1998 Ford E-Series

Routine

Owners filed 13 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the tires › tread/belt. It has been recalled 1 time.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Tires › Tread/Belt5
000
Tires2
000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components1
000
Seats1
000
Power Train1
000
Latches/Locks/Linkages › Doors › Latch1
000
Fuel System, Gasoline1
000
Equipment1
000

1 safety recall

Part 573 reports
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Diesel07V553000
Filed Dec 5, 20071,176,000 vehiclesFord Motor Company

Defect. ON CERTAIN HEAVY DUTY TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH 7.3L DIESEL ENGINES, THE CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR LOCATED ON THE ENGINE OF THE VEHICLE MAY FUNCTION INTERMITTENTLY, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN AN ENGINE STALL.

Risk. IN THE EVENT OF AN ENGINE STALL, A CRASH COULD RESULT WITHOUT WARNING.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE SENSOR AND REPLACE IT WITH AN IMPROVED CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 29, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-866-436-7332.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Equipment
Filed Jul 2, 2005MS

I HAVE NOT HAD AN "INCIDENT" WITH MY 1998 FORD EXPEDITION, BUT I AM SCARED SENSELESS HAVING READ THE MANY REPORTS BY OWNERS WHO HAVE. I HAVE TWO DAUGHTERS AGES 3 AND 7 WHO RIDE DAILY IN OUR FAMILY VEHICHLE. I AM URGING YOU TO CONSIDER A MANDATORY RECALL ON EXPEDITIONS WITH SIMILAR CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEMS TO THE 2000 MODELS. PLEASE DON'T ALLOW ANYONE ELSE TO SUFFER OR DIE.

Tires › Tread/Belt
Filed Sep 6, 20049,400 milesUT

TIRE TREAD SEPARATION OF FIRESTONE STEELTEX RADIAL R4S LT 225 75 R/16 MS LOAD RANGE E TUBELESS RADIAL 2 STEEL PLY TIRE. ON 1999 WINNEBAGO MINNIE MOTORHOME (FORD V10 - E SUPERDUTY SERIES) WITH 9,400 MILES. WE LIMPED THE VEHICLE INTO NEAREST GAS STATION WITH STEEL BELT SHOWING ON TIRES. NO APPARENT ROAD DAMAGE TO TIRE. THE TREAD JUST SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE. TIRES WERE CHECKED AT DEALERSHIP TWO DAYS PRIOR TO TRIP FOR PROPER AIR PRESSURE AND WEAR PRIOR TO LEAVING ON TRIP. EVERYTHING CHECKED OUT FINE. WE ARE GOING TO TRY AND CONTACT FIRESTONE DIRECTLY REGARDING THIS MATTER AND SEE IF THEY WILL ASSIST.*AK

Fuel System, Gasoline
Filed Jan 15, 200471,000 milesSC

I HAVE A 1998 FORD DIESEL VAN THAT I HAVE JUST PURCHASE ABOUT A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO. THE FORMER OWNER GAVE ME A CLUE OF A PROBLEM THAT I DIDN'T PICK ON WHEN I BOUGHT IT. HE SAID DON'T FILL THE TANK FULL OR THE FUEL WILL OVERFLOW. WELL IT DOES OVERFLOW FULL OR NOT BUT WORST WITH A FULL TANK. FORD AND THE NHTSA HAD ISSUED A RECALL FOR POSSIBLE CRACKING OF FUEL TANKS IN VAN'S LIKE MINE. THE RECALL WAS FOR 1997 THRU 2001 ECONOLINE_VAN'S. I TOOK IT TO A FORD DEALERSHIP IN CHARLESTON SC BUT THEY REFUSED TO LOOK AT IT AND TOLD ME THAT NO RECALL WAS EVER MADE ON MY VAN. I CALLED FORD CUSTOMER CARE AND THEY SAID THE SAME THING. BUT A RECALL WAS MADE ON JUNE 29, 2000. THE FUEL TANK DOES NOT APPEAR TO LEAK WHILE STOPPED EVEN IF THE MOTOR IS RUNNING AND I HAVE LET IT RUN FOR MORE THAN A HOUR. IT LEAKS VERY BAD WHILE UNDERWAY. THE WIRING HARNESS THAT RUNS BY THE FUEL TANK AND JUST UNDERNEATH IT IS FULL OF DIESEL FUEL. I OPEN UP THE HARNESS PLASTIC COVER AND DRAIN THE FUEL FROM IT BUT IT WILL FILL UP AGAIN AS SOON AS I DRIVE THE VAN. ALTHOUGH I HAVE TRIED TO PIN POINT THE SOURCE OF THE LEAK I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DO SO. I CLEAN THE TANK BUT THE FUEL WILL REAPPEAR WITH NO VISIBLE SOURCE OF LEAK. THIS HAS GOT ME SCARED AND SINCE FORD WILL NOT LOOK AT IT UNLESS I AGREE TO PAY FOR REPAIRS AND I AM AT LOST AS TO WHAT TO DO NOW. I FEEL THAT THIS PROBLEM IS JUST LIKE ALL THE OTHER VAN'S THAT THEY HAVE ALREADY REPAIRED OR INSTALL INSULATORS TO PROTECT THE TANK FROM CRACKING IF IT IS NOT LEAKING.

Tires › Tread/Belt
Filed Sep 4, 200318,500 milesMI

THE INSIDE PASSENGER SIDE DUEL TIRE TREAD SEPARATED WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH.*AK CONSUMER HEARD A NOISE FROM THE TIRES AND 15 MINUTES LATER THE ENTIRE TREAD BLEW OFF THE TIRE. IT DAMAGED THE WIRING, FRAME AND BODY. THIS WAS NOT A RECALLED TIRE. CONSUMER NO LONGER TRUST THE REMAINING TIRES, FORD OR FIRESTONE. *PH *JB

Tires › Tread/Belt
Filed Jun 25, 2003VA

I OWN A 1998 COACHMAN MOTORHOME, CLASS C WITH STEELTEX RADIAL R4S LT225/75R16 M/S TIRES ON IT. WHILE TRAVELING UP I64 HEADED TOWARD CROZET, VA. FROM MY HOME IN MECHANICSVILLE, VA. I EXPERIENCED TIRE PROBLEMS. WHILE DRIVING ALONG AROUND 62 MILES PER HOUR I EXPERIENCED A SEVERE BUMPING WHICH FELT LIKE A TIRE PROBLEM AND AFTER PULLING OVER AND INSPECTING THE TIRES DISCOVERED THAT THE RIGHT REAR OUTSIDE TIRE WAS THE PROBLEM. AFTER CALLING GOOD SAMS ROAD SERVICE AND GETTING THE TIRE CHANGED THE TIRE LOOKED AS IF THE TREAD HAD SEPARATED FROM THE REST OF THE TIRE AND WAS COMING APART. THESE TIRES ONLY HAD ROUGHLY 16,800 MILES ON THEM AT THE TIME. THE SPARE HAD NEVER BEEN USED AND STILL HAD THE STICKER ON IT SO I WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE ON MY TRIP. I SENT AN EMAIL TO FIRESTONES WEB SITE AND TO THIS DAY HAVEN'T HEARD A WORD ABOUT THE TIRES. THESE TIRES ARE LOAD RANGE 'E' TIRES AND HAD 80 LBS. OF AIR IN EACH BECAUSE I CHECK THEM BEFORE TAKING ANY TRIPS. I'VE GOT ANOTHER TIRE ON THE FRONT OF MY RV THAT IS WEARING ODD ALSO. NORMALLY WHEN A TIRE IS UNDER INFLATED IT WEARS THE OUTSIDE TREADS DOWN AND IF OVER INFLATED IT WEARS THE CENTER TREAD OR TREADS DOWN. THIS TIRE IS WEARING DOWN ON THE SECOND AND FOURTH TREAD. ISN'T THIS ODD? THE FIRST, THIRD AND FIFTH TREAD LOOK OKAY. I'D HATE TO THINK MORE OF THESE TIRES DOING THE SAME THING AND POSSIBLY CAUSING INJURY OR DAMMING THE NEXT TIME. WE WERE FORTUNATE THIS TIME. THANK YOU. *NLM

Tires
Filed Nov 8, 2002OR

TIRE SIZE LT22575R16; THESE TIRES ARE USED ON A WINNEBEGO MOTORHOME 1999. THE INSIDE REAR OF THE WHEEL WELD WAS DAMAGED DUE TO A TIRE CAPPING OFF. THE OTHER TIRES ARE NOW STARTING TO EXEMPLIFY THE SAME FAILURE PATTERN. TS THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE. THE CONSUMER FOUND THAT THE INSIDE REAR TIRE HAD LOST THE CAP. THE DEALER FOUND THAT ALL OF THE TIRES WERE SEPARATING. SCC

Tires › Tread/Belt
Filed Feb 15, 2002FL

WITHOUT WARNING REAR DUAL FIRESTONE (225/75R/16) TIRE TREAD STARTED TO SEPARATE, CAUSING DAMAGE TO PROPANE GAS LINE OF THE MOTOR CARRIER AND TAIL PIPE FRAMING UNDER WHEEL WELL. DOT # VD11XD347AK.*AK *TT

Tires
Filed Dec 20, 2000GA

FIRESTONE STEELTEX TIRES P225/75R16 DOT VD1L1XD EXPERIENCED BLOWOUTS, ONE OCCURRED WHILE IT WAS RAINING, CONSUMER STATES THERE WAS PROPERTY DAMAGE. *SLC

Tires › Tread/Belt
Filed Oct 18, 2000AL

TREAD SEPARATION (POSSIBLY DUE TO LACK OF ADHESION) AND BLOWOUT, CAUSING DAMAGE TO RIGHT SIDE OF MOTORHOME AND EXHAUST PIPE. TWO OUTSIDE STORAGE BINS WERE DAMAGED; MUD FLAP TORN LOOSE; WHEELWELL TRIM TORN LOOSE; BIN LIGHTS BROKEN; EXHAUST PIPE WAS BENT AT A 90 DEGREE ANGLE; FIBERGLASS DAMAGE TO ONE BIN DOOR. (DOT NUMBER: VD1L1XD367 TIRESIZE: LT22575R16)

Power Train
Filed Nov 24, 1999FL

DRIVER UNABLE TO READ SPEEDOMETER BECAUSE STEERING WHEEL BLOCKS VIEW, LOCATION OF INDICATOR CREATES POOR VISIBILITY. YH

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components
Filed Jul 14, 1999NJ

DISC BRAKES ENGAGED WITHOUT APPLYING RESULTING IN BURNING ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. MJS

Latches/Locks/Linkages › Doors › Latch
Filed Feb 1, 1999CA

DOOR LOCK MECHANISM FAILED. YH

Seats
Filed Aug 21, 1998PA

COMPLAINTS THAT THE PASSANGER SEAT IS MOUNTED TO CLOSE TO THE DASH. IF THE AIR BAG WOULD DEPLOY THE PASSANGER WOULD BE INJURED SERIOUSLY.

13 of 13 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 1997
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20085000Routine
20070200Routine
20060600Routine
200510600Routine
20042000Routine
20035200Routine
20026200Routine
20016200Routine
20006200Routine
19994100Routine
1998 — this page13100Routine
199716110Routine
19951000Routine
19942100Routine
19933010Routine
19920100Routine
19901010Routine

Compare every E-Series year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Dec 5, 2007. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.