOW FULL OR NOT BUT WORST WITH A FULL TANK. FORD AND THE NHTSA HAD ISSUED A RECALL FOR POSSIBLE CRACKING OF FUEL TANKS IN VAN'S LIKE MINE. THE RECALL WAS FOR 1997 THRU 2001 ECONOLINE_VAN'S. I TOOK IT TO A FORD DEALERSHIP IN CHARLESTON SC BUT THEY REFUSED TO LOOK AT IT AND TOLD ME THAT NO RECALL WAS EVER MADE ON MY VAN. I CALLED FORD CUSTOMER CARE AND THEY SAID THE SAME THING. BUT A RECALL WAS MADE ON JUNE 29, 2000. THE FUEL TANK DOES NOT APPEAR TO LEAK WHILE STOPPED EVEN IF THE MOTOR IS RUNNING AND I HAVE LET IT RUN FOR MORE THAN A HOUR. IT LEAKS VERY BAD WHILE UNDERWAY. THE WIRING HARNESS THAT RUNS BY THE FUEL TANK AND JUST UNDERNEATH IT IS FULL OF DIESEL FUEL. I OPEN UP THE HARNESS PLASTIC COVER AND DRAIN THE FUEL FROM IT BUT IT WILL FILL UP AGAIN AS SOON AS I DRIVE THE VAN. ALTHOUGH I HAVE TRIED TO PIN POINT THE SOURCE OF THE LEAK I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DO SO. I CLEAN THE TANK BUT THE FUEL WILL REAPPEAR WITH NO VISIBLE SOURCE OF LEAK. THIS HAS GOT ME SCARED AND SINCE FORD WILL NOT LOOK AT IT UNLESS I AGREE TO PAY FOR REPAIRS AND I AM AT LOST AS TO WHAT TO DO NOW. I FEEL THAT THIS PROBLEM IS JUST LIKE ALL THE OTHER VAN'S THAT THEY HAVE ALREADY REPAIRED OR INSTALL INSULATORS TO PROTECT THE TANK FROM CRACKING IF IT IS NOT LEAKING. I BELIEVE FORD SHOULD LOOK AT THE VAN AND FIXED AT THEIR EXPENSE IF THE TANK IS INDEED CRACK LIKE I SUSPECT. I FOUND THAT A RECALL # 01V114000 WAS MADE ON MARCH 30, 2001 FOR POSSIBLE FUEL TANK CRACKING IN 1998 E350 VAN'S. I ALSO FOUND THAT NHTSA HAD ALSO ISSUE A TSB #15113 FOR 1998 FORD E350 VANS FOR POSSIBLE FUEL FILL VALVE SEALING CONDITION. I THINK RECALLS ARE MORE IMPORTANT ANYWAY AND CAN BE VERIFIED.

NHTSA ID
10070392
Incident
Jun 15, 2003
Mileage
71,000 mi
Tires & wheels
Filed Sep 4, 2003

THE INSIDE PASSENGER SIDE DUEL TIRE TREAD SEPARATED WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH.*AK CONSUMER HEARD A NOISE FROM THE TIRES AND 15 MINUTES LATER THE ENTIRE TREAD BLEW OFF THE TIRE. IT DAMAGED THE WIRING, FRAME AND BODY. THIS WAS NOT A RECALLED TIRE. CONSUMER NO LONGER TRUST THE REMAINING TIRES, FORD OR FIRESTONE. *PH *JB

NHTSA ID
10033530
Incident
Aug 7, 2003
Mileage
18,500 mi
Tires & wheels
Filed Jun 25, 2003

I OWN A 1998 COACHMAN MOTORHOME, CLASS C WITH STEELTEX RADIAL R4S LT225/75R16 M/S TIRES ON IT. WHILE TRAVELING UP I64 HEADED TOWARD CROZET, VA. FROM MY HOME IN MECHANICSVILLE, VA. I EXPERIENCED TIRE PROBLEMS. WHILE DRIVING ALONG AROUND 62 MILES PER HOUR I EXPERIENCED A SEVERE BUMPING WHICH FELT LIKE A TIRE PROBLEM AND AFTER PULLING OVER AND INSPECTING THE TIRES DISCOVERED THAT THE RIGHT REAR OUTSIDE TIRE WAS THE PROBLEM. AFTER CALLING GOOD SAMS ROAD SERVICE AND GETTING THE TIRE CHANGED THE TIRE LOOKED AS IF THE TREAD HAD SEPARATED FROM THE REST OF THE TIRE AND WAS COMING APART. THESE TIRES ONLY HAD ROUGHLY 16,800 MILES ON THEM AT THE TIME. THE SPARE HAD NEVER BEEN USED AND STILL HAD THE STICKER ON IT SO I WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE ON MY TRIP. I SENT AN EMAIL TO FIRESTONES WEB SITE AND TO THIS DAY HAVEN'T HEARD A WORD ABOUT THE TIRES. THESE TIRES ARE LOAD RANGE 'E' TIRES AND HAD 80 LBS. OF AIR IN EACH BECAUSE I CHECK THEM BEFORE TAKING ANY TRIPS. I'VE GOT ANOTHER TIRE ON THE FRONT OF MY RV THAT IS WEARING ODD ALSO. NORMALLY WHEN A TIRE IS UNDER INFLATED IT WEARS THE OUTSIDE TREADS DOWN AND IF OVER INFLATED IT WEARS THE CENTER TREAD OR TREADS DOWN. THIS TIRE IS WEARING DOWN ON THE SECOND AND FOURTH TREAD. ISN'T THIS ODD? THE FIRST, THIRD AND FIFTH TREAD LOOK OKAY. I'D HATE TO THINK MORE OF THESE TIRES DOING THE SAME THING AND POSSIBLY CAUSING INJURY OR DAMMING THE NEXT TIME. WE WERE FORTUNATE THIS TIME. THANK YOU. *NLM

NHTSA ID
10023781
Incident
Jun 13, 2003
Tires & wheels
Filed Nov 8, 2002

TIRE SIZE LT22575R16; THESE TIRES ARE USED ON A WINNEBEGO MOTORHOME 1999. THE INSIDE REAR OF THE WHEEL WELD WAS DAMAGED DUE TO A TIRE CAPPING OFF. THE OTHER TIRES ARE NOW STARTING TO EXEMPLIFY THE SAME FAILURE PATTERN. TS THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE. THE CONSUMER FOUND THAT THE INSIDE REAR TIRE HAD LOST THE CAP. THE DEALER FOUND THAT ALL OF THE TIRES WERE SEPARATING. SCC

NHTSA ID
8022466
Incident
Oct 7, 2002
Tires & wheels
Filed Feb 15, 2002

WITHOUT WARNING REAR DUAL FIRESTONE (225/75R/16) TIRE TREAD STARTED TO SEPARATE, CAUSING DAMAGE TO PROPANE GAS LINE OF THE MOTOR CARRIER AND TAIL PIPE FRAMING UNDER WHEEL WELL. DOT # VD11XD347AK.*AK *TT

NHTSA ID
8004102
Incident
Jan 12, 2002
Tires & wheels
Filed Dec 20, 2000

FIRESTONE STEELTEX TIRES P225/75R16 DOT VD1L1XD EXPERIENCED BLOWOUTS, ONE OCCURRED WHILE IT WAS RAINING, CONSUMER STATES THERE WAS PROPERTY DAMAGE. *SLC

NHTSA ID
876792
Incident
Dec 14, 2000
Tires & wheels
Filed Oct 18, 2000

TREAD SEPARATION (POSSIBLY DUE TO LACK OF ADHESION) AND BLOWOUT, CAUSING DAMAGE TO RIGHT SIDE OF MOTORHOME AND EXHAUST PIPE. TWO OUTSIDE STORAGE BINS WERE DAMAGED; MUD FLAP TORN LOOSE; WHEELWELL TRIM TORN LOOSE; BIN LIGHTS BROKEN; EXHAUST PIPE WAS BENT AT A 90 DEGREE ANGLE; FIBERGLASS DAMAGE TO ONE BIN DOOR. (DOT NUMBER: VD1L1XD367 TIRESIZE: LT22575R16)

NHTSA ID
734646
Incident
Oct 13, 2000
Powertrain (other)
Filed Nov 24, 1999

DRIVER UNABLE TO READ SPEEDOMETER BECAUSE STEERING WHEEL BLOCKS VIEW, LOCATION OF INDICATOR CREATES POOR VISIBILITY. YH

NHTSA ID
549706
Brakes
Filed Jul 14, 1999

DISC BRAKES ENGAGED WITHOUT APPLYING RESULTING IN BURNING ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. MJS

NHTSA ID
547189
Incident
Sep 1, 1998
Interior & seats
Filed Feb 1, 1999

DOOR LOCK MECHANISM FAILED. YH

NHTSA ID
607327
Incident
Aug 1, 1998
Interior & seats
Filed Aug 21, 1998

COMPLAINTS THAT THE PASSANGER SEAT IS MOUNTED TO CLOSE TO THE DASH. IF THE AIR BAG WOULD DEPLOY THE PASSANGER WOULD BE INJURED SERIOUSLY.

NHTSA ID
540193
Incident
Apr 2, 1998

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.

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .