Ford / Expedition / 1998
1998 Ford Expedition problems
Owners have filed 1,022 complaints about the 1998 Ford Expedition with NHTSA. Suspension accounts for 14.5% of them — narrowly the most common, ahead of engine and engine cooling at 12.7%.
Complaints1,022
Crashes54
Fires80
Injuries44
Deaths1
What owners report breaking
Suspension 14.5% · 148
Engine and engine cooling 12.7% · 130
Electrical system 12.1% · 124
Vehicle speed control 7.7% · 79
Power train 7.4% · 76
Visibility 6.7% · 68
Steering 5.1% · 52
Service brakes, hydraulic 5.1% · 52
Severity
Of those complaints, 54 describe a crash, 80 describe a fire, 44 report an injury and 1 report a death.
Reading the numbers
Across the 23 model years of the Ford Expedition in this data, 1998 sits 4th by complaint volume. 1999 draws the most.
Filings have fallen off, 7 in the last three years against 18 in the three before. That is normal as a generation leaves the road.
The median odometer reading at the time of complaint was 110,000 miles.
In owners' own words
While driving truck began to bounce uncontrolable, consumer was going to take it to be looked at and vehicle was about 2inches off the ground so consumer could not get underneath. Consumer had problem fixed. A week ago consumer started hearing the same sound again, went back to mech, and they said consumer had air ride suspension problems. Mechanic said it was a repeated problem that has not been recalled. Suspension
The contact owns a 1998 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that the check suspension lamp was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the suspension control module and the air compressor were defective and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred her to nhtsa. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 166,805. Suspension · reported at 166,805 miles
The support bolt on the left side has broken and the right side is bent and ready to break. I do have photos. The seat belts are ripping in half at a point where the belt is inside the reel. Both shoulder belts on the 3rd seat have ripped and the left side 2nd seat shoulder belt has ripped aprox. 3/4 Of the way through. Ford will not commit to replacement, will only evaluate. Suspension
Verbatim from NHTSA filings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.
Safety recalls
Checking NHTSA for open recalls…
Other Ford Expedition years
1997 1,065 complaints · 13.7% suspension 1999 1,137 complaints · 22.3% engine and engine cooling 2000 1,136 complaints · 19.3% electrical system 2001 739 complaints · 16.9% engine and engine cooling 2002 415 complaints · 22.9% engine and engine cooling 2003 800 complaints · 16.1% engine and engine cooling