Owner-reported complaints naming the visibility system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1998 Ford F-150 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 66 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.
The 25 most recent of 66, in the owner's own words
HEATER CORE LEAKS NEEDS TO BE REPLACE 1 TO 2 TIMES PER YEAR, TURN ON THE DEFROSTER AND IT WILL FOG UP WINDSHIELD FOR YOU CAN NOT SEE THE ROAD. PER FORD DEALERSHIP IT DUE TO POOR PARTS, BUT THE CONSUMER NEEDS TO PAY FOR IT OR GET KILLED IN A TRAFFIC ACCIDENT IF THE CONSUMER NEED TO USE THEIR DEFROSTER. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD F150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS, DOOR LOCKS, AND THE DOOR CHIMES FAILED TO OPERATE WHICH IS RELATED TO THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL ALSO NO LONGER FUNCTIONS. THE FRONT WINDSHIELD IS NOT SEALED AND WHENEVER IT RAINS WATER SEEPED INTO THE DASHBOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THERE WAS NO RELATED WARRANTY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BLEND DOOR FOR THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM SWINGS VERTICALLY, WHICH PREVENTS HEAT AND/OR AIR TO CIRCULATE PROPERLY. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT IT WOULD COST $700 TO REPLACE THE COMPONENT. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 60,000. UPDATED 05/13/09 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE AIR CONDITIONER, HEATER AND DEFROSTER WERE NOT WORKING PROPERLY. UPDATED 05/13/09.*JB
I HAVE AN 1998 FORD F-150 ,THE BACK GLASS IS LEAKING WHEN IT RAINS . NOW I HAVE WATER DAMAGE TO MY SEATS AS WELL AS MY ROOF LINER. *TR
ONE DAY MY 1998 FORD F-150 WITH ONLY 37,000 MILES (I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER)WAS WORKING JUST FINE. SEVERAL DAYS LATER I GET INTO THE TRUCK AND I NOTICED THE ELECTRIC WINDOWS WOULDN'T GO DOWN,I ASSUMED IT WAS A FUSE. NO LUCK ON THAT, ALL FUSES GOOD EXCEPT THE LIGHTER FUSE,WHICH I DON'T USE. WHEN I GOT TO MY DESTINATION I COULDN'T GET IT INTO 4-WHEEL DRIVE. WHEN I WAS GETTING READY TO LEAVE I COULDN'T GET THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ON WHEN IT WAS RAINING. I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO DRIVE 30 MILES HOME WITH NO WIPERS IN THE RAIN,EXTREMELY HARD TO SEE TO DRIVE AND VERY DANGEROUS. I FOUND INFO ON THE INTERNET THAT POINTED TO THE GENERIC ELECTRONIC MODULE. A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE WERE COMPLAINING OF THE SAME PROBLEM AND WORSE ON A ONLINE FORUM. THIS PROBLEM GOES BACK TO 1994 WHEN FORD FIRST STARTED USING THIS DEVICE. I ENDED UP PAYING $600.00 FOR THE DEALER TO REPLACE THE GEM THAT WAS OBVIOUSLY DEFECTIVE FROM THE START,NOT TO MENTION THE DANGER OF DRIVING IN THE RAIN WITH NO WIPERS. FORD HAS A RECALL ON THE 99 ON UP 250 AND 350 WITH THE SAME DEVICE,BUT THEY WOULDN'T HONOR THIS ON THE 98. THEY HAVE DECIDED TO RETOOL THE DEVICE BY TAKING THE 4-WHEEL DRIVE CONTROL OUT OF THIS DEVICE AS A STAND ALONE CONTROL. I FEEL FORD SHOULD HAVE REPLACED THIS AT THEIR EXPENSE IN LIGHT OF ALL THE PROBLEMS THIS HAS CAUSED. SOME HAVE REPORTED THAT THEIR TRUCKS HAVE JUMPED INTO 4-LOW WHILE DRIVING ON THE ROAD,OTHERS HAVE SAID THAT THEY CAN'T DISENGAGE 4-WHEEL AFTER USING THE FEATURE OFF ROAD. *TR
WHAT ISN'T WRONG WITH THIS TRUCK? WITH LESS THAN 80,000 MILES ON IT...SPARE TIRE FELL OFF WHILE BEING DRIVEN, INTERIOR LIGHTS RANDOMLY STAY ON, BOTH DOORS ARE RUSTING OUT FROM THE BOTTOM, KNOB TO REGULATE TEMPERATURE FELL OFF AND ASSEMBLY NEEDED REPLACEMENT, FRONT BRAKES CALIPERS STUCK AND CAUGHT ON FIRE, EXHAUST SYSTEM HAS RUSTED OFF TWICE, TRANSMISSION WENT UP AND WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY AT LESS THAN 20,000 MILES, RADIATOR RUSTED THROUGH, AND THE HEADLINER IS FALLING DOWN OFF THE CEILING. I'VE PROBABLY MISSED SOMETHING BUT CAN TELL YOU THAT I WILL NEVER OWN ANOTHER FORD. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD F-150. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATEY 55 MPH, THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW CONTROL MECHANISM FAILED WITHOUT PHYSICAL FORCE. THE WINDOW MECHANISM WOULD NOT ALLOW THE WINDOW TO ROLL DOWN. THE WINDOW HAS NOT YET BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 76,815.
THE WINDSHIELD ON MY 1998 F150 FORD PICKUP HAS LEAKED FOR YEARS AND NOW THE WATER HAS CORRODED THE GEM MODULE TO THE POINT WHERE I AM EXPERIENCING UNWANTED ELECTRICAL ACTIVITY WHEN THE CAR IS UNATTENDED AND WORRIED THAT IT COULD POSSIBLY CAUSE A FIRE OR CAUSE A DANGEROUS LIFE THREATENING SITUATION WHILE I AM DRIVING THE TRUCK. I HAVE CONTACTED THE LOCAL FORD DEALER AND THEY AT FIRST WOULDN'T EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM UNTIL I MENTIONED THE FORD BULLETIN ##15773. THEN THEY SAID THAT THE ONLY THING THEY WOULD DO IS REPAIR THE PROBLEM FOR $1,300 DOLLARS. I RESEARCHED THE ISSUE AND IT IS CLEAR THAT FORD MANUFACTURED A FAULTY WINDSHIELD AND THAT IT IS THE ROOT CAUSE OF THIS DANGEROUS SITUATION. *TR
WIPERS WILL COME ON BY THEMSELVES AT HIGH SPEEDS DISTRACTING THE OPERATION ON THE VEHICLE. ATTEMPTS TO FIX PROBLEM WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. *TR
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE REAR WINDOW LEAKED WHEN IT RAINED CAUSING THE REAR SEAT TO BECOME WET. THE INTERIOR LIGHTS AND THE BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED TO TURN OFF WHEN THE IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF. ALSO, THERE WAS A HUMMING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR END AS THE VEHICLE TRAVELED 10 MPH. THE REAR END WAS REPLACED 1 YEARS AGO INCLUDING THE SUSPENSION, REAR AXLE, CHASSIS, RINGS, PINS AND REAR DIFFERENTIAL. THE SERVICE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED.
WHILE DRIVING IN INCLEMENT WEATHER, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS SUDDENLY STOPPED WORKING. DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO SEE AND WAS FORCED TO PULL OVER UNTIL THE STORM PASSED. TOOK IT TO DEALER AND THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, AND HE REPLACED IT. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM HAS RECURRED TWICE TO DATE. *JB
DT: WATER INFILTRATION AROUND THE WINDSHIELD CAUSING THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM TO MALFUNCTION. WHEN IT RAINED WATER LEAKED INTO THE VEHICLE AROUND THE WINDSHIELD AND SOAKED THE INTERIOR PANEL WHICH HOLDS THE FUSES. THE FUSE PANEL ALSO RUSTED. THE OWNER WAS NOT SURE ABOUT OTHER DAMAGE. THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FOR ABOUT 6 MONTHS. THE OWNER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP AND TO A GLASS COMPANY. THE DEALERSHIP HAD NOT EXPERIENCED THAT PROBLEM BEFORE. OWNER MADE HIS OWN TEMPORARY PATCH FROM SILICONE. THE PATCH WORKED. OWNER CALLED FORD AND FILED A COMPLAINT. *AK WHEN IT RAINED ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS LIKE THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS, POWER WINDOWS , HEADLIGHT ETC WOULD NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY. *NM
DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW FAILED TO ROLL UP AND DOWN ON ITS ON. CONSUMER DROVE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PLACED ON THE DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. *AK
POSSIBLE MIRROR DEFECT ON 1998 F150. *MR THE VEHICLE SWERVED AND THE PASSENGER SIDE MIRROR STRUCK A MAILBOX. THE MIRROR COLLAPSED AND THE MIRROR INSIDE HAD BECOME DETACHED, FLEW THROUGH THE PASSENGER WINDOW, STRUCK THE CONSUMER IN THE CHIN AND FLEW OUT OF THE DRIVER WINDOW. THIS WAS THE SECOND INCIDENT. THE FIRST INCIDENT, THE MIRROR COLLAPSED AS DESIGNED TO, HOWEVER, THE MIRROR DETACHED FORCEFULLY LANDING IN THE PASSENGER'S SEAT. *SC *JB
WHILE DRIVING IN INCLEMENT WEATHER WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED. THIS CAUSED POOR VISIBILITY TO THE DRIVER. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, AND HE REPLACED IT. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK
THE HEATER CORE FAILED THREE TIMES WITHIN THE LAST YEAR. WHEN THE HEATER CORE FAILED, THE ANTIFREEZE LEAKED AND FUMES ENTERED THE PASSENGER'S CABIN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT WOULD NOT WARRANTY THE PART. *AK *SC *JB
1998 FORD 150 LARIAT TRUCK OUTSIDE MIRRORS DISCOLORED RENDERING THEM USELESS. YOU CAN BARELY SEE IN THEM DURING THE DAY AND AT NIGHT IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE ANYTHING OUT OF THEM. THE MIRROR TYPE HAS THE TURN SIGNAL BUILT IN BEHIND THE MIRROR. FORD REPLACED THEM ONCE AND NOW SAYS THAT THEY NO LONGER MAKE THAT TYPE BECAUSE OF THEIR DEFECTIVE NATURE BUT WILL NOT OR HAS NOT OFFERED AN ALTERNATIVE. THEIR NEWER VERSION HAS THE TURN SIGNAL BUILT ON THE OUTER PERIMETER OF THE MIRROR BODY INSTEAD OF BEHIND THE MIRROR GLASS. *LA
WHENEVER IT RAINS WATER LEAKS INTO THE BACK WINDOW OF VEHICLE. MANUFACTURER AND DEALER HAD BEEN INFORMED OF THE PROBLEM.*AK
THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND WASHER CAME ON AT RANDOM. THE INSIDE LIGHTS FAILED TO GO OFF ONCE THE DOOR WAS CLOSED. *JB *CB *NLM
1998 FORD F-150 XLT SUPER-CAB SHORT BED. STRUCTURAL DEFECT ON DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR. RIGHT LOWER EDGE OF WINDOW. DEFECT IS APPROXIMATELY 1/2 IN LENGTH. THIS DEFECT HAS BEEN VIEWED ON NUMEROUS F-150'S THAT I HAVE SEEN. THE SAME DEFECT IS ON ALL. *NLM
WHILE DRIVING THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONSUMER WAS FORCED TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. *NLM
THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED.*JB
HEATER CORE WENT OUT AT 58,000 MILES. WHEN TURNING ON H HEAT IT WOULD PRODUCE A GRAY WHITESH MIST COMING FROM THE VENT. HE TOOK TRUCK TO THE DEALER, AND DEALER WANTED TO CHARGE HIM $50.00 FOR THE PART, BUT ONLY $500.00 FOR LABOR.*AK
DRIVERS DOOR HAS CRACK IN STEEL NEAR WINDOW ABOUT HALF INCH LONG AND IS GETTING BIGGER. PAINT ON ROOF, HOOD, AND DRIVERS DOOR IS CRACKING AND STARTING TO PEEL AWAY.*AK
DOOR CRACK NEXT TO WINDOW ON DRIVER'S DOOR.*AK
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.
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