There are 48 owner-reported brakes complaints for the 1998 Ford Expeditionin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
Bought replacement brake pads from RockAuto 07/08/2023 9:06PM order 244457897 that are supposed to be Bosch BSH BC702 ceramic. What arrived is unbranded, unnumbered tag torn off the box with no identifiers at all. All brake pads used should have numbers to identify street legal for use but these have NOTHING on them, the box, anything. Unsafe if cannot identify use. RockAuto wants me to pay for return for their mistake, but bigger problem is that unknown pads are being sent out by RockAuto. I still have unopened set if interested.
WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT APPROX 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME STOPPED HARD. I IMMEDIATELY STEPPED HARD ON MY BRAKES. THE BRAKES INITIALLY APPLIED AND THEN FAILED. I SWERVED INTO A PARKING LOT AND APPLIED MY BRAKES AGAIN WITH NO SUCCESS. MY BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. I THEN PUT THE GEAR SELECTOR IN PARK WHILE MOVING AT A FAIRLY HIGH RATE OF SPEED IN ORDER TO STOP. THE VEHICLE GROUND TO A HALT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR FACILITY AND I WAS NOTIFIED THAT THE BRAKE LINE WAS RUSTED AND DUE TO THE PRESSURE OF ATTEMPTING TO STOP HARD, THE LINE RUPTURED AND THE ENTIRE BRAKING SYSTEM FAILED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD EXPEDITION. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE PEDAL ABNORMALLY TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 285,066.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD EXPEDITION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN ATTEMPTING TO STOP THE VEHICLE THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT HE HAD TO ENGAGE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. ALSO, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HYDRAULIC BRAKE FLUID LEAKED FROM THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THE BRAKE LINES HAD RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT ALL OF THE BRAKE LINES HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 117,831...UPDATED 01/30/13 *BF UPDATED 2/4/2013*JS
THE STEEL BRAKE LINES ARE RUSTED AND LEAK BRAKE FLUID,BRAKE LINE FAILURE. *TR
THIS COMPLAINT INVOLVES THE COMPLETE FAILURE OF ALL BRAKE LINES DUE TO RUST ON MY 1998 FORD EXPEDITION. ALL LINES HAVE COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH FROM THE OUTSIDE IN ONLY 12 YEARS. THE FIRST LINE (FROM THE MASTER CYLINDER TO THE ABS CONTROL) FAILED ABOUT A WEEK AGO, RESULTING IN TOTAL LOSS OF BRAKES. FORTUNATELY I WAS ON A COUNTRY ROAD ABOUT 2 BLOCKS FROM HOME AND WAS ABLE TO GET IT BACK HOME. AFTER REPLACING THAT LINE ($70 FOR THE PART) I TOOK IT OUT FOR A TEST DRIVE. THE SECOND TIME I HIT THE BRAKES THEY AGAIN FAILED! THIS TIME THE LINE GOING TO THE REAR FAILED. THE TRUCK IS PRESENTLY AT A FORD DEALER. THEY SAY ALL LINES ARE RUSTED THROUGH AND NEED TO BE REPLACED. COST: $3000! I FEEL THAT BRAKE LINES SHOULD NOT RUST OUT IN ONLY 12 YEARS ON A VEHICLE THAT HAS BEEN GARAGED ALL IT'S LIFE. I BELIEVE THAT FORD MOTOR COMPANY HAS SOME LIABILITY IN THIS ISSUE. I CAN'T BE THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION IN THIS ISSUE. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD EXPEDITION. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS NOT RECEIVING ENOUGH PRESSURE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. HE REPLACED THE BRAKE PRESSURE SWITCH IN JULY OF 2008 AND AGAIN IN JANUARY OF 2009. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE MIGHT BE A RECALL AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT WILL CALL THE MANUFACTURER AGAIN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 126,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 130,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD EXPEDITION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. HE TURNED THE VEHICLE AROUND TO RETURN HOME AND THE BRAKE PEDAL EXTENDED TO THE FLOOR WHEN IT WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ROLL FORWARD, AND THE EMERGENCY BRAKE HAD TO BE APPLIED. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE BRAKE COMPONENTS AND NOTICED SEVERAL FAILURES WITH THE FRONT AND REAR BRAKE LINE. HE CALLED THE DEALER AND ASKED IF FORD WOULD COVER THE COST OF THE REPAIRS, BUT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 57,295. UPDATED 07/29/08 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE BRAKE LINE FAILED DUE TO CORROSION. THE CONSUMER STATED THE MATERIAL THAT WAS USED WAS DEFECTIVE. THE BRAKE LINE SHOULD HAVE BEEN MADE OF STAINLESS STEEL OR OTHER CORROSION REISTANT MATERIAL. UPDATED 08/07/08. *JB
SUSPECTED FAILURE OF ABS CONTROL MODULE RESULTED IN TOTAL LOSS OF BRAKING. DISABLING THE ABS BY REMOVING THE FUSE RESULTS IN RELIABLE BRAKING. FORD WANTS TO REPLACE THE MODULE, BUT IF THE MODULE FAILS AGAIN THEN THERE WILL BE A LOSS OF BRAKES. THE BRAKING IS MORE RELIABLE WITHOUT THE ABS ACTIVATED. *TR
ANTI-LOCK BREAK SENSOR WAS REPLACED BECAUSE LSENSOR LIGHT CAME ON REPEATEDLY. DEALER SAID IT WAS FAULTY.
DT: THE CONTACT STATED WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES AT LOW SPEEDS THE PEDAL WILL GO TO THE FLOOR, AND VEHICLE WILL VIBRATE. WHEN THIS HAPPENS THE VEHICLE WILL NOT STOP. THERE ARE NO WARNING LIGHTS INDICATING A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES. THIS HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY, WITH NO SPECIFIC PATTERN OR CONDITIONS. THE DEALER SAID THIS WAS NORMAL PERFORMANCE FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK
ABS WARNING LIGHT ON INSTRUMENT PANEL CAME ON AND STAYED ILLUMINATED UPON STARTING UP OF VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP EXAMINED VEHICLE, AND DETERMINED ABS CONTROL MODULE HAD FAILED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED AT CONSUMER'S EXPENSE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / DOCUMENTATION. *AK
CONSUMER INDICATED THAT FRONT AND BACK ROTORS WERE WEARING OUT PREMATURELY. DEALERSHIP CHANGED THE BRAKES ON FOUR SEPARATE OCCASIONS WITHIN THE LAST YEAR.*AK
WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, THE PEDAL PULSATED WHICH CAUSED THE EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP ONCE A YEAR DEALING WITH THE ISSUE, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM CONTINUED TO OCCUR. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB
FRONT RIGHT INSIDE PADS HAVE WORN EXCESSIVELY AND CAUSED DAMAGE TO BRAKE ROTORS. VEHICLE AT DEALER SHOP AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT ROTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK
4WHEEL ABS DANGEROUS LONG STOPPING DISTANCE. ENDED UP IN DITCH. SUBSEQUENTLY MEASURED STOPPING DISTANCE ON DIRT ROAD AT 30 MPH. STOPPING DISTANCE MEASURED 70 FEET WITH ABS ENABLED. STOPPING DISTANCE MEASURED JUST 45 FEET WITH ABS DISABLED (BRAKES FULLY LOCKED UP IN BOTH CASES). ABS DESIGN NEEDS TO BE CHANGED TO SHORTEN STOPPING DISTANCE UNDER TYPICAL "DRY ROAD" CONDITIONS.*AK
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY AND ANOTHER VEHICLE REAR ENDED. CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKES, AND THERE WERE NO BRAKES, AND THEN HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE. THERE WAS A CHAIN REACTION TO OTHER VEHICLE. ABS BRAKING SYSTEM DIDN'T WORK. VEHICLE AT DEALERSHIP. THERE WERE NO INJURIES.*AK
WHEN CONSUMER APPLIES BRAKE PEDAL, THERE IS CONSIDERABLE RESISTANCE. VEHICLE STOPS ONLY AFTER REAPPLYING THE BRAKE. THIS VEHICLE HAS ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM. *AK *ML
FRONT ROTORS (2) WORN OUT PRE-MATURELY AND NEED REPLACEMENT AFTER 33000 MILES. *AK
BRAKES GRINDED WHILE DRIVING. HAD TO BE CHANGED 3 TIMES WITHIN A YEAR.*AK
Showing 1–20 of 48 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026