Problems · by component

1998 Ford F-150 vehicle speed control problems

123 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1998 Ford F-150 cite vehicle speed control, 9% of all 1,418 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 2 recalls on this component.

Complaints
123
9% of all complaints
Crashes
11
Reported by owners
Fires
40
Reported by owners
Injuries
6
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the vehicle speed control

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“SINCE PURCHASE 6/24/1998 RIVERSIDE FORD SUMNER WA NON TIRE SIZE NOT CALIBRATED 22570R16 CAUSED ACCELERATED ODOMETER MILES BY 100,144 MILES UNAWARE TACOMASPEEDOMETER I PAID $55.14 ON APRIL 13, 2013 JUNE 11, 2013 AT TITUS WILL DEALERSHIP RECEIPT 203,997 WAS INVOLVED IN MVA MAY 13, 2019 OTHER PERSON CITED 'FAILING TO YIELD RIGHT OF WAY' THE MILEAGE INDICATES 232,350 EVEN THOUGH I SHOWED MY RECEIPT 6/11/2013 AT 203,997 COMMERCE WEST DECEITFUL APPRAISER WILLFUL INTENT TO DEFRAUD ONLY HAVE 28,353 MILES IN WHICH THEY'RE TRYING TO TOTAL VEHICLE? CARFAX COLLECTING DATA IS AS INCORRECT AS WORDS USED NOT HAVE ORIGINAL RECEIPT/PACIFIC COAST FORD INDICATES A BAD ODOMETER MARCH 6, 2008 R&R AXLES ON JUNE 6, 2008 EXP BAD TORQUE CONVERTER REPLACED W TRANS ASSEMBLY ON RECEIPT BAD ODOMETER CARFAX COLLECTED DATA IS INCORRECT NOT HAVE ORIGINAL RECEIPTS' CARFAX CONTRADICTS OWN POLICY ON REPORT 'NOT ALL ACCIDENTS REPORTED' INCONSISTENT COLLECTION OF DATA I HAVE ALL RECEIPTS CARFAX DISSEMINATING FALSE INFO CARFAX CANNOT EXPLAIN HOW 2010 ODO MILEAGE 238,624 BUT IN 2013 INDICATES 208,438? NO ODOMETER TAMPERING ON REPORT CARFAX NEVER SENT ALLSTATE ANY REPORT MAY 21, 2019 THE RECENT MAY…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 10, 2019Electrical system, Exterior lighting, Vehicle speed controlCrash reportedODI 11219156
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1998 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT WAS NOT NOTIFIED BY THE MANUFACTURER THAT NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 05V017000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) WAS ISSUED ON JANUARY 27, 2005. THE SPEED CONTROL FUNCTION FAILED TO PROPERLY SHUT OFF PERTAINING TO THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH AND THE CONTACT WAS UNAWARE THAT THE VEHICLE COULD OVERHEAT, SMOKE, OR BURN BECAUSE OF THE FAILURE. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND UNOCCUPIED, IT CAUGHT FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE AND FILED A REPORT. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND PROVIDED A CASE NUMBER. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 225,000. .*BF CONSUMER STATED WHEN ENGAGING SPEED CONTROL, THE ENGINE WOULD MISSFIRE SO BAD, THAT I WOULD CUT THE SPEED CONTROL OFF BEFORE THE ENGINE WOULD STALL. 'PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).'*JB - (RECALL RELATED INCIDENT) TS”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 12, 2019Electrical system, Vehicle speed controlFire reportedODI 11195825
“THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THE HORN AND SPEED CONTROL HAVE GONE OUT ON THIS TRUCK AND I FEEL IT NEEDS TO BE RECALLED I AM TIRED OF REPLACING THE SAME PARTS IN 2 YEARS. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 15, 2013Electrical system, Vehicle speed controlODI 10493106
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED AT 62 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED TO 80 MPH. THE CONTACT HAD TO TURN THE ENGINE OFF IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 05V388000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) AND THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE FOR THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 115,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 29, 2012Vehicle speed controlODI 10486454
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN SITTING IDLE FOR APPROXIMATELY EIGHT HOURS WHEN IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT INVESTIGATED AND CONCLUDED THAT THE FIRE WAS CAUSED BY A FAULTY WIRING HARNESS. A FIRE REPORT WAS AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS NO WARNING OR ANY TYPE OF BURNING ODOR FROM THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO THE FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE FAILURE UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 05V388000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) DUE TO THE CRUISE CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH FAILING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE CONTACT DID NOT CONFIRM IF THE RECALL PERTAINED TO HER SPECIFIC VIN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 117,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 28, 2011Vehicle speed controlFire reportedODI 10393070
“MY 1998 FORD F-150 STARTED ACTING UP WHEN THE CRUISE CONTROL BUTTONS WERE SET ON. THE CAR WOULD HESITATE AND NOT WANT TO PULL. ONCE WE GOT HOME WE TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND DID NOT THINK ANYTHING MORE ABOUT IT. THE FOLLOWING DAY WE WENT FOR A DRIVE AND NOTICED WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS STEAM COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. I PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER AND LIFTED THE HOOD TO INSPECT IT. WHEN I LIFTED THE HOOD I WAS ENGULFED IN FLASH FLAMES. I IMMEDIATELY DROPPED TO THE GROUND TO PUT OUT THE FLAMES. WHEN MY FRIEND HELPED ME OFF THE GROUND THE TRUCK WAS ON FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. WE IMMEDIATELY CALLED FOR MEDICAL ASSISTANCE AND WAS TRANSPORTED TO HOSPITAL VIA LIFE STAR HELICOPTER. I SUFFERED 1ST AND 2ND DEGREE BURNS ON MY FACE AND FOREARMS AND HANDS. I SUFFERED 3RD DEGREE BURNS ON MY RIGHT ARM AND HAD TO HAVE SURGERY TO REMOVE THE DEAD TISSUE AND THEN HAD TO HAVE SKIN GRAFTS TO FIX MY ARM. I WAS TRANSPORTED TO UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE HOSPITAL AND THE SENT IMMEDIATELY TO VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL BURN CENTER. I WAS IN VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL BURN CENTER FOR 7 DAYS. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 17, 2010Electrical system, Vehicle speed controlFire reportedODI 10360850

Showing 6 of 123 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 7, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

2 recalls on this component

Vehicle speed control

Free remedy

ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH SPEED CONTROL, THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH MAY OVERHEAT, SMOKE, OR BURN.

Vehicle speed controlReported Sep 7, 2005NHTSA 05V388000

Vehicle speed control: accelerator pedal

Free remedy

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIGHT DUTY PICKUP TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH A 4.2L ENGINE AND ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN ONE OF THE FOLLOWING STATES: ALASKA, MONTANA, NORTH DAKOTA, MINNESOTA, WISCONSIN, NEW YORK, VERMONT, NEW HAMPSHIRE, MAINE, MICHIGAN, IDAHO, WYOMING, SOUTH DAKOTA, COLORADO, NEBRASKA, KANSAS, IOWA, MISSOURI, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, AND MASSACHUSETTS. THE THROTTLE IS UNABLE TO RETURN TO IDLE DUE TO ICE FORMING IN THE THROTTLE BODY WHEN THE TEMPERATURE RANGES FROM -10 TO -40 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.

Vehicle speed controlReported Jan 21, 1998NHTSA 98V007000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 7, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.