Problems · NHTSA complaints

1998 Ford F-250 problems

Owners filed 57 complaints about the 1998 Ford F-250 with NHTSA between Nov 1998 and Nov 2018. The most-cited component is suspension (14).

Complaints
57
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
2
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Suspension14
  2. Service brakes, hydraulic11
  3. Structure9
  4. Engine and engine cooling8
  5. Tires4
  6. Fuel system, gasoline4
  7. Steering4
  8. Visibility3
  9. Air bags3
  10. Fuel system, other2
  11. Electrical system2
  12. Exterior lighting2
  13. Vehicle speed control2
  14. Wheels1

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

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Oct 30, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
19981
199912
20005
200112
20025
20035
20042
20051
20061
20070
20081
20090
20102
20114
20121
20130
20140
20150
20160
20170
20185

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Suspension

14 reports
“1998 FORD F-250 STEEL TIE-ROD WERE SUFFICIENTLY WORN, LOWER BALL JOINTS WERE ALSO WORN AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *KB ***NAR*** THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A CAUTIONARY LETTER FROM THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY WHICH STATED IT WAS NECESSARY TO HAVE THE STEERING LINKAGE INSPECTED EVERY 15,000, WHICH PROMPTED THE CONSUMER TO HAVE THE VEHICLE INSPECTED. AFTER THE INSTALLATION OF THE NEW AND IMPROVED STEERING COMPONETS, THE LEFT OUTER STEERING TIE ROD SOCKET DISENGAGED FROM THE BALL ON THE LEFT WHEEL ASSEMBLY WHILE MAKING A SLOW GRADUAL LEFT TURN. THIS FAILURE BOUGHT THE VEHICLE TO AN ABRUPT STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSECTION. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND INSPECTED, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT ALL THE TIE RODS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN.*JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 31, 2006Steering, SuspensionODI 10164778

Service brakes, hydraulic

11 reports
“WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED, BRAKES LOCK AND RELEASE RESULTING IN FAILURE OF VEHICLE TO STOP. WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED QUICKLY, PEDAL GOES TO FLOOR AND BRAKES FAIL. WHEN TRAVELING OVER A BUMPY SURFACE, IF BRAKES ARE APPLIED, THEY FAIL. IF DRIVING ON EXTREMELY WET ROADS AND BRAKES ARE APPLIED, THEY FAIL TO WORK PROPERLY. BRAKES PADS AND/OR ROTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED NUMEROUS TIMES DUE TO IMPROPER WEAR. NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS HAVE BEEN MADE WITH THE DEALER AND FORD MOTOR COMPANY TO RESOLVE. HOWEVER, SINCE WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED, FORD MOTOR COMPANY REFUSES TO DISCUSS VEHICLE REPLACEMENT. THEY ACKNOWLEDGE A BRAKING DEFECT HOWEVER THEY CLAIM TO HAVE NO SOLUTION AT THIS TIME. COPIES OF ALL REPAIR ORDERS AND SERVICE NOTICES FROM FORD ARE AVAILABLE, AS WELL AS CORRESPONDENCE TO THE DISPUTE REOLUTION BOARD AND FORD MOTOR COMPANY. *AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 30, 2000Service brakes, hydraulicODI 720812

Structure

9 reports
“ON APRIL 9TH 2011 MY FUEL TANK STRAPS BROKE WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH. THE TRUCK WAS PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THE TANK WAS HANGING BY THE FUEL LINES AND TANK NECK. THE TRUCK IS A FORD F-250 LIGHT WITH A 24 1/2 GALLON FUEL TANK, THAT HAS 102000 MILES. I REPLACED BOTH STRAPS AT A COST OF $34.00. I PAINTED THE NEW STRAPS TO PREVENT FUTURE PROBLEMS. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 9, 2011Fuel system, gasoline, StructureODI 10399672

Engine and engine cooling

8 reports1 fire1 related recall
“THE EVENING OF JULY 26TH, 2011 APPROXIMATELY 10:00PM EST, AN ENGINE FIRE OCCURRED IN OUR 1998 FORD F-250 TRUCK (EXT CAB, TRITON V-8 ENGINE, LARIAT ED). THE F-250 HAD BEEN PARKED IN A REMOTE PARKING AREA ON THE INTERIOR AREA OF THE MASON COUNTY FAIR GROUNDS. DUE TO COUNTY FAIR ACTIVITIES DURING THAT DAY, THE TRUCK HAD NOT BEEN STARTED FOR OVER 10 HOURS WHEN THIS FIRE OCCURRED. THE LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. IT TOTALED THE ENGINE, BUCKLED THE HOOD, BLISTERED THE PAINT, ETC. LUCKILY THERE WAS NO PROPERTY DAMAGE, NOR WAS THERE ANY BODILY INJURY. WE HAD PURCHASED THE TRUCK IN APRIL OF 2010. THIS TRUCK WAS IN PRISTINE (EAT OFF THE ENGINE) CONDITION. SINCE WE HAVE OWNED IT, IT HAD REGULAR OIL CHANGES (MOBIL-1 SYNTHETIC ONLY). ASIDE FROM THAT, AND OTHER NORMAL MAITENANCE, THERE HAD BEEN NO MODIFICATIONS TO THE VEHICLE, WHICH HAD STOCK EQPT WHEN WE PURCHASED IT. NO-OFF ROADING, MY SON BABIED THIS TRUCK. HE DID NOT EVEN LIKE GOING TO HIS GIRLFRIEND'S HOME WITH IT, BECAUSE SHE LIVED ON A DIRT ROAD. HE IS MORE THAN JUST LEFT WITHOUT A VEHICLE, HE IS HEARTBROKEN, TO SAY THE LEAST. I HAVE CHECKED THAT THERE WAS A POLICE REPORT. 911 WAS…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 1, 2011Engine and engine coolingFire reportedODI 10416605

Tires

4 reports
“SAILUN IS NOT A CURRENTLY A VALID CHOICE AS A TIRE BRAND NAME:, NOR IS TARRAMAX H/T A VALID CHOICE AS A TIRE LINE:, WHY I HAVE SUBMITTED THIS REPORT UNDER THE UNKNOWNCATEGORY FOR BOTH OF THESE CELL INPUTS. PURCHASED (4) NEW SAILUN, TARRAMAX H/T, LT265/75R-16 TIRES (IN JANUARY 2016). AFTER APPROXIMATELY 13,000 MILES OF USE, STARTED EXPERIENCING AN UNUSUAL VIBRATION AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. AFTER MANY HOURS OF TROUBLESHOOTING THE VIBRATION PROBLEM, IT WAS FINALLY REVEALED AT ANOTHER TIRE CENTER (USING A HUNTER ROAD FORCE TEST/BALANCING MACHINE...AT AN EXTRA COST) THAT 3 OF THE 4 TIRES WERE ACTUALLY DEFECTIVE (RED (75 LBS, 73 LBS AND 43 LBS) CONDITION, REPLACE TIRE) AND THE 4TH TIRE USABLE (YELLOW (15 LBS) CONDITION, SLIGHTLY OUT OF ROUND, BUT ARE STILL USABLE...FOR HOW LONG, IS ANYONE GUESS). ROAD FORCE TESTING REVEALED THAT THE INTERNAL BELTS HAD SEPARATED AND ARE THE CAUSE FOR THE OUT OF ROUND TIRE CONDITION. THIS IS WHY THE VIBRATION HAS GOTTEN SIGNIFICANTLY WORST OVER THE PAST MONTH...MORE BELT SEPARATION WITH EACH USE. ACCORDING TO THE TIRE EXPERT TECHNICIAN AT DISCOUNT TIRES, "THE TIRES ARE EGG SHAPED RATHER THAN ROUND LIKE A DOUGHNUT AND THIS CONDITION IS WHAT…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 18, 2018TiresODI 11063491

Fuel system, gasoline

4 reports1 related recall
“FORD F-250 4X4 FORD RECALL 11S21(NHTSA 11V385) FUEL TANK STRAP CORROSION INSPECTION AND REPLACEMENT WAS CONDUCTED. THE FUEL TANK WAS ALSO FOUND TO BE RUSTED UNDER THE STRAP AREA ONLY. AFTER THE OLD STRAPS WERE REMOVED THE TANK STARTED TO LEAK FUEL AND FORD NOR THE DEALER WOULD REPLACE THE TANK. IF THE STRAPS ARE COVERED FOR CORROSION THEN THE TANK SHOULD BE ALSO DUE TO THE CORROSION TRANSFERRING TO THE TANK SURFACE. THE DEALER PLACED NEW STRAPS OVER A RUSTED TANK. THE TRUCK WILL NEED OVER $1200.00 IN REPAIRS FOR SAFE OPERATION AND TO REMEDY THE NOW LEAKING FUEL. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 20, 2012Fuel system, gasolineODI 10448582
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 30, 2026

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