Problems · by component
1998 Ford F-150 air bags problems
42 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1998 Ford F-150 cite air bags, 3% of all 1,418 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
42
3% of all complaints
Crashes
31
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
23
Reported by owners
What owners say about the air bags
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“BOTH FRONT SEAT AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WHILE TRAVELING DOWN THE HIGHWAY. THERE WAS NO COLLISION. HORN CAME ON, WHITE SUBSTANCE THROUGHOUT THE CAB OF THE TRUCK, HAD TO GET OUT, THUMB WAS HURT BUT NOT BROKEN. I HAD TO CUT INTO THE INFLATABLE AIR BAGS AND DISENGAGE THE HORN AND DROVE THE VEHICLE HOME.”
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD F-150. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH THE AIR BAG LIGHT ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL BEGAN TO BLINK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SOMETIME IT REMAINED ON CONSTANTLY. THE FAILURE HAD BEEN ON GOING FOR ALMOST A YEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR THE FAILURE. HE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS ADVISED THAT HIS VEHICLE WAS NOT PART OF RECALL 11V107000(AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE INFLATOR MODULE) WHICH INCLUDED 2004-2006 FORD F-150 AND THAT THE AIR BAG COULD DEPLOY AND KILL HIM. THEY ADVISED HIM TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AT HIS EXPENSE FOR THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 307,000.”
“TL* THE CONTACT WAS THE PASSENGER IN A 1998 FORD F150 KING CAB THAT WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION,THE VEHICLE STRUCK A TREE. THE OWNER WAS DRIVING 65 MPH. THE ROAD CONDITIONS WERE NOT A FACTOR. THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, AND THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SIX PEOPLE WERE INJURED IN THE CRASH. THE CONTACT HAS A POLICE REPORT. *AK”
“I HAD JUST TURNED OFF INTERSTATE 287 ONTO INTERVALE ROAD (A LOCAL ROAD). I WAS APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION WITH A VERY SHARP LEFT HAND CURVE. AS I PROCEEDED TO ENTER THE CURVE I HAD NO STEERING. THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD TURN, BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT RESPOND. THIS HAPPENED WITHOUT ANY WARNING OR NOISE. I ATTEMPTED TO BRAKE, BUT THERE WAS LOOSE SAND AND GRAVEL AND I ENDED UP SLIDING INTO A UTILITY POLE STRAIGHT AHEAD, WITHOUT AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT AND ONLY MINOR DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT FRONT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. I WAS SECURED BY THE SEAT BELT, BUT MY HEAD STRUCK THE SUN VISOR. POLICE AT THE SCENE EXAMINED THE VEHICLE AND CONFIRMED LOSS OF STEERING. SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION BY THE SHOP TO WHICH MY TRUCK WAS TOWED REVEALED THAT THE SECTOR SHAFT WAS BROKEN WHERE THE PITMAN ARM IS ATTACHED. AFTER FURTHER INVESTIGATION I WAS TOLD THAT THIS PART SHOULD NEVER FAIL IN A VEHICLE, REGARDLESS OF MILEAGE. I WAS FURTHER TOLD THAT IF THE PART WAS POUNDED ALL DAY WITH A SLEDGE HAMMER THAT IT SHOULD NOT FAIL. THE MECHANIC SAID THAT HE HAD ONLY HEARD OF ONE FAILURE EVER OF THIS PART IN A HIGH SPEED ACCIDENT. FURTHERMORE, THIS PART IS LOCATED ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE WHICH DID NOT…”
“DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH THERE WAS A FRONTAL IMPACT WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE AND THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT'S HEAD HIT THE WINDSHIELD AND THE CONTACT'S FACE HIT THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS DEEMED TOTALED. THE CONTACT WAS HOSPITALIZED. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN.”
“I WAS DRIVING MY 1998 FORD WINDSTAR WITH 5 PASSENGERS, AND MYSELF AS THE DRIVER. WE REAR ENDED A CAR ON THE LEFT FRONT BUMPER. NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED, THAT IS A QUESTION FOR MYSELF. MY 4YR OLD IN BACKSEAT DIRECTLY BEHIND ME SITS IN A HIGH BACK BOOSTER, NOT USING THE 5 PT HARNESS. HE IS IN A REGULAR SHOULDER/LAP BELT. UPON IMPACT MY CHILD FLEW FORWARD SLAMMING INTO MY SEAT AND HAVING HIS GLASSES ALSO FLY FORWARD OFF OF HIS FACE. QUESTION ON SEAT BELT. PLEASE HELP!!!!!*AK”
Showing 6 of 42 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 7, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.