AI Damage1998 Ford XL: common problems
Owners of the 1998 Ford XL filed 6 complaints with NHTSA, most often about suspension and service brakes. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 6
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Suspension 50% of all complaints
- 2 Service brakes 33% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 17% of all complaints
- 4 Powertrain 17% of all complaints
- 5 Steering 17% of all complaints
- 6 Vehicle speed control 17% of all complaints
- Suspension: 3 complaints (50% of all).
- Service brakes: 2 complaints (33% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 1 complaints (17% of all).
- Powertrain: 1 complaints (17% of all).
- Steering: 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suspension | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 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 engine light flashed for a moment, and the brake pedal went to the floor. She experienced total system failure. She could not avoid hitting the car in front of her. That car hit the car in front of it. The car was totaled! This is the second time total failure occurred.
The truck squeaks so loud at 0 mph, just shake truck side to side and it sounds terrible. Its the front and rear end bushings due with some steering problems. This is a manufacture defeat and not wear and tear on this vehicle. Not sure about the suspension but it plays a role in this whole problem..
Air compressor that keeps the automatic self leveling keeps going on ,and sounding very loud . My truck is going down in the rear end, now it does not want to work, I checked the fuses and they were ok .
On 5/25/2003 I purchased a 1998 ford xlt [xxx] at the time I could not afford a extended warranty but the dealer stated that it had a warranty left of either 1 month or 1000 miles left on it.
While depressing the accelerator pedal it descended to the floorboard. This caused the vehicle to slow down. Consumer was able to maintain control of the vehicle ,and pulled over. Vehicle was towed to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic could not duplicate the problem.
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 13,278 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 36% most complained about).
What to check before buying
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- 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.
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1998 Ford XL?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: suspension, service brakes, electrical system. Total complaints: 6. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: brake failure (17%), vibration (17%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1998 Ford XL?
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 XL 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 2026-11-05.