1998 Ford Explorer Sport Trac reliability: common problems

Owners of the 1998 Ford Explorer Sport Trac filed 5 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and service brakes. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 5

What fails most often

1 Electrical system 40% of all complaints
2 Service brakes 40% of all complaints
3 Electronic stability control 20% of all complaints
4 Fuel system 20% of all complaints
5 Latches, locks, linkages 20% of all complaints
6 Vehicle speed control 20% of all complaints

Circle size and colour show each component’s share of NHTSA complaints. Schematic only, not a drawing of the exact model.

Electrical system: 2 complaints (40% of all).
Service brakes: 2 complaints (40% of all).
Electronic stability control: 1 complaints (20% of all).
Fuel system: 1 complaints (20% of all).
Latches, locks, linkages: 1 complaints (20% of all).

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 5 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

door locks, latches, handles1 · 20%
fuel system, fuel smell1 · 20%
rust, corrosion1 · 20%
infotainment or screen glitches1 · 20%
smoke, burning smell, fire1 · 20%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash	Technical service bulletins (TSB)
Electrical system	2	0	0
Service brakes	2	0	0
Electronic stability control	1	0	0
Fuel system	1	0	0
Latches, locks, linkages	1	0	0
Vehicle speed control	1	0	0

What owners report

Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.

The radio and other components will cut on and off when they want..the brake paddle works when it want .
Electrical system · 2019-03-03 · NHTSA complaint #11183727
The brake line on both of my 1996 and 1998 ford explorer rusted out last year and this year on both suvs, causing the brake system to totally fail on the 1996 and lost one set of brakes on the 1998. We were very lucky. The problem was noticed when parked.
Service brakes · 2006-08-27 · NHTSA complaint #10166683
The fire caused my vehicle, a 1994 buick century to catch fire as well. Both vehicles were totaled. The fire investigator ruled the fire as and "unknown cause" and ruled out arson or foul play.
Vehicle speed control · 2006-02-02 · NHTSA complaint #10149271
The driver's side door will not open from the inside or outside. The consumer was aware of the ford technical service bulletin regarding lock components. The door could not be opened with the key or from the inside handle. The door could not be unlocked without excessive effort.
Latches, locks, linkages · 2005-03-23 · NHTSA complaint #10115703
I have only 36.000 miles on it and last month I was just driving for about 2 miles when I sensed a powerful smell of gas. Pulled over imediately, opened the hood a I saw gasolin pouring on the engine and the batteries from the two fuel lines going into the feuel injection system in top of the engine.
Electrical system · 2005-02-10 · NHTSA complaint #10110295

When owners complained

NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.

20052
20062
20191

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 13,113 of 32,257 model years in the NHTSA data (top 41% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Explorer Sport Trac has 55 complaints (13 years in the data). This year has 5, below average.

What to check before buying

Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Electronic stability control. ABS/ESC sensors, steering angle, codes after suspension repair.
Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.

Other years of this model

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 1998 Ford Explorer Sport Trac?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, service brakes, electronic stability control. Total complaints: 5. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: door locks, latches, handles (20%), fuel system, fuel smell (20%), rust, corrosion (20%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1998 Ford Explorer Sport Trac?

NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.

Should I buy a 1998 Ford Explorer Sport Trac from a US auction?

Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.

Other 1998 models

Read also

Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-06.