VehicleVerdict

1998 Ford Explorer engine problems

The 1998 Ford Explorer has 212 engine complaints filed with NHTSA — 9% of the year's total, and roughly flat versus the prior model year.

212

Engine complaints

9%

Share of year

2

Crash-involved

0

Related recalls

Engine complaints by year

Explorer engine complaints by model year494 complaints1990: 2 complaints1991: 66 complaints1992: 84 complaints1993: 68 complaints1994: 89 complaints1995: 55 complaints1996: 96 complaints1997: 227 complaints1998: 212 complaints1999: 112 complaints2000: 102 complaints2001: 47 complaints2002: 214 complaints2003: 91 complaints2004: 116 complaints2005: 47 complaints2006: 227 complaints2007: 38 complaints2008: 25 complaints2009: 5 complaints2010: 17 complaints2011: 104 complaints2012: 93 complaints2013: 292 complaints2014: 263 complaints2015: 292 complaints2016: 494 complaints2017: 311 complaints2018: 120 complaints2019: 24 complaints2020: 131 complaints2021: 55 complaints2022: 26 complaints2023: 11 complaints2024: 1 complaints2025: 7 complaints2026: 4 complaints
Explorer engine complaints by model year. Red bars are years to avoid.

What owners report

“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD EXPLORER. AFTER THE CONTACT PARKED THE VEHICLE IN HIS DRIVEWAY, HE NOTICED FIREFIGHTERS OUTSIDE OF HIS HOUSE. HE THEN NOTICED THAT HIS VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. THE ENGINE WAS DETERMINED TO BE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT YET BEEN…”

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Engine · November 20, 2008 · fire

Common questions

How many engine complaints does the 1998 Ford Explorer have?

NHTSA has 212 complaints about the 1998 Ford Explorer engine — 9% 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.