AI Damage1998 Ford Ranger EV: common problems
Owners of the 1998 Ford Ranger EV filed 6 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and cooling and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 6
What fails most often
- 1 Engine and cooling 33% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 17% of all complaints
- 3 Equipment 17% of all complaints
- 4 Powertrain 17% of all complaints
- 5 Tires 17% of all complaints
- 6 Vehicle speed control 17% of all complaints
- Engine and cooling: 2 complaints (33% of all).
- Electrical system: 1 complaints (17% of all).
- Equipment: 1 complaints (17% of all).
- Powertrain: 1 complaints (17% of all).
- Tires: 1 complaints (17% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 6 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 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 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.
Tl contact owns a 1998 ford ranger ev. On october 23, 2007, the contact received a recall notice for the vehicle speed cruise control. She called the dealer and was informed that the parts would be unavailable until january of 2008. She has not notified the manufacturer. There had been no failure to date.
It was not shifting right, it was overheating, leaking oil and radiator fluid. Since the problems were found the vehicle has been brought back into the company for repairs over and over again, it is now four months later and the problem still has not been fixed.
Consumer can remove the key and still turn the ignition switch. Consumer was told the part that was defective was not covered under warranty.
The belts cut through the left front tire from the inside. From the outside, the tires have three cuts in them so deep the belts can be seen. I replaced the tires because of the firestone recall scare.
I asked the mechanic who diagnosed the problem and fixed it what the possible cause could be, and the answer given was "normal wear and tear." this does not seem reasonable since this truck has been carefully maintained by this dealership since new, and has no severe use, or unusual operating conditions.
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 13,281 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 36% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Ranger EV has 7 complaints (4 years in the data). This year has 6, about average.
What to check before buying
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- 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 Ranger EV?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine and cooling, electrical system, equipment. Total complaints: 6. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: A/C or heater (17%), oil leak or consumption (17%), overheating, coolant loss (17%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1998 Ford Ranger EV?
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 Ranger EV 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.