VehicleVerdict

1998 Ford Explorer airbags problems

The 1998 Ford Explorer has 41 airbags complaints filed with NHTSA — 2% of the year's total, and up sharply from the prior model year.

41

Airbags complaints

2%

Share of year

29

Crash-involved

0

Related recalls

Airbags complaints by year

Explorer airbags complaints by model year163 complaints1991: 3 complaints1992: 1 complaints1993: 5 complaints1994: 11 complaints1995: 31 complaints1996: 45 complaints1997: 27 complaints1998: 41 complaints1999: 101 complaints2000: 70 complaints2001: 28 complaints2002: 163 complaints2003: 50 complaints2004: 39 complaints2005: 15 complaints2006: 8 complaints2007: 12 complaints2008: 4 complaints2009: 2 complaints2010: 7 complaints2011: 44 complaints2012: 27 complaints2013: 18 complaints2014: 47 complaints2015: 84 complaints2016: 99 complaints2017: 32 complaints2018: 10 complaints2019: 2 complaints2020: 3 complaints2021: 6 complaints2022: 7 complaints2023: 4 complaints2024: 1 complaints2025: 3 complaints
Explorer airbags complaints by model year. Red bars are years to avoid.

Common questions

How many airbags complaints does the 1998 Ford Explorer have?

NHTSA has 41 complaints about the 1998 Ford Explorer airbags — 2% of all complaints filed for that model year.

Related

Based on NHTSA ODI data through June 2026. Complaints are consumer-reported and unverified. Updated July 5, 2026.

Compiled by Sharon Ben-Moshe, Founder.