Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1998 Ford Mustang, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Engine and engine cooling40
- Fuel system, gasoline29
- Steering22
- Power train21
- Seat belts18
- Vehicle speed control18
- Parking brake17
- Suspension16
- Air bags15
- Service brakes, hydraulic13
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 31 injuries and 1 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 41 1998 Mustang vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 36 people died inside them, and 8 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 1998 Ford Mustang failed the safety check 1.06% of the time — 38% less often than the average 1998 passenger car (1.71%). Median odometer at inspection: 102,065 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
In the United Kingdom
2 cars built in 1998 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 10 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
In New Zealand
27 1998 cars are on the New Zealand register; 81% arrived as used imports, 4% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Fuel consumption
Official Canadian test results for 5 variants: combined 11.2–13.2 L/100 km (about 18–21 mpg US), CO₂ 258–304 g/km.
| Variant | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mustang · Subcompact · Regular gasoline | 13.1 | 8.8 | 11.2 |
| Mustang · Subcompact · Regular gasoline | 13.8 | 9.1 | 11.7 |
| Mustang # · Subcompact · Premium gasoline | 15.1 | 9.8 | 12.7 |
| Mustang · Subcompact · Regular gasoline | 15.3 | 10.1 | 13.0 |
| Mustang · Subcompact · Regular gasoline | 15.3 | 10.6 | 13.2 |
Litres per 100 km. Natural Resources Canada, Fuel consumption ratings (open.canada.ca) · Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls in Canada
4 Transport Canada recalls for the 1998 Ford Mustang.
| 2000282 28 Nov 2000 | Brakes On certain vehicles equipped with manual transmissions, if parked with the parking brake not fully applied and not in first gear, as directed in the Owner Guide… |
| 1999061 15 Apr 1999 | Engine On certain vehicles, the speed control cable may interfere with the speed control servo pulley and not allow the throttle to return to idle when disengaging the… |
| 1997215 28 Nov 1997 | Fuel System ON CERTAIN MUSTANG GT VEHICLES, MISSING OR INADEQUATE BRAZE JOINTS BETWEEN THE FUEL RAIL BODY AND THE FUEL RAIL MOUNTING BRACKET(S) COULD CAUSE THE BRACKET TO S… |
| 1997165 30 Sept 1997 | Steering On certain vehicles, the rack and pinion steering gears may have damaged input shaft bearings. This condition could increase steering efforts, potentially affe… |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS. IF A VEHICLE IS PARKED WITH THE PARKING BRAKE NOT FULLY APPLIED AND NOT IN FIRST GEAR, AS DIRECTED IN THE OWNER GUIDE, AND THE SELF ADJUSTMENT PAWL SUBSEQUENTLY SKIPS ONE OR TWO TEETH, THE VEHICLE COULD MOVE ON SOME GRADES.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: CERTAIN 1997-1999 RHD EXPLORER EQUIPPED WITH 4.0L OHV/SOHC ENGINES AND CRUISE CONTROL BUILT FROM MAY 29, 1996 THROUGH MARCH 4, 1999; 1998-1999 EXPLORER/MOUNTAINEERS EQUIPPED WITH 4.0L OHV/SOHC OR 5.0L ENGINES OR 1998-1999 RANGERS EQUIPPED WITH 2.5L, 3.0L FFV/EFI OR 4.0L ENGINES AND CRUISE CONTROL BUILT FROM JANUARY 5, 1998 THROUGH MARCH 4, 1999; 1998-1999 MUSTANGS EQUIPPED WITH 3.8L, 4.6L 2-VALVE OR 4-VALVE ENGINES AND CRUISE CONTROL BUILT FROM MARCH 2, 1998 THROUGH MARCH 4, 1999; 1999 F250/F350/F450/F550 (OVER 8,500 LBS.) TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH 5.4L OR 6.8L ENGINES AND CRUISE CONTROL BUILT FROM MARCH 2, 1998 THROUGH MARCH 4, 1999; AND 1999 F-53 STRIPPED CHASSIS EQUIPPED WITH 5.4L OR 6.8L ENGINES AND CRUISE CONTROL BUILT FROM MARCH 2, 1998 THROUGH MARCH 4, 1999. A CRUISE CONTROL CABLE CAN INTERFERE WITH THE SPEED CONTROL SERVO PULLEY AND NOT ALLOW THE THROTTLE TO RETURN TO IDLE WHEN DISENGAGING THE CRUISE CONTROL.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 4.6L ENGINES. SOME OF THESE VEHICLES HAS MISSING OR INADEQUATE BRAZE JOINTS BETWEEN THE FUEL RAIL BODY AND THE FUEL RAIL MOUNTING BRACKET(S).
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES AND MINI-VANS. THE RACK AND PINION STEERING GEARS MAY HAVE DAMAGED INPUT SHAFT BEARINGS.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Ford told its dealers about the 1998 Ford Mustang: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 636339 | SUBJECT REGARDING SPEED CONTROL LAMP. *TT |
| 636065 | INFORMATION REGARDING DISCHARGED BATTERY CHARGING SERVICE TIPS AND GUIDELINES. *TT |
| 630628 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT AN INTAKE MANIFOLD CROSSOVER (FIRST RUNNER) COOLANT SEEPAGE CONDITION. *TT |
| 630515 | ENGINE OIL SYSTEM PRIMING PROCEDURES, SERVICE TIPS FOR REPORTS OF PREMATURE ENGINE FAILURE. *TT |
| 630349 | SOME VEHICLES WITH 4R700 TRANSMISSIONS BUILT FROM 4/16/98 THROUGH THE END OF THE 1998 MODEL YEAR MAY EXHIBIT A LEAK FROM THE VENT AREA OF THE TRANSMISSION. *TT |
| 630341 | SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE T45 MANUAL TRANSMISSION MAY EXHIBIT A CONDITION OF BEING STUCK IN REVERSE, DIFFICULT TO SHIFT INTO REVERSE OR MAY POP OUT OF REVERSE. *TT |
| 630001 | SOME ENGINE ASSEMBLIES WITH ALUMINUM CYLINDER HEADS REPAIRED IN-VEHILE HAVE BEEN FOUND TO LEAK COOLANT AND/OR OIL FROM THE CYLINDER HEAD GASKET AREA. *TT |
| 627927 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT VACUUM OR AIR LEAKS IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND / OR ENGINE SYSTEM CAUSING DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES P0171 AND OR P0174. *TT |
| 627774 | SOME IGNITION SWITCH LOCK CYLINDER ASSEMBLIES MAY EXHIBIT ROUGNESS AND / OR EXCESS EFFORT IN TURNING, KEY DOES NOT FULLY RETURN FROM START, A MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP MAY ILLUMINATE WITH P0500, P1502 AND U1039 STORED IN POWERTRIAN CONTROL MODULE (PCM). *TT |
| 627768 | SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE ROMEO BUILT 4.6L 2V ENGINE MAY EXHIBIT AN ENGINE OIL LEAK OR OIL WEEPAGE FROM THE CYLINDER HEAD GASKET AT THE RIGHT HAND REAR OR THE LEFT HAND FRONT OF THE ENGINE. *TT |
| 625732 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT THE DOOR GLASS COMING OFF OF THE WINDOW TRACK. *TT |
| 625715 | BRAKE SHIFT INTERLOCK.*JB |
| 624711 | SOME VEHICLES EXHIBIT THE DOOR GLASS POPPING OFF TRACK. *YH |
| 624571 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A FEAD BELT JUMP-OFF TOSS. *YH |
| 623988 | INFORMATION REGARDING TRANSMISSION FLUID USAGE CHARTS. *SLC |
| 623944 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT HEATER CORE LEAKS. *SLC |
| 621005 | SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A MANUAL TRANSMISSION MAY EXHIBIT A POWERTRAIN NOISE DESCRIBED AS A BRIEF ROAR, HOOT OR GROAN BETWEN 2500 - 3500 RPM WHEN THE CLUTCH PEDAL IS HALF WAY DOWN, DURING SHIFTING OR WHEN DEPRESSING AND RELEASING THE CLUTCH. *TT |
| 620471 | SUBJECT REGARDING INSTALLATION OF CRANKSHAFT PULLEY TORQUE SPECIFICATION. *TT |
| 620301 | INFORMATION ON CASTER ADJUSTMENT WHEN PERFORMING A FRONT END ALIGNMENT. *TT |
| 619424 | SUBJECT REGARDING ENGINE OIL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR USE IN 2001 VEHICLES - SAE 5W-20 MOTOR OIL. *TT |
| 619335 | SUBJECT REGARDING CERTAIN VEHICLES WITH 4.6L ROMEO ENGINES EXHIBITING AN OIL LEAK FROM THE CYLINDER HEAD GASKET AREA. *TT |
| 619266 | VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH PASSIVE ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM (PATS) MAY NOT START OR CRANK. *TT |
| 618544 | SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT A HOOD THAT IS HARD TO CLOSE. *JB |
| 616835 | INFORMATION PERTAINING TO 4.6L 4V PULLEY INSTRUCTIONS. *TT |
| 616811 | SUBJECT REGARDING PARKING BRAKE CONTROL ASSEMBLY MODIFICATION. *TT |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
SPARK PLUG EJECTION FROM CYLINDER HEAD
FIRES IN THE CENTER CONSOLE
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation