AI Damage1998 Ford Navigator: common problems
Owners of the 1998 Ford Navigator filed 5 complaints with NHTSA, most often about structure and vehicle speed control. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 5
What fails most often
- 1 Structure 40% of all complaints
- 2 Vehicle speed control 40% of all complaints
- 3 Service brakes 20% of all complaints
- 4 Tires 20% of all complaints
- Structure: 2 complaints (40% of all).
- Vehicle speed control: 2 complaints (40% of all).
- Service brakes: 1 complaints (20% of all).
- Tires: 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).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Structure | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 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.
Dt*: the contact stated while the vehicle was parked it caught on fire. The entire front end of the vehicle burned and the vehicle was totaled. The fire did originate from under the hood. Prior to the fire the cruise control would not engage properly.
On 9/25/2005 about 2:30 am my lincoln navigator caught on fire. I was told by the fire inspector that the truck was involved in a recall by ford. Apparently the cruise control switch was the cause of the fire. The truck was not on it was just sitting in front of my townhouse villa and it just caught on fire.
While opening the rear door, the hinges broke causing the door to fall off. The consumer was unable to use the rear door. There were no recalls found.
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 14,283 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 39% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Navigator has 3 complaints (7 years in the data). This year has 5, above average.
What to check before buying
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
- Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Tires. Tire age by DOT code, bulges, wear pattern.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1998 Ford Navigator?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: structure, vehicle speed control, service brakes. Total complaints: 5. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: smoke, burning smell, fire (40%), rust, corrosion (20%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1998 Ford Navigator?
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 Navigator 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.