AI Damage1998 Ford Mustang GT reliability: common problems
Owners of the 1998 Ford Mustang GT filed 53 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and cooling and seat belts. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 53
- involving a crash
- 2
What fails most often
- 1 Engine and cooling 83% of all complaints
- 2 Seat belts 4% of all complaints
- 3 Vehicle speed control 4% of all complaints
- 4 Electrical system 2% of all complaints
- 5 Fuel system 2% of all complaints
- 6 Parking brake 2% of all complaints
- 7 Service brakes 2% of all complaints
- 8 Structure 2% of all complaints
- Engine and cooling: 44 complaints (83% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Seat belts: 2 complaints (4% of all).
- Vehicle speed control: 2 complaints (4% of all).
- Electrical system: 1 complaints (2% of all).
- Fuel system: 1 complaints (2% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 53 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and cooling | 44 | 1 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Parking brake | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Visibility | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 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.
It's made from plastic and it can not withstand all the pressore and heat that it will crack very ealry and cause cooling fluid to leak , and with all that stem coming from the hood it will be so hard to see the road and will cause a fire from the electric system shorting out from the fluid.
Road hugger rage tires, mfg. By kelly springfield, size 245/45/17, have developed substantial circumferential sidewall cracks on low mileage, high tread tires. Same cracks present in 3 of the 4 tires on the vehicle. This is the same as described in recall 98t002 on similar tires by same mfg.
Passenger seat belt failing extended and locked. Unusable
This condition may result in engine coolant leakage which, if not detected or ignored, will cause engine overheating. Complete loss of coolant may result in engine damage or engine failure.
Approximately fifteen minutes after parking and exiting the vehicle, the engine compartment became engulfed in flames. The vehicle was destroyed. There was damage to another vehicle and to a neighboring home; however, the contact did not know the extent of the damage. A fire report was filed.
Last friday my 80 year mother got lost and I sent my niece to pick her up, and on their way home the car caught fire and died, my niece thinking quickly turned the car into fire station and was able to get help fast. I thank god my mother was not driving when the hood fire started, she would have wrecked for sure.
Last month the abs light came on in the car. I took it in last week and they told me the hydraulic control unit was bad. It would be $992.00 plus to fix it. I spent $115.00 just so they could tell me this. I am financially strapped, I do not have this kind of money. The car is in mint condition.
Potential fire hazard-if not explosion capability if ignited while fueling. Perhaps a design flaw in the ""o" ring. Purchased car in 1998,, wonders...should this part have worn out in this manner?
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 5,029 of 32,257 model years in the NHTSA data (top 16% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Mustang GT has 63 complaints (11 years in the data). This year has 53, below average.
What to check before buying
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
- Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1998 Ford Mustang GT?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine and cooling, seat belts, vehicle speed control. Total complaints: 53. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: overheating, coolant loss (19%), engine failure or replacement (8%), smoke, burning smell, fire (8%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1998 Ford Mustang GT?
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 Mustang GT 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.