Car Problem DataNHTSA records

1998 Ford Louisville

Routine

Owners filed 2 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the service brakes, air. It has been recalled 2 times.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Service Brakes, Air1
000
Electrical System › Wiring1
010

2 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Service Brakes, Air00V335000
Filed Oct 19, 20008,400 vehiclesFord Motor Company

Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MEDIUM DUTY TANDEM REAR AXLE TRUCKS WITH ABS. THESE VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH FMVSS NO. 121, "AIR BRAKE SYSTEMS." THE AIR BRAKE SYSTEM WAS PLUMBED SO THAT COMPLETE AIR RESERVOIR ISOLATION WAS NOT PROVIDED. SOME VEHICLES WERE BUILT WITH AN AIR LINE FROM THE SYSTEM ECU RELAY VALVE MODULE TEE FITTING, INCORRECTLY CONNECTED TO THE SYSTEM SUPPLY TANK, RATHER THAN THE SYSTEM AUXILIARY PRIMARY TANK.

Risk. A LEAKAGE OR FAILURE CAN CAUSE A PRESSURE LOSS IN THE SECONDARY TANK RESULTING IN THE DRAINING OF THE PRIMARY TANK ALSO, AND THUS A COMPLETE LOSS OF VEHICLE SYSTEM AIR PRESSURE, DIMINISHING BRAKE EFFECTIVENESS, AND INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE VEHICLE TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE VEHICLE HAS THE INCORRECTLY ROUTED AIR LINE. THOSE WITH THE CONDITION WILL BE CORRECTLY PLUMBED AND THE AIR BRAKE SYSTEM TESTED TO VERIFY PROPER RESERVOIR ISOLATION.

Service Brakes, Air99V050000
Filed Mar 15, 19991,687 vehiclesFord Motor Company

Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: HEAVY DUTY TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH OPTIONAL WABCO AIR DRYER. THE AIR BRAKE SYSTEM WAS PLUMBED SO THAT THE SYSTEMS DID NOT PROVIDE AIR RESERVOIR ISOLATION. THIS DOES NOT COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 121, "AIR BRAKE SYSTEMS."

Risk. THE AIR BRAKE RESERVOIR PRESSURE COULD BE DEPLETED, ACTIVATING THE EMERGENCY SPRING BRAKE. WITH THE EMERGENCY SPRING BRAKE DEPLOYED, THE VEHICLE WOULD STOP AND COULD NOT BE MOVED UNTIL THE BRAKE AIR SYSTEM WAS REPAIRED.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPAIR THE AIR LINE PLUMBING TO INSTALL A CHECK VALVE.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Electrical System › WiringFire
Filed Jan 22, 2008OH

1998 FORD CONVENTIONAL LOUISVILLE TRUCK. CONSUMER SMELLED SMOKE COMING FROM THE CAB. WHEN HE PULLED OVER HE TRIED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER. *KB THE FIRE CHIEF BELIEVED THE FIRE WAS CAUSED BY ELECTRICAL WIRING UNDER THE DASHBOARD. OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT # 10-90-0943. *JB

Service Brakes, Air
Filed Mar 22, 2001MI

THE CONSUMER IS NOT HAPPY WITH RECALL 00V-335, THE CONSUMER DOES NOT HAVE A HEAVY TRUCK DEALER NEAR HIM AND HAS REQUESTED THAT FORD COME TO HIM TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE AND MAKE ANY NECESSARY REPAIRS. NLM

2 of 2 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 1998
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
1998 — this page2210Routine
19970300Routine
19960100Routine

Compare every Louisville year →

Other Ford models

All Ford models →
F-150 38,064Explorer 34,456Escape 27,307Fusion 22,369Focus 22,083Taurus 16,891Windstar 14,153Edge 13,982Expedition 9,315Mustang 8,877

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: Oct 19, 2000. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.