1998 Ford Explorer Engine and Engine Cooling Problems
Owners have filed 189 complaints with NHTSA about engine and engine cooling problems on the 1998 Ford Explorer, 10% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 100,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “timing chain” (6% of reports).
- 189engine and engine cooling complaints
- 100,000median miles at failure
- 2mention a crash
- 2mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $7,900typical repair cost reported by owners
- 30%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Timing chain: mentioned in 12 of 189 complaints (6%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical engine and engine cooling repair on the 1998 Ford Explorer at $7,900, and half of them between $5,150 and $8,650.
Based on 7 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2000–2008), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do engine and engine cooling problems happen?
Based on 36 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 189 complaints, 2 mention a crash, 13 a fire, 2 an injury.
Ford Explorer engine and engine cooling complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine and Engine Cooling complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Explorer | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2023 Explorer | 1 | 1% | 35,682 |
| 2022 Explorer | 2 | 1% | 88,689 |
| 2021 Explorer | 10 | 2% | 60,000 |
| 2020 Explorer | 21 | 2% | 51,250 |
| 2019 Explorer | 6 | 2% | 63,000 |
| 2018 Explorer | 29 | 4% | 71,699 |
| 2017 Explorer | 77 | 5% | 89,600 |
| 2016 Explorer | 114 | 5% | 75,650 |
| 2015 Explorer | 66 | 4% | 59,220 |
| 2014 Explorer | 67 | 4% | 27,950 |
| 2013 Explorer | 67 | 3% | 61,151 |
| 2012 Explorer | 14 | 2% | 56,734 |
| 2011 Explorer | 21 | 2% | 85,000 |
| 2010 Explorer | 3 | 3% | 14,000 |
| 2009 Explorer | 1 | 3% | 88,350 |
| 2008 Explorer | 4 | 3% | 67,000 |
| 2007 Explorer | 10 | 5% | 53,000 |
| 2006 Explorer | 164 | 26% | 45,776 |
| 2005 Explorer | 29 | 6% | 44,113 |
| 2004 Explorer | 71 | 5% | 55,000 |
| 2003 Explorer | 69 | 6% | 50,000 |
| 2002 Explorer | 163 | 5% | 74,000 |
| 2001 Explorer | 39 | 10% | 86,000 |
| 2000 Explorer | 90 | 9% | 56,700 |
| 1999 Explorer | 100 | 7% | 64,000 |
| 1998 Explorer | 189 | 10% | 100,000 |
| 1997 Explorer | 198 | 11% | 98,000 |
| 1996 Explorer | 81 | 6% | 78,000 |
| 1995 Explorer | 45 | 5% | 139,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists engine and engine cooling for the 1998 Ford Explorer. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
My car was parked in the driveway and was off. We heard a noise from inside the house and my 1998 ford explorer was in flames from the engine area. We had to call the fire department and the car was quickly engulfed. *tr
When backing up at 5mph vehicle accelerated at high speed went up curb and hit guardrail. After 2-3- seconds vehicle dropped down to 0 mph. *tr
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 ford explorer. While the engine was on she exited the vehicle for a brief moment. When she returned the vehicle was engulfed with smoke. She removed her children and exited the vehicle. After waiting for five minutes the vehicle caught on fire. The fire department was…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 1998 Ford Explorers have engine and engine cooling problems?
No. NHTSA has 189 owner complaints about engine and engine cooling for the 1998 Ford Explorer (10% of the 1,959 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 1998 Ford Explorer engine and engine cooling?
No recall currently lists engine and engine cooling for this vehicle.
At what mileage do engine and engine cooling problems start?
The median reported mileage is 100,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix engine and engine cooling problems on the 1998 Ford Explorer?
Owners report a typical cost of $7,900 (half paid between $5,150 and $8,650), from 7 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about engine and engine cooling problems on the 1998 Ford Explorer?
The most frequent phrase is “timing chain”, in 12 of 189 complaints.
Other 1998 Ford Explorer problems
- Tires problems (696)
- Vehicle Speed Control problems (281)
- Electrical System problems (114)
- Suspension problems (111)
- Visibility problems (108)
- Power Train problems (103)
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems (86)
- Seats problems (70)
See all 1998 Ford Explorer problems or engine and engine cooling problems across all Explorer years.