RoadVitals

1998 Ford Pickup

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints 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.
7
Latest Dec 17, 2012
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
0
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
1
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

Overview

Our database contains 7 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1998 Ford Pickup, most frequently naming the fuel system, suspension and transmission categories. 1 NHTSA investigation names it.

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

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Fuel system225.0%
  • Suspension225.0%
  • Transmission225.0%
  • Brakes112.5%
  • Tires & wheels112.5%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

No recalls in our database for this model year

That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.

Safety investigations

NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.

PE00029ClosedPreliminary Evaluation

PROPANE VEHICLE CONVERSION

Opened Jul 21, 2000
Closed Jan 5, 2001

THE SECOND-STAGE VEHICLE MANUFACTURER, DURING THE CONVERSION PROCESS, INSTALLS THE PROPANE FUEL TANK ON THE LEFT-OUTBOARD SIDE OF THE VEHICLE CARGO BED IN AN EXPOSED POSITION.THIS LOCATION APPEARS TO BE CONTRARY TO THE NFPA #152 GUIDELINES AND FORD'S BODY BUILDER LAYOUT BOOK - ALTERNATIVE FUELS GUIDELINES.IN A SIDE-SWIPE TYPE OF COLLISION, BETWEEN ONE OF THE SUBJECT CONVERSIONS AND A 1988 INTERNATION TRUCK, THE PROPANE TANK WAS IMPACTED AND THE PROPANE WAS RELEASED.THE RELEASED PROPANE REPORTEDLY IGNITED IMMEDIATELY AFTER IMPACT AND THE DRIVERS OF BOTHE VEHICLES INVOLVED WERE SERIOUSLY BURNED.ONE DRIVER DIED ALMOST INSTANTLY IN THE CAB OF HIS TRUCK AND THE SECOND DIED

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:LINKAGES

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Fuel system
Filed Dec 17, 2012

WE WERE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN WE HEARD A LOUD NOISE TO FIND OUT THE GAS TANK WAS DRAGGING ON THE HIGHWAY AND GASOLINE WAS POURING OUT IN WHICH WE HAD FOUND OUT THAT THE FORD CO. HAD A DEFECT & A RECALL IN WHICH WE WERE NOT INFORMED BUT WAS TOLD IN RETURN THAT THEY HAD SENT OUT RECALL NOTICES BUT WAS SENT TO AN OLD ADDRESS THEY IN REPLY TOLD US IT WAS NOT COVERED AND ENDED UP PAYING $700.00 OUT OF POCKET FOR THERE SAFETY MISHAP IS THERE ANY LIABILITY FROM THE FORD MOTOR CO SINCE IT IS A ISSUE OF SAFETY PLEASE LET US KNOW IF THERE IS ANY LEGAL RECOURSE. *TR

NHTSA ID
10489015
Incident
Dec 1, 2012
Mileage
95,000 mi
Fuel system
Filed Sep 9, 2011

I WAS TRAVELING SOUTH ON HIGHWAY 21S AT AROUND 9AM ON THE MORNING OF 7/30/08 AND HAD JUST FILLED THE GAS TANK UP ABOUT 10 MILES BACK, TRAVELING AT THE SPEED LIMIT OF 55 MPH IN THE RIGHT LANE WHEN THE FRONT STRAP OF THE GAS TANK BROKE AND THE TANK WAS DRAGGED FOR A SHORT DISTANCE UNTIL I PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND SHUT DOWN THE VEHICLE. THE TANK RECEIVED A SPLIT IN THE FRONT AND PROCEEDED TO LEAK GAS. I IMMEDIATELY PHONED 911 TO REPORT THE INCIDENT. FIRE DEPARTMENT RESPONDED ALONG WITH THE PASSAIC COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. BECAUSE THE FUEL LEAK WAS MORE THAN 5 GALLONS I WAS INFORMED I HAD TO CALL AND WAIT FOR A PRIVATE HAZARDOUS WASTE COMPANY TO ARRIVE AND CLEANUP. AFTER 6 HOURS AND CLEANUP HAD VEHICLE TOWED. *TR

NHTSA ID
10424443
Incident
Jul 30, 2008
Mileage
101,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Dec 21, 2001

TRANSMISSION WILL NOT GO INTO GEAR. ALSO, THERE IS A ROARING NOISE UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID
8001042
Incident
Jul 30, 2001
Suspension
Filed Aug 29, 2000

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED FAILURE OF THE TORSION BAR ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS WHILE DRIVING. *MJS

NHTSA ID
554128
Incident
May 16, 1999
Tires & wheels
Filed Aug 4, 2000

TIRE WOULD NOT HOLD AIR THE BOTTOM WAS REAL MUSHY WOULD NOT EVEN HOLD A PATCH. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P23570R16 )

NHTSA ID
726661
Brakes
Filed Feb 1, 1999

FRONT ROTORS WORN OUT. YH

NHTSA ID
609291
Incident
Aug 1, 1998
SuspensionTransmission
Filed Nov 16, 1998

WHEN DRIVING ABOUT 40 MPH THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T GO INTO GEAR, AND THE CONSUMER HAD TO KEEP PULLING ON THE STICK TO GET TO GO INTO GEAR. VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP FIVE TIMES, AND THE DEALER CAN'T DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. ALSO, THE VEHICLE VIBRATES AND THERE IS A KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID
830835
Incident
Jul 1, 1998

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Ford Pickup by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2000600—
1999110131.2
1998Viewing701—
1997150144.2
1994700—
1993600—
1992300—
1991100—
1990400—

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. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.