1998 Ford Econoline
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
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These records cover every 1998 Ford Econoline. To see whether one car still needs a recall repair, decode its VIN or check it with NHTSA.
Recalls
4 recalls name the 1998 Ford Econoline. Newest first.
Dope, inc. IS recalling 42,540 combination corner and bumper lamp assemblies of various part numbers sold for use as aftermarket equipment for various passenger vehicles. these headlamps fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." these lamps do not contain…
Risk and remedy
Risk
Decreased lighting visibility may result in a vehicle crash.
Remedy
Dope, inc. Will notify owners and offer a full refund for the noncompliant combination lamps. the safety recall began on july 28, 2009. owners may contact dope, inc. At 1-626-272-1798.
Sabersport IS recalling 16,270 combination corner and bumper lamp assemblies of various part numbers sold for use as aftermarket equipment for various passenger vehicles. these headlamps fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." these lamps do not contain…
Risk and remedy
Risk
Decreased lighting visibility may result in a vehicle crash.
Remedy
Sabersport will notify owners and offer a full refund for the noncompliant combination lamps. the safety recall began on may 11, 2009. owners may contact sabersport at 1-909-598-7589.
Ford IS recalling 225,000 my 1992-2003 econoline, my 1993-1995 taurus sho, my 1992-1998 crown victoria, my 1993 bronco, f-series, my 1995-1997 f-series super duty stripped chassis, my 1992-1998 mercury grand marquis, and my 1992-1995 lincoln town car vehicles. the affected vehicles were previously repaired using a wiring harness that IS not compatible with…
Risk and remedy
Risk
As a result, the fuse IS located in the output circuit rather than in the intended input power feed circuit, and may not offer the intended protection in the event of an electrical short to ground.
Remedy
Dealers will install a new wiring harness, or replace the mating electrical component. the recall began on february 18, 2008. owners may contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.
Vehicle description: bi-fuel CNG pickup trucks and bi-fuel CNG vans, modified by cfi control systems, inc., fail to conform to the requirements of fmvss no. 303, "fuel system integrity of compressed natural gas vehicles." the label affixed to the fuel filler door by the vehicle modifier contains the inspection date and expiration date of the CNG tank.…
Risk and remedy
Risk
These vehicles do not comply with the requirements.
Remedy
Owners will be provided a label with the required statement, along with instructions for affixing the label at the fuel filler door. owner notification began november 2, 2000. owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.
Owner complaints
46 complaints1 involved a fire
What owners report most
Latest complaints
- Fuel/propulsion system · Structure › Body
Van IS leaking fuel from a crack where it contacts the frame member. this van was subject to a recall beginning april 19, 2001. I did not own the vehicle at that time, but apparently vehicle was not leaking so it was not fixed. I do not have the recall number. I obtained this information from a…
Van IS leaking fuel from a crack where it contacts the frame member. this van was subject to a recall beginning april 19, 2001. I did not own the vehicle at that time, but apparently vehicle was not leaking so it was not fixed. I do not have the recall number. I obtained this information from a vin look up at https://driving-tests.org/vin-decoder/ vehicle only leaks fuel when filling up at the gas station. once I stop filling up, the leaking will drip, drip, drip until it stops and I can drive off. next time I will take a picture of leaking.
- Wheels
Was traveling on rt 80 near exit 123 in pennsylvania on straight road, at 65 mph, temperature of 75 degrees, dry, sunny day. We heard a loud boom. The inside rear tire (driver side) had blown. It appeared that the sidewall (facing out) had failed. The sidewall separated along a straight line from…
Was traveling on rt 80 near exit 123 in pennsylvania on straight road, at 65 mph, temperature of 75 degrees, dry, sunny day. We heard a loud boom. The inside rear tire (driver side) had blown. It appeared that the sidewall (facing out) had failed. The sidewall separated along a straight line from the wheel to the tread. Also, in that area about 10 inches of tread was starting to separate on that side of the tire - the tread separation was 'centered' on that sidewall failure. Fortunately we experienced no other damage.
- Fuel system, gasoline
TL* the contact owns a 1998 ford econoline E-150. The contact stated that the fuel tank fractured and was leaking fuel. The dealer had not been notified. The manufacturer was aware of the failure. No repairs were performed. The approximate failure mileage was 79,000 and the current mileage was 85,000. The vin was unavailable. updated 08/31/11 *bf updated 2/9/2012
- Electrical system
Tl*the contact owns a 1998 ford econoline. The contact was replacing the air conditioning blower motor when he noticed the speed selector switch was melted. The failure mileage was 240,000 and the current mileage was 302,302.
- Vehicle speed control
1998 ford econoline recall on speed control. Consumer states that dealer did not have the parts and did not want him to make an appointment to have this resolved. He states that no one answered the 800 number on the recall notice. *kb
- Vehicle speed control
Ford E150 with cruise control recall. Consumer states that the dealer stated in september when the vehicle was repaired that the parts would be available in january. Consumer states that the parts are still not available. *kb
- Vehicle speed control › Cruise control
Tl*the contact owns a 1998 ford econoline. the contact received a recall letter for nhtsa campaign ID number 08v051000 (vehicle speed control:cruise control) in february of 2008. the parts are still unavailable. there had been no failure to date. the current mileage IS 43,000. updated 4/11/08 *cn
- Vehicle speed control · Vehicle speed control › Cruise control
1998 ford econoline recall on speed control. Consumer stated that the dealer told them the parts were not available. He was informed the parts would not be available until the second quarter of the year. *kb
- Vehicle speed control
Tl*the contact owns a 1998 ford econoline. the contact received a safety recall notice for the vehicle speed control in august of 2007. the speed control switch was disconnected at that time. since receiving the notice, she has spoken with the dealer twice and the part IS still unavailable.…
Tl*the contact owns a 1998 ford econoline. the contact received a safety recall notice for the vehicle speed control in august of 2007. the speed control switch was disconnected at that time. since receiving the notice, she has spoken with the dealer twice and the part IS still unavailable. Complaint number 1400372637 was filed with the manufacturer. There had been no failure to date. the current mileage was 102,000. updated 03/11/08. *lj
- Vehicle speed control › Cruise control
Tl*the contact owns a 1998 ford econoline. the contact received a recall notice for nhtsa campaign ID number 07v336000 (vehicle speed control). the contact scheduled a recall repair appointment to have the speed control disconnected. he IS dissatisfied with the amount of time it will take to…
Tl*the contact owns a 1998 ford econoline. the contact received a recall notice for nhtsa campaign ID number 07v336000 (vehicle speed control). the contact scheduled a recall repair appointment to have the speed control disconnected. he IS dissatisfied with the amount of time it will take to receive the parts and have the cruise control replaced. there had been no failure to date. the purchase date was unknown. the current mileage was 110,000.
- Vehicle speed control › Cruise control
Tl*the contact owns a 1998 ford econoline. the contact received two safety recall notices for the vehicle speed control on august 29, 2007 and october 9, 2007. on november 1, 2007, he called the dealer for the third time and was either hung up on or disconnected. the contact was informed by a…
Tl*the contact owns a 1998 ford econoline. the contact received two safety recall notices for the vehicle speed control on august 29, 2007 and october 9, 2007. on november 1, 2007, he called the dealer for the third time and was either hung up on or disconnected. the contact was informed by a service technician that he could continue driving the vehicle because if it were going to catch fire, it would have by now. the purchase date was unknown. there had been no failure to date. the current mileage was 45,495.
- Tires › Tread/belt
Driving north on I 275 just south of I 94 and tire separated on right rear called aaa because rim was on the ground. Vehicle was a ford conversion van. Replaced with spare, and still have old tire. Tire size IS 30x9.50r 15 discoverer ast. 8JB
- Fuel system, gasoline › Storage › Tank assembly
The consumer experienced a gas leak coming from the top of the fuel tank. The consumer took the vehicle to the dealer and was informed that the leak was the result of a rusted hole in the top of the fuel tank. Provide further details. *jb
- Fuel system, gasoline › Storage › Tank assembly
The fuel tank cracked on the upper portion of the tank in the area where the middle strap crossed the tank. The consumer contacted ford motor co., however there were no recalls, therefore there was no assistance with the purchase of a new fuel tank. *jb *nm
- Engine and engine cooling › Engine › Gasoline
1998 ford econoline E-350 van. 5.4 l gas motor. spark plug blew out of motor. ehicle has 152,000 miles. ref case odi ID number 10024670. reason for making complaint. *ak
- Electrical system
The consumer stated the spark plug "blew" out in the motor while the vehicle was in operation, which caused fuel to be dumped into the engine compartment. vehicle IS a 1998, ford, E150, econoline van.*ak *ts *jb
- Tires · Wheels › Rim
The consumer was driving at highway speed, and attempted to make a turn and it felt as though the right rear tire was flat. The mechanic put the car on the lift, and discovered the rim was broken and the tire fell off. *jb
- Engine and engine cooling › Exhaust system › Manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe
Intake valve gasket failed, causing coolant to enter cylinder and bend push rod. Motor has only 45,000 miles on it. Van had been driven under 500 miles in last six months. *nlm
- Tires
No description given. nlm
- Engine and engine cooling · Engine and engine cooling › Engine · Unknown or other
Engine check light IS illuminating, indicating a malfunction within cylinder head and temperature sensor. mechanic at ford dealer stated that manufacturer has not produced sensor for econoline truck, resulting in false warning to check engine on vehicle. *ak
- Suspension › Front
Constant misalignment causes vehicle to veer to the right while driving. Steering wheel IS still extremely loose when making a right or left turn. Dealer states there IS nothing that can be done. *Ak
- Engine and engine cooling › Engine
While driving engine began to smoke. Vehicle was towed to dealership. Dealer stated rod and engine block cracked. Please provide further details.*ak
- Engine and engine cooling › Engine
Cylinder head leaks coolant externaly from thermostat housing (threw small pin holes). *Ak
- Exterior lighting › Headlights · Exterior lighting › Turn signal › Switch
Both left and right (high and low beam) headlights failed due to a failed multifunction switch. I checked the multiple fuses (4 each) per owners manual relating to headlights and no malfunction observed. Only "flash to pass" high beam was functional. Repair completed by koons ford of annapolis on…
Both left and right (high and low beam) headlights failed due to a failed multifunction switch. I checked the multiple fuses (4 each) per owners manual relating to headlights and no malfunction observed. Only "flash to pass" high beam was functional. Repair completed by koons ford of annapolis on invoice #c66934, 10/06/2001. I think this circuit failure constitutes a very serious design flaw whereby ford allows all headlights, which are protected by individual fused circuits, to go out by the failure of a single switch.
- Structure › Body
Water would enter inside of truck and would short out entire electrical system, interior and exterior lights. warranty expired. *Ak
Defect investigations
NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened these reviews into vehicles including this one.
- Spark plug ejection from cylinder head
On september 6, 2005, odi received a petition requesting that the agency investigate allegations of engine spark plug ejection in certain model year 1997 through 2004 ford vehicles with triton V-8 and V-10 engines.odi received a total of 474 non-duplicative complaints on the subject vehicles where the complainant, or…
On september 6, 2005, odi received a petition requesting that the agency investigate allegations of engine spark plug ejection in certain model year 1997 through 2004 ford vehicles with triton V-8 and V-10 engines.odi received a total of 474 non-duplicative complaints on the subject vehicles where the complainant, or the dealer repairing the vehicle, reported that a spark plug detached from the cylinder and/or ejected from the engine.as of december 8, 2005, odi IS not aware of any allegations where the alleged defect resulted in a loss of vehicle control, a crash, an injury, or a fatality in any of the 10,319,810 subject vehicles.in addition, odi IS aware of only two incidents where the vehicle stalled without restart.information contained in the odi consumer complaints and obtained from 72 telephone interviews with complainants showed the following:(1) 99% of the complaints were on my 1997 to 2002 subject vehicles.(2) most the complainants reported hearing a loud pop while driving or upon starting up the vehicle followed by a loud, repetitive clicking or popping sound.(3) many of the complainants reported that the popping sound was accompanied by some loss of vehicle power; however, in 99% of the incidents reported, the vehicle did not stall.in the very few incidents where the vehicle did stall, most vehicles could be restarted.(4) only a small percentage of the complainants cited that they smelled gas or a slight burning smell when the incident occurred.(5) in all but a very few incidents, vehicle damage was limited to the engine.in one incident, the complaint reported that the fuel rail was damaged and replaced after one of the spark plugs ejected from the engine; however, the complainant reported that the damage did not result in any type of fuel leak or fire.in another incident, the only incident where a fire was alleged, the complainant reported that no fluid leak was observed, but that a fire resulted after the spark plug had ejected from the engine and he had restarted the vehicle and driven to another location.none of the complainants reported any damage to the vehicle hood.(6) only two complainants reported that they observed what appeared to be some drops of fuel coming from the cylinder where the spark plug had failed or on the spark plug itself; however, each of these complainants reported that there was no smoke or flames as a result of his incident.as the petitioner noted, and odi?s analysis showed, it IS possible for a spark plug to detach from the engine cylinder threads in the subject vehicles.however, odi?s analysis of 474 complaints describing such incidents found only a very few alleged any safety-related consequences.none of these showed any evidence of a serious safety consequence.given the large population and relatively long exposure time of the subject vehicles, the complaint analysis indicates that the risk to motor vehicle safety from the alleged defect IS very low.in view of the foregoing, it IS unlikely that nhtsa would issue an order for the notification and remedy of the alleged defect at the conclusion of the investigation requested in the petition.therefore, in view of the need to allocate and prioritize nhtsa?s limited resources to best accomplish the agency?s safety mission, the petition IS denied.
Service bulletins
Technical service bulletins and other communications the manufacturer sent dealers about this vehicle. Ask a dealer for the full document by its number.
- 10148820This SKU is a front upper ball joint. The Customer communication requested return of unsold inventory to inspect for ball studs with excessive rotational friction in the ball joint assembly. Excessive friction in the ball joint assembly may cause a perceptible increase in steering effort.
- 10008195Air bag lamp illuminated.
- 10007812Emission recall 04e10: compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles - fitting connector replacement.
- 10007319Engine or fuel system concerns when using fuel with greater than 5% biodiesel concentration.
- 10004880Diagnostic trouble code (dtc) p0340, possible false code. Various models including 1994-1996 ford excursion.
- 10004879Vehicles equipped with a 7.3L engine (after serial number 0661894) - under valve cover (uvc) harness retainer clip released for service. Includes 2003 econoline, super duty, f650/750 and excursion.
- 10004876Improvements to malfunction indicator lamp (mil) diagnostics.
- 10004871Correct fuel pressure test adapter. Ford special service message.
- 10004848For 7.3L dit engines, rotunda tool has issued an injector performance analyzer that may now be purchased as an effective aid in helping to resolve rough idle concerns.
- 10004845The malfunction indicator lamp (mil) may illuminate with a false diagnostic trouble code (dtc) p1298 (injector drive module (idm) failure).
- 10004843Some vehicles equipped with aftermarket modifications may exhibit a crank but no start or a hard start/long crank condition.
- 10004842Rough idle and engine miss due to injector bore scuffing at green engine break-in.
- 10004840Significant changes have been made to the 7.3L dit engine effective with the 1998 and 1999 model years. The areas affected are the fuel system, high pressure oil system, turbocharger, and engine accessory drive.
- 10003748New transmission cooler flusher - service tips. 2003 escort and super duty f series included.
- 10002627Repeated blown fuses for rear in vehicle circuits with inoperative rear brake or tail lamps.
- 10001943Exhaust air rush noise and lower power.
- 10001937False failure of the vapor management valve (vmv).
- 6092187Some vehicles without front brake dust shields may exhibit premature wear of the front wheel bearings due to damaged inner wheel bearing seals.
- 6092031Some customers may comment on a clunk felt / heard in the steering wheel.
- 6092006Subject regarding tire balance hint.
- 6091929Some vehicles with an illuminated air bag lamp may have modified seat configurations.
- 6091879Information on diagnosing turbine shaft speed (tss) sensor diagnostic trouble codes p0715 / p0717 / and p0718.
- 6091710Some vehicles under severe duty cycles may exhibit cracks on the lower radiator support.
- 6090887Some vehicles without front brake dust shields may exhibit premature wear of the front wheel bearings due to damaged inner wheel bearing seals.
- 6090873Locks failed. Yd
- 6090858Some vehicles with rear brake drums may exhibit brake squeal noise.
- 6090544Information regarding e40d/4r100 transmission fluid cooler flow test specification. *Mjs
- 6090538Information regarding camshaft position (cmp) sensor alignment tool chart. *Mjs
- 6090312Subject regarding E40D / 4r100 transmission fluid cooler flow test specification.
- 6090310Some service manuals may list the incorrect camshaft position sensor alignment tool for vehicles with various engine sizes.
- 6090184Information on replacing and / or repairing malfunctioning (door, ignition and decklid) locks.
- 6090180Experiencing intermittent or low range of the remote keyless entry (rke) system.
- 6090143Subject regarding 4r100 transmission flexplate replacement for vehicles with 7.3L diesel engine.
- 6090087Information on identifying non-approved / alternate refrigerants which could cause safety, and performance concerns if installed in ford a/c systems.
- 6090082Information for servicing and diagnosing brake vibration, brake inspection, and brake friction material replacement.
- 6090072Subject regarding front passenger side stepwell cover not flush.
- 6090055Vehicles built between 3/15/1997 and 12/31/1998 and with 4r70w transmissions may experience delayed or no 2-3 upshift, transmission control indicator lamp illuminated with diagnostic trouble code p0782 stored in memory.
- 6089681Subject on a wire harness terminal repair kit available for repairing electrical wiring harnesses.
- 6089616Emission recall for vehicles that were built with a fuel filler-valve which could leak while the vehicle IS being operated which can exceed evaporative emissions standards.
- 637689Some vehicles may exhibit interference and / or static in the land-mobile radio.
Every Ford Econoline model year
Bars are owner complaints, dots mark years with recalls. Select a year to open its report.