1998 Ford Explorer Steering Problems
Owners have filed 70 complaints with NHTSA about steering problems on the 1998 Ford Explorer, 4% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 119,493 miles. The words owners use most often: “rack pinion” (20% of reports).
- 70steering complaints
- 119,493median miles at failure
- 11mention a crash
- 6mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- 33%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.
- Rack pinion: mentioned in 14 of 70 complaints (20%)
- Turning steering: mentioned in 5 of 70 complaints (7%)
At what mileage do steering problems happen?
Based on 8 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 70 complaints, 11 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 6 an injury.
Ford Explorer steering complaints by model year
| Model year | Steering complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Explorer | 1 | 2% | — |
| 2025 Explorer | 9 | 9% | — |
| 2024 Explorer | 2 | 10% | 3,600 |
| 2023 Explorer | 12 | 11% | 3,000 |
| 2022 Explorer | 9 | 3% | 108,500 |
| 2021 Explorer | 6 | 1% | 11,510 |
| 2020 Explorer | 28 | 2% | 17,000 |
| 2019 Explorer | 9 | 3% | 56,000 |
| 2018 Explorer | 20 | 3% | 35,000 |
| 2017 Explorer | 76 | 4% | 42,917 |
| 2016 Explorer | 532 | 22% | 58,000 |
| 2015 Explorer | 347 | 19% | 60,000 |
| 2014 Explorer | 498 | 30% | 90,000 |
| 2013 Explorer | 835 | 37% | 95,000 |
| 2012 Explorer | 360 | 43% | 97,282 |
| 2011 Explorer | 742 | 62% | 68,000 |
| 2010 Explorer | 4 | 3% | 39,500 |
| 2009 Explorer | 1 | 3% | 76,000 |
| 2008 Explorer | 13 | 9% | 91,621 |
| 2007 Explorer | 10 | 5% | 80,729 |
| 2006 Explorer | 9 | 1% | 97,500 |
| 2005 Explorer | 12 | 2% | 70,000 |
| 2004 Explorer | 41 | 3% | 88,386 |
| 2003 Explorer | 27 | 2% | 99,250 |
| 2002 Explorer | 155 | 5% | 92,150 |
| 2001 Explorer | 21 | 6% | 109,400 |
| 2000 Explorer | 40 | 4% | 89,000 |
| 1999 Explorer | 38 | 3% | 86,500 |
| 1998 Explorer | 70 | 4% | 119,493 |
| 1997 Explorer | 33 | 2% | 196,000 |
| 1996 Explorer | 47 | 3% | 97,940 |
| 1995 Explorer | 52 | 6% | 160,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists steering 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.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 ford explorer. While driving 5 mph, the steering rod fell off and caused the steering to fail. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 160,000.
The explorer brake peddle went to the floor to stop the vehicle . There was smoke coming from under the hood . In a few seconds , the truck was in flames. Police and firemen were called to the location . They put the fire out in a few minutes . *tr
Tl*the contact owns a 1998 ford explorer. While driving 30 mph, the contact lost steering ability and defective parts punctured the front passenger side tire. The failure caused him to crash into another vehicle. The vehicle was towed to a local body shop. The contact felt that the cause of failure…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 1998 Ford Explorers have steering problems?
No. NHTSA has 70 owner complaints about steering for the 1998 Ford Explorer (4% 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 steering?
No recall currently lists steering for this vehicle.
At what mileage do steering problems start?
The median reported mileage is 119,493 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about steering problems on the 1998 Ford Explorer?
The most frequent phrase is “rack pinion”, in 14 of 70 complaints, followed by “turning steering” (5).
Other 1998 Ford Explorer problems
See all 1998 Ford Explorer problems or steering problems across all Explorer years.