1998 Ford F-150 Power Train Problems
Owners have filed 83 complaints with NHTSA about power train problems on the 1998 Ford F-150, 6% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 95,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “transmission failed” (8% of reports).
- 83power train complaints
- 95,000median miles at failure
- 6mention a crash
- 4mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $3,200typical repair cost reported by owners
- 35%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.
- Transmission failed: mentioned in 7 of 83 complaints (8%)
- Gear position: mentioned in 6 of 83 complaints (7%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical power train repair on the 1998 Ford F-150 at $3,200, and half of them between $2,300 and $3,600.
Based on 5 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2000–2004), 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 power train problems happen?
Based on 27 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 83 complaints, 6 mention a crash, 4 an injury.
Ford F-150 power train complaints by model year
| Model year | Power Train complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 F-150 | 25 | 23% | 5,330 |
| 2024 F-150 | 58 | 30% | 10,500 |
| 2023 F-150 | 158 | 38% | 33,500 |
| 2022 F-150 | 160 | 27% | 28,791 |
| 2021 F-150 | 318 | 31% | 55,000 |
| 2020 F-150 | 357 | 49% | 59,000 |
| 2019 F-150 | 736 | 55% | 66,500 |
| 2018 F-150 | 1,014 | 44% | 60,000 |
| 2017 F-150 | 546 | 38% | 83,700 |
| 2016 F-150 | 603 | 29% | 97,000 |
| 2015 F-150 | 425 | 25% | 88,000 |
| 2014 F-150 | 425 | 28% | 101,000 |
| 2013 F-150 | 1,342 | 45% | 94,000 |
| 2012 F-150 | 681 | 38% | 90,000 |
| 2011 F-150 | 826 | 38% | 96,634 |
| 2010 F-150 | 121 | 14% | 60,000 |
| 2009 F-150 | 33 | 10% | 38,673 |
| 2008 F-150 | 50 | 14% | 50,000 |
| 2007 F-150 | 57 | 12% | 70,000 |
| 2006 F-150 | 46 | 8% | 38,500 |
| 2005 F-150 | 112 | 10% | 65,850 |
| 2004 F-150 | 232 | 11% | 35,000 |
| 2003 F-150 | 62 | 15% | 40,000 |
| 2002 F-150 | 53 | 6% | 54,260 |
| 2001 F-150 | 74 | 6% | 64,239 |
| 2000 F-150 | 47 | 4% | 54,104 |
| 1999 F-150 | 75 | 7% | 84,000 |
| 1998 F-150 | 83 | 6% | 95,000 |
| 1997 F-150 | 151 | 5% | 99,904 |
| 1996 F-150 | 26 | 8% | 109,750 |
| 1995 F-150 | 75 | 12% | 120,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Power train:automatic transmission:gear position indication (prndl)
Problem: Vehicle description: light duty pickup trucks and multi-purpose passenger vehicles. If the automatic transmission shift cable assembly was not fully attached to the steering column bracket, the shift cable assembly can come out of the bracket. The vehicle operator would then not be able to shift the transmission from one of the drive gear positions into the park position even though the gear shift selector would indicate "park."
Risk: The condition would not allow a disengagement of the transmission from the park position or affect proper neutral start switch operation. Unintended vehicle movement could occur if the parking brake was not set.
Fix: Dealers will make the proper attachment of the transmission shift control cable to the steering column bracket and add a tie strap to that connection.
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 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…
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…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 1998 Ford F-150s have power train problems?
No. NHTSA has 83 owner complaints about power train for the 1998 Ford F-150 (6% of the 1,381 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 F-150 power train?
Yes: 1 safety recall list power train. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do power train problems start?
The median reported mileage is 95,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix power train problems on the 1998 Ford F-150?
Owners report a typical cost of $3,200 (half paid between $2,300 and $3,600), from 5 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about power train problems on the 1998 Ford F-150?
The most frequent phrase is “transmission failed”, in 7 of 83 complaints, followed by “gear position” (6).
Other 1998 Ford F-150 problems
See all 1998 Ford F-150 problems or power train problems across all F-150 years.