VehicleVerdict

1998 Ford Explorer steering problems

The 1998 Ford Explorer has 74 steering complaints filed with NHTSA — 3% of the year's total, and up sharply from the prior model year.

74

Steering complaints

3%

Share of year

12

Crash-involved

0

Related recalls

Steering complaints by year

Explorer steering complaints by model year836 complaints1986: 1 complaints1988: 1 complaints1991: 10 complaints1992: 25 complaints1993: 19 complaints1994: 26 complaints1995: 55 complaints1996: 53 complaints1997: 35 complaints1998: 74 complaints1999: 42 complaints2000: 44 complaints2001: 22 complaints2002: 158 complaints2003: 28 complaints2004: 42 complaints2005: 12 complaints2006: 9 complaints2007: 10 complaints2008: 13 complaints2009: 1 complaints2010: 4 complaints2011: 742 complaints2012: 357 complaints2013: 836 complaints2014: 495 complaints2015: 344 complaints2016: 534 complaints2017: 74 complaints2018: 20 complaints2019: 8 complaints2020: 25 complaints2021: 5 complaints2022: 9 complaints2023: 12 complaints2024: 2 complaints2025: 7 complaints2026: 1 complaints
Explorer steering complaints by model year. Red bars are years to avoid.

Common questions

How many steering complaints does the 1998 Ford Explorer have?

NHTSA has 74 complaints about the 1998 Ford Explorer steering — 3% 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.