1998 Ford Navigator Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 1998 Ford Navigator, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Body & structure233.3%
- Driver assistance233.3%
- Brakes116.7%
- Tires & wheels116.7%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE OPENING THE REAR DOOR, THE HINGES BROKE CAUSING THE DOOR TO FALL OFF. THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO USE THE REAR DOOR. THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOUND. *JB
BRAKES DEFECTIVE AND FRAME RUSTED
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE ENTIRE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE BURNED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. THE FIRE DID ORIGINATE FROM UNDER THE HOOD. PRIOR TO THE FIRE THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT ENGAGE PROPERLY. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DETERMINED THE VEHICLE NEEDED A CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH AND IT WAS ORDERED. HOWEVER, THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING THE SWITCH WHEN THE FIRE OCCURRED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS ALERTED.
ON 9/25/2005 ABOUT 2:30 AM MY LINCOLN NAVIGATOR CAUGHT ON FIRE. I WAS TOLD BY THE FIRE INSPECTOR THAT THE TRUCK WAS INVOLVED IN A RECALL BY FORD. APPARENTLY THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH WAS THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE. THE TRUCK WAS NOT ON IT WAS JUST SITTING IN FRONT OF MY TOWNHOUSE VILLA AND IT JUST CAUGHT ON FIRE. I NOTIFIED FORD COMPANY THEIR REPLY "GET A LAWYER". *NM
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
BRAKES DEFECTIVE AND FRAME RUSTED
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
THE LEFT REAR TIRE EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION.*JB
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .