There are 50 owner-reported powertrain & transmission complaints for the 1998 Ford F-150in NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD F-150. AFTER PARKING THE VEHICLE IN THE DRIVEWAY, THE VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARDS OUT THE DRIVEWAY AND INTO THE STREET. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE SHIFT CABLE ASSEMBLY WAS FAULTY AND THE STEERING COLUMN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 97V171000 (POWER TRAIN). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 270,000. UPDATED 5/18/15*CN THE DEALER INSTALLED A NEW SHIFTER CABLE. UPDATED 05/29/15*JB
GEAR SELECTOR LEVER BECAME "SLOPPY" AND I COULDN'T DEPEND ON THE SELECTOR FOR PARK, OR DRIVE GEARS. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER FAILED TO ENGAGE INTO PARK. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT TURN ON UNLESS THE SHIFT LEVER WAS IN NEUTRAL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 97V171000 (POWER TRAIN). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 250,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 255,000.
TRANSMISSION SLIPS IN BETWEEN GEARS 2 AND 3RD AND 4TH GEAR ON AUTOMATIC. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INDICATOR ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL DISPLAYED REVERSE. THERE WAS A RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 97V171000 (POWER TRAIN) THAT COULD HAVE BEEN RELATED TO THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 123,000. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SHIFT CABLE ASSEMBLY WOULD NOT ALLOW THE VEHICLE TO SHIFT INTO PARK AND WOULD NOT TRIGGER THE NEUTRAL SAFETY SWITCH. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE COULD BE MOVED WITHOUT BEING SHUT OFF. THE CONTACT CALLED A LOCAL DEALER REGARDING NHTSA CAMPAIGN I.D. NUMBER: 97V171000 (POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL) BUT THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL BASED ON THE VIN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 250,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD F150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GEAR SHIFT PIN WAS BROKEN AND WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO PARK. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 116,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 118,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A 7 YEAR OLD CHILD ENTERED THE VEHICLE AND WAS ABLE TO SHIFT GEARS WITHOUT STARTING THE ENGINE. AS A CONSEQUENCE, THE VEHICLE ROLLED ONTO THE ROADWAY AND CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CHILD SUSTAINED MODERATE INJURIES TO THE ANKLE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 111,403.
I HAD A 1998 FORD F150 THAT EXHIBITED THE SAME PROBLEMS THAT TOYOTA'S ARE NOW HAVING. I WAS TOLD THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE THROTTLE CABLE. AFTER HAVING REPLACED THE THROTTLE CABLE, THE PROBLEM STILL HAPPENED. IT APPEARED THE THROTTLE WOULD STICK OPEN. TRUCK WOULD ACCELERATE. THE ONLY WAY TO STOP IT WAS TO SHIFT TO NEUTRAL, TURN OF THE ENGINE AND RESTART. I SOLD THE TRUCK LAST YEAR. THOUGHT IT WAS JUST A PROBLEM WITH MY TRUCK BUT NOW THAT ALL THIS WITH TOYOTA IS COMING OUT I THOUGHT I SHOULD REPORT THIS. *TR
SERVICE GUIDE INDICATES TRANSMISSION FLUID CHANGE EVERY 30,000 MILES ( EXCEPT E$OD TRANSMISSIONS ) MY TRANSMISSION FAILED AND ALMOST CAUSED ME TO WRECK . MECHANIC RELATES FAILURE DUE TO DIRTY TRANSMISSION FLUID . I HAVE TO REPLACE E4OD TRANSMISSION . *TR
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL), WILL NOT SHIFT INTO PARK POSITION. ALLOWING VEHICLE TO ROLL OR DRIVE WHEN IN THE WRONG GEAR POSITION. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD F150. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AND THE CONTACT HAD TO MANUALLY PLACE IT INTO NEUTRAL, AND THEN INTO PARK. THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC STATED THAT THE PARKING LINKAGE AND THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFT CABLE FAILED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 97V171000 (POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)), ALTHOUGH THE FAILURES WERE IDENTICAL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 118,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGES WAS 130,000.
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GEARSHIFT INDICATOR DISPLAYED THE WRONG INDICATION. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK, IT INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS IN REVERSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER, WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL NUMBER # 97V171000, PERTAINING TO THE GEAR POSITION INDICATION. HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. UPDATED 08/25/06. *JB
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION GEAR POSITION INDICATOR KEPT THE TRANSMISSION IN THE PARK POSITION. ALSO, HE STATED THAT WHEN THE INDICATOR WAS IN THE DRIVE OR REVERSE POSITION IT READ A DIFFERENT GEAR. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL . THE CONTACT FELT THIS VEHICLE SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 68,000.*AK UPDATED 05/04/07. *JB
DT: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE PUTTING VEHICLE IN FOUR WHEEL DRIVE IT ACCELERATED UNEXPECTEDLY. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR ON ITS OWN. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHUT OFF. THE CONTACT HAD BOTH FEET ON THE BRAKES, SHIFTED INTO LOW, AND ATTEMPTED TO SHUT OFF THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WENT OVER A PEDESTRIAN, A RAMP, AND KNOCKED THE TRAILER THROUGH THE TAILGATE. THERE WAS DAMAGE TO THE RAMP AND THE VEHICLE. THE PEDESTRIAN RECEIVED ONLY MINOR INJURIES, MOSTLY BRUISES TO HER SIDE. BECAUSE THE INCIDENT OCCURRED ON PRIVATE PROPERTY NO POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN.*AK
THE DIFFERENTIAL HAS DISINTEGRATED INSIDE. THIS WAS CAUSED BY A BEARING WHICH CAME APART AND CAUSED EVERYTHING INSIDE TO SHIFT ABOUT AN INCH TOWARDS THE DRIVERS SIDE. HOW DANGEROUS IS THAT? ULTIMATELY, THE HOUSING, RING GEARS AND OTHER GEARS INSIDE WERE DAMAGED BEYOND REPAIR. IT STARTED WITH A SLIGHT HUM AT 45 MPH AND WITHIN TWO WEEKS COMPLETELY BROKE SO THAT THE DRIVELINE TURNS WITHIN THE HOUSING WHILE THE WHEELS STAY PUT. I USE MY TRUCK ONLY FOR STREET TRANSPORTATION AND HAVE TAKEN IMPECCABLE CARE OF IT. THE TRUCK HAS 102,000 MILES ON IT. ONLY TWO MONTHS AGO, I HAD THE FLUID CHANGED EVERYWHERE INCLUDING THE REAR END. I HAVE PUT A REBUILT REAR END RESULTING IN $2600 OUT OF MY POCKET. THANKS MR. FORD FOR THAT!*AK
THE TRANSMISSION IN MY 98 F-150 FAILED AT 36400 MI AND 36 MONTHS. FORD, THE DEALER AND I SPLIT THE COST OF REPAIR. NOW, APPROXIMATELY 36000 MI AND THREE YEARS MORE AND THE TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED AGAIN. DEALER RECOMMENDS THAT I PURCHASE A RE-MANUFACTURED TRANS FOR $2200. ODD COINCIDENCE THAT THE SAME TRANSMISSION FAILED AT THE SAME MILEAGE AND TIME. VEHICLE IS USED FOR TRANSPORTATION AND IS RARELY USED TO TOW OR CARRY LOADS. BOTH INCIDENTS HAPPENED WITH THE VEHICLE IN DRIVE AND MOVING FORWARD AT A VERY MODERATE RATE IN A PARKING LOT. *JB
VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN GARAGE WHEN IT ROLLED BACKWARDS DOWN THE DRIVEWAY AND CRASHED INTO A BARN. *MR THE CONSUMER PLACED THE VEHICLE IN PARK AND WHEN HE HAD GONE INTO THE HOUSE, THE CRASH WAS HEARD. THE VEHICLE CAUSED MINOR INJURIES TO THE CONSUMERS HORSES THAT WAS IN THE STALL AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. RECALL# 97V171000. *SC *JB
SHIFT CYLINDER KEEPS GOING OUT CAUSING TRANSMISSION NOT TO SHIFTING OR TO SLIP. THE PART HAS BEEN REPLACED MORE THAN ONCE, COASTING ME A LOT OF MONEY. SOMETIMES IT WOULD GET IN AN INTERSECTION AND HESITATE, ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. *NLM
WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO CHANGE GEARS. *JB
Showing 1–20 of 50 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