There are 18 owner-reported lighting complaints for the 1998 Ford Expeditionin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD EXPEDITION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE HEADLIGHTS AND INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTING FLICKERED. THE READING ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL GAUGES BEGAN TO FLUCTUATE RANDOMLY AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 220,000.
THE FUSE FOR THE PASSENGER SIDE HEAD LIGHT KEEPS MELTING. IT APPEARS WHERE THE FUSE GOES IS MELTING AS WELL IF NOT CAUSING IT. FROM TIME TO TIME THE PASSENGER SIDE HEAD LIGHT BLINKS AND THEN GOES OUT. IF YOU WIGGLE THE FUSE IT LIGHTS BACK UP. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD EXPEDITION. EVERYTIME THE CONTACT ENTERS THE VEHICLE, THE INTERIOR LIGHTING REMAINS ILLUMINATED EVEN AFTER THE DOOR IS CLOSED. SHE MUST MANUALLY TURN OFF THE LIGHT. AS A CONSEQUENCE, THE BATTERY EVENTUALLY FAILS AND HAS TO BE RECHARGED IN ORDER TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT IS IN THE PROCESS OF NOTIFYING THE DEALER TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 143,000. UPDATED 07/15/08 *BF UPDATED 07/15/08
THE TURN SIGNAL INDICATORS FAILED. A RECALL WAS ISSUED. HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK THE VEHICLE'S WIPER ALSO FAILED. *NM
ALL INTERIOR LIGHTS WILL NOT GO OUT AFTER ALL DOORS ARE CLOSED AND VEHICLE IS STARTED. AS YOU BEGIN DRIVING, THERE IS NO WAY TO TURN THEM OFF. THEY EVENTUALLY WENT OFF. SOMETIMES THE LIGHTS WILL GO ON BY THEMSELVES. IN ALL CASES THE 'DOOR OPEN' LIGHT SHOWS ON THE DASHBOARD, BUT AFTER OPENING AND CLOSING ALL DOORS, TAILGATE AND TAILGATE WINDOW THE LIGHTS "DOOR OPEN" LIGHT REMAINS ON, AND INTERIOR LIGHTS WILL NOT GO OUT. *LA
TURN SIGNAL CONTROL MALFUNCTIONS. RIGHT SIGNAL NOT WORKING UNLESS STALK IS PULLED SLIGHTLY BACK AND LANE CHANGE FEATURE IS USED. EMERGENCY FLASHERS FAIL TO OPERATE. PROBLEM WAS INTERMITTENT AND IS NOW CONSTANT.*AK
INTERIOR LIGHT (DOME LIGHTS) STAYED ON WHILE DRIVINGVEHICLE, EVEN WHEN CONSUMER WAS NOT DRIVING. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK *TR
I OWN A 1998 FORD EXPEDITION, WHEN IT RAINS ALL THE INTERIOR LIGHTS STAY ON,THE PANEL IS SAYING DOOR AJAR(WHEN IN FACT THERE IS NO DOOR AJAR).THERFORE ALL INTERIOR LIGHTS STAY ON AS IF THERE WERE A DOOR AJAR. I FIND THIS VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE WITH ALL THE INTERIOR LIGHTS ON EXPECIALLY AT NIGHT.FORD TOLD ME IT WAS A FAULTY SWITCH.I VE SPOKEN WITH OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME ISSUE.ALSO 128 FORD SOLD ME THIS VEHICLE WITH A RECALL THAT WAS NEVER CHECKED. THEY NEVER DID A SAFETY CHECK AS THEY STATED. WHEN I PICKED UP THE VEHICLE IT WAS NEVER MOVED FROM THE SPOT WHERE I LEFT IT, AND THEY NEVER PUT A INSPECTION STICKER ON THE VEHICLE AND NEVER LOOKED IT OVER.
INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR LIGHTING AND LOCKING SYSTEM; LIGHTS STAY ON INSIDE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING - DISTRACTING AT NIGHT. SOMETIMES CAN TAKE UP TO 30 MINUTES TO "DECIDE" TO TURN OFF - OTHER TIMES WITHIN A FEW MINUTES OF DRIVING... NO REAL PATTERN HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED. "DOOR AJAR" LIGHT NEVER GOES OFF EVEN THOUGH NUMEROUS CHECKS OF ALL DOORS HAVE BEEN DONE AND NONE ARE OPEN. RUNNING BOARDS AND INTERIOR LIGHTS STAY ON AFTER CAR HAS BEEN TURNED OFF (WHETHER LOCKED OR UNLOCKED). THESE LIGHTS DO NOT SHUT OFF FOR OVER 1 HOUR AFTER VEHICLE HAS BEEN EXITED LAST. DOOR LOCKS WILL SPONTANEOUSLY LOCK AND UNLOCK WHILE DRIVING. "BEEPING" SOUND WILL ALARM WHILE DRIVING ALERTING THAT DOORS ARE UNLOCKED OR POSSIBLY AJAR - THEN DOORS WILL LOCK AND UNLOCK - SOMETIMES ONCE, OTHER TIMES FOUR OR FIVE TIMES IN A ROW. LIGHTING ISSUE OCCURS EVERY TIME CAR IS EXITED. INTERIOR LIGHTING ISSUE (WHILE RUNNING) OCCURS 3 TIMES WEEKLY, IF NOT MORE AT TIMES. LOCKING ISSUE OCCURS AT LEAST TWICE WEEKLY. NOT UNDER WARRANTY... AFTER INQUIRING WITH DEALER THEY RESPONDED, "NEVER HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM BEFORE". HOWEVER, I HAVE ASKED RANDOM EXPEDITION OWNERS IN PARKING LOTS AND GAS STATIONS - ALL HAVE CONFIRMED THE SAME PROBLEM. *LA
CONSUMER STATES THAT THE TURN SIGNAL, EMERGENCY FLASHER AND THE BRAKE LIGHTS ARE INOPERATIVE. DEALER NOTIFIED AND INFORMED THAT THE TURN SIGNAL MULTI-FUCTION SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACE. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. NLM
THE BLACK BACKING INSIDE THE SIDE MIRRORS ARE MELTING EXPOSING ALL COMPONENTS INSIDE THE MIRROR. I WAS TOLD BY FORD THA IT IS CAUSED BY THE TURNING SIGNAL LIGHTS IN THE MIRROR. MY TRUCK HAS THE DOUBLE BAND LIGHTS AND THEY NEED TO BE SINGLE BAND.
WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AT NIGHT ON 1/10/01 MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH FAILED, CAUSING HEADLIGHTS TO GO OUT.*AK
HEADLIGHTS FAILED WHILE DRIVING AFTER DARK. *AK
WHILE DRIVING HEADLIGHTS DIMMED. THEN, PASSENGER'S SIDE WINDOW FELL OUT.*AK
BRAKE LIGHT FAILED. YH
HEAD LIGHT BULB OUT. YH
THIS IS TO COMPLAIN ABOUT YOUR REQUIRING THE HEADLIGH DIMMER SWITCH TO BE ON THE STEERING COLUM. THAT IS NOT ONLY INCONVIENIENT, ITS DANGEROURS. IT IS EASIER TO KEEP BOTH HANDS ON THE WHEEL IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO KEEP REACHING TO DIM YOUR LIGHTS. PLEASE ALLOW THE ON-FLOOR "FOOT CLICKER" SWITCH AGAIN.
TURN SIGNALS FAILED.
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