VehicleVerdict

1998 Ford Mustang engine problems

The 1998 Ford Mustang has 48 engine complaints filed with NHTSA — 16% of the year's total, and roughly flat versus the prior model year.

48

Engine complaints

16%

Share of year

2

Crash-involved

0

Related recalls

Engine complaints by year

Mustang engine complaints by model year410 complaints1978: 2 complaints1983: 1 complaints1984: 6 complaints1985: 3 complaints1986: 6 complaints1987: 5 complaints1988: 5 complaints1989: 7 complaints1990: 10 complaints1991: 7 complaints1992: 7 complaints1993: 12 complaints1994: 194 complaints1995: 410 complaints1996: 95 complaints1997: 42 complaints1998: 48 complaints1999: 35 complaints2000: 47 complaints2001: 27 complaints2002: 27 complaints2003: 45 complaints2004: 8 complaints2005: 44 complaints2006: 27 complaints2007: 20 complaints2008: 8 complaints2009: 4 complaints2010: 12 complaints2011: 55 complaints2012: 33 complaints2013: 23 complaints2014: 19 complaints2015: 50 complaints2016: 80 complaints2017: 34 complaints2018: 61 complaints2019: 56 complaints2020: 25 complaints2021: 10 complaints2022: 6 complaints2023: 2 complaints2024: 9 complaints2026: 1 complaints
Mustang engine complaints by model year. Red bars are years to avoid.

What owners report

“WHILE TRAVELING AT APPROX. 25 MPH DRIVER PROCEEDED TO MAKE A RIGHT HAND TURN WHEN IN THE CURVE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST ALL POWER. ENGINE QUIT, DRIVER HAD NO CONTROL OVER STEERING OR BRAKES. ACCIDENT OCCURRED STRIKING TWO VEHICLES. 2 CARS DETERMINED TO BE TOTALLED, 3RD CAR BEING EVALUATED FOR LOSS.…”

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Engine · August 24, 2000 · crash

Common questions

How many engine complaints does the 1998 Ford Mustang have?

NHTSA has 48 complaints about the 1998 Ford Mustang engine — 16% 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.