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1998 Ford Mustang problems

The most common problem on the 1998 Ford Mustang is engine and cooling, typically around 107,000 miles. Its complaint count is close to a typical Mustang model year.

Typical yearClose to a typical year
Owner complaints
236
Recalls
4
Service bulletins
173
Worst area
Engine
Fuel economy
18-21mpg

The worst 1998 Ford Mustang problems

Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.

Problems by type

Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.

Specific symptoms reported on the 1998 Ford Mustang

Fire or smoke 10Fuel pump 10Seat belt 7Stalling 7No deployment 6Loss of power 6Fuel smell 5Overheating 5Tire blowout 5

Recalls 4

Parking brake: conventionalReported October 30, 2000 · 434,000 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with manual transmissions. If a vehicle is parked with the parking brake not fully applied and not in first gear, as directed in the owner guide, and the self adjustment pawl subsequently skips one or two teeth, the vehicle could move on some grades.
Risk
This could result in unintended vehicle movement and a vehicle crash without prior warning.
Remedy
Dealers will modify the parking brake control and install a plate or over-bracket to the control to lock the self adjust mechanism in position following adjustment.

Recall number 00V349000 · Recall details

Vehicle speed controlReported March 30, 1999 · 898,739 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Vehicle description: certain 1997-1999 rhd explorer equipped with 4.0l ohv/sohc engines and cruise control built from may 29, 1996 through march 4, 1999; 1998-1999 explorer/mountaineers equipped with 4.0l ohv/sohc or 5.0l engines or 1998-1999 rangers equipped with 2.5l, 3.0l ffv/efi or 4.0l engines and cruise control built from january 5, 1998 through march 4, 1999; 1998-1999 mustangs equipped with 3.8l, 4.6l 2-valve or 4-valve engines and cruise control built from march 2, 1998 through march 4, 1999; 1999 f250/f350/f450/f550 (over 8,500 lbs.) trucks equipped with 5.4l or 6.8l engines and cruise control built from march 2, 1998 through march 4, 1999; and 1999 f-53 stripped chassis equipped with 5.4l or 6.8l engines and cruise control built from march 2, 1998 through march 4, 1999. A cruise control cable can interfere with the speed control servo pulley and not allow the throttle to return to idle when disengaging the cruise control.
Risk
If the cruise control is used and this condition is present, a stuck throttle could result, which could potentially result in a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the cruise control cables. At the present time, the replacement cables are not available. Customers are being advised not to use the cruise control system until a replacement can be made.

Recall number 99V062001 · Recall details

Fuel system, gasoline: fuel injection systemReported November 24, 1997 · 8,000 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with 4.6l engines. Some of these vehicles has missing or inadequate braze joints between the fuel rail body and the fuel rail mounting bracket(s).
Risk
If the bracket separates from the rail, the rail can lift one or more of the injectors, and fuel leakage will result. In the presence of an ignition source, a fire could occur.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the fuel rail on these vehicles.

Recall number 97V216000 · Recall details

Steering: gear box: shaft sectorReported September 30, 1997 · 2,250 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles and mini-vans. The rack and pinion steering gears may have damaged input shaft bearings.
Risk
This condition can increase steering efforts, affecting steering control.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect the date code on the rack and pinion steering gear, and, if necessary, replace those rack and pinion assemblies that fall within the suspect date code range. The date codes for windstar model vehicles are 97jb09 or 97jc08; the date codes for mustang model vehicles are 97j09b or 97j08b.

Recall number 97V165000 · Recall details

See all 4 recalls for the 1998 Ford Mustang

Defect investigations

Spark plug ejection from cylinder headOpened September 22, 2005, closed January 4, 2006

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 the federal safety agency 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 the federal safety agency?s limited resources to best accomplish the agency?s safety mission, the petition is denied.

DP05005

Fires in the center consoleOpened May 3, 1999, closed July 27, 1999

There is no summary currently available

PE99029

Technical service bulletins for the 1998 Ford Mustang 173

Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.

See all 173 bulletins for the 1998 Ford Mustang

1998 Ford Mustang fuel economy

Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.

EngineDriveCityHighwayCombined
3.8L 6‑cylRWD17-1826-2720-21
4.6L 8‑cylRWD15-1622-2418

What 1998 Ford Mustang owners say

Most recent owner complaints, unedited.

Filed May 22, 2021 · Brakes · VA

Rear right parking brake does not engage and when trying to come to an emergency stop brake is ineffective

Filed Feb 6, 2020 · Airbags · 99,000 miles · VA · crash · 1 injury

Stirring-wheel airbags did not deploy on getting hit head-but on the passenger side did deploy but due to the defect stirring wheel airbag not deploying the driver to hit the windshield

Filed Oct 3, 2019 · Seat belts · 16,146 miles · MI

Passenger side seatbelt will not. Work , cannot pull out to use it... The repair shop is having a hard time finding. A retractor. Mechanism....my family cannot sit in the front passenger seat. Right now

Filed Oct 23, 2017 · Airbags · 147,000 miles · NY · crash · 2 injuries

Vehicle was involved in an accident, neither front airbags deployed

Filed May 11, 2016 · Airbags, Seats · 124,000 miles · NV · crash · 1 injury

On may 5, 2016, I was driving on hwy 395 (nevada). Driving at approximately 40 MPH due to rain/hail. I felt my car begin to hydroplane, and then began to spin out of control across the hwy. At least 5 complete circles until I slammed into a concrete wall where the car came to a stop. My airbags did not deploy. The drivers seat bolts broke upon impact as well. No other cars were involved, but I suffered multiple bruises on my rt. Arm, as well as severe whiplash and internal bruising from seat breaking free upon impact. My back/spine are in serious pain due to being knocked out of alignment when the seat broke, and airbags did not deploy. I did not file a claim with my insurance company, as I only have liability insurance, however I do have an accident case number from the nevada highway patrol: # 160500374 date: 05/05/2016 time: 9:56 am

Filed May 28, 2015 · Electrical, Engine · 112,000 miles · FL

Tl* the contact owns a 1998 ford mustang. Immediately after the vehicle was purchased, it was inspected by an independent mechanic. The mechanic diagnosed that the ignition wires and engine needed to be replaced. The mechanic also diagnosed that the vehicle needed to be properly aligned. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 112,000.

Filed Sep 16, 2014 · Fuel system · 274,067 miles · CA

The fuel filler neck grommet is leaking. According to ford, it's a common problem, but...it causes a gasoline leak if I try to fill it over about 3/8 tank, and throws gas out, when I make a left turn. *tr this is a fire/explosion waiting to happen. Ford should have to replace these with grommets that do not break down.

Filed May 6, 2014 · Acceleration, Brakes · 78,840 miles · GA

I was braking at a red light behind a toyota prius. When I had almost completely stopped, my car lurched forward, with my foot still on the brake. I lifted my foot from the brake for an instant, then slammed the brake pedal down, stopping my car just a couple inches from slamming into the car in front of me.

Filed Mar 13, 2012 · Acceleration · FL

Tl* the contact owned a 1998 ford mustang . The contact stated that while driving 45 MPH and without warning, the engine started to rev and the rpms increased drastically as the vehicle abnormally accelerated. The contact had to apply extreme pressure to the brake pedal in order to stop the vehicle and turned off the engine. While doing so, the contact had to drive wedging the tire against the curb in order for the vehicle to lose speed. The vehicle was then towed to an authorized dealer where they diagnosed that the cruise control cable was frayed and coming apart. The vehicle was repaired with a new cable. The failure mileage was unknown and the current mileage was 135,000.

Filed Apr 19, 2011 · TX

Well, I don't know if it's the car seat or the car model but when I install the base of the car seat on the car I tighten it as much as I can and the car seat snaps firm on it but the base is not firm on the car and one time the whole thing flipped over when I made a slow turn. (related vehicle information: model year=1998, make=ford, model=mustang).

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Other model years

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Questions about the 1998 Ford Mustang

Is the 1998 Ford Mustang reliable?

Owners have filed 236 complaints about the 1998 Ford Mustang, close to a typical Mustang model year.

What is the most common problem with the 1998 Ford Mustang?

Engine and cooling, with 41 complaints, typically around 107,000 miles. Next is brakes (33).

How many recalls does the 1998 Ford Mustang have?

4 recalls, covering parking brake, vehicle speed control and fuel system, gasoline.

What year does the Ford Mustang have bad engine?

The Ford Mustang model years with the most engine complaints are 1995 (341 complaints), 1994 (162 complaints) and 1996 (84 complaints).

What gas mileage does the 1998 Ford Mustang get?

Official estimates for the 1998 Ford Mustang range from 18 to 21 mpg combined. The most efficient version (3.8L 6-cyl, RWD) gets 17-18 city and 26-27 highway.

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