1998 Ford Navigator

Routine

Owners filed 5 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the vehicle speed control › cruise control. It has been recalled 1 time.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Vehicle Speed Control › Cruise Control2
020
Tires › Tread/Belt1
000
Structure › Body › Door › Hinge and Attachments1
000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components1
000

1 safety recall

Part 573 reports
Exterior Lighting00V168000
Filed Jun 19, 200020,637 vehiclesFord Motor Company

Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MINI VANS, LIGHT PICKUP TRUCKS, AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES. OFF LEASE CANADIAN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS WHICH MEET CANADIAN REQUIREMENTS AND NOT THE PHOTOMETRIC REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT." ACCORDING TO FORD, THE VEHICLES WERE IMPORTED INTO THE U.S. ERRONEOUSLY.

Risk. THE LIGHT GIVEN OFF FROM THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS IS BRIGHTER THAN ALLOWED BY U.S. STANDARDS.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL BE ADVISED TO DEACTIVATE THE RUNNING LIGHT FUNCTION AND TO COMPLETE ANY OUTSTANDING SAFETY RECALLS ON THESE VEHICLES.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Vehicle Speed Control › Cruise ControlFire
Filed Jun 19, 200685,000 milesSC

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE ENTIRE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE BURNED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. THE FIRE DID ORIGINATE FROM UNDER THE HOOD. PRIOR TO THE FIRE THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT ENGAGE PROPERLY. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DETERMINED THE VEHICLE NEEDED A CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH AND IT WAS ORDERED. HOWEVER, THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING THE SWITCH WHEN THE FIRE OCCURRED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS ALERTED.

Vehicle Speed Control › Cruise ControlFire
Filed Oct 14, 2005112,000 milesFL

ON 9/25/2005 ABOUT 2:30 AM MY LINCOLN NAVIGATOR CAUGHT ON FIRE. I WAS TOLD BY THE FIRE INSPECTOR THAT THE TRUCK WAS INVOLVED IN A RECALL BY FORD. APPARENTLY THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH WAS THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE. THE TRUCK WAS NOT ON IT WAS JUST SITTING IN FRONT OF MY TOWNHOUSE VILLA AND IT JUST CAUGHT ON FIRE. I NOTIFIED FORD COMPANY THEIR REPLY "GET A LAWYER". *NM

Structure › Body › Door › Hinge and Attachments
Filed Feb 23, 2005140,000 milesNY

WHILE OPENING THE REAR DOOR, THE HINGES BROKE CAUSING THE DOOR TO FALL OFF. THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO USE THE REAR DOOR. THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOUND. *JB

Tires › Tread/Belt
Filed Feb 10, 2003FL

THE LEFT REAR TIRE EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION.*JB

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components
Filed Dec 6, 2001CA

BRAKES DEFECTIVE AND FRAME RUSTED

5 of 5 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2003
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20035000Routine
20021010Routine
20015110Routine
20004210Routine
19993010Routine
1998 — this page5120Routine

Compare every Navigator 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: Jun 19, 2000. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.