1998 Ford F150 review from North America
"Takes the abuse and keeps going"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Vacuum leak in cheap plastic tubing
Coil went out (still under extended warranty)
Suspension has gotten squeaky after 200,000 miles
Muffler keeps blowing off the exhaust (should have been dual exhaust) tried new clamps, new mechanics and even welded it.
Seat belt on drivers side retracts poorly (more of an inconvenience than a real problem)
Seat cushion on drivers side has flattened on outside making it uneven (too many ins and outs)
Check engine light, O2 sensor and MAF sensor codes.
Alas, at 247,563 hard miles, my oil pump is going out (hence the research)
General comments?
This has been an extremely reliable and hard wearing truck. After acquiring her in 2001, she was my truck and babied appropriately. Until the vacuum leak and the coil issues (which, by the way, showed up as O2 sensor problems as well.) We were still making payments and didn't have the money to cover the part of the repairs the extended warranty didn't. We actually drove with a really rough idle and acceleration for a couple thousand miles, until we were able to get things taken care of.
In 2005, my husband took her over and used her up as a commuter and hauler for the security business he works for. He has put the majority of the miles on her and he is hardly a stickler for maintenance. Most people change oil at 3,000 miles. For him and his busy schedule it became more like 30,000 miles. Amazingly, this Ford stood up to the abuse with hardly a complaint.
There weren't any major problems until after the 200,000 mile mark. He bought another truck and gave me back "mine." Now we are getting back into O2 codes and MAF codes. And the dreaded oil pump replacement. I can hardly complain after she held up so well through all that stop fast and go fast traffic.
Even after all the miles and abuse, there is still less road noise and a smoother ride than his new truck (another of the Big 3.) Plus my stock radio and speakers are still holding up and his is giving him problems.
I'll take my worn out Ford over one of those others any day.
Recommended reviews
| Nice truck but lacks Toyota quality. |
|
| A well made, solid truck |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model year | 1998 |
| Year of manufacture | 1998 |
| First year of ownership | 2001 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2008 |
| Engine and transmission | 5.4L V8 Automatic |
| Performance marks | 9 / 10 |
| Reliability marks | 9 / 10 |
| Comfort marks | 9 / 10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 3 / 10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | |
| Overall marks (average of all marks) | |
| Distance when acquired | 70000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 247563 miles |
| Previous car | Ford F150 |
| Date of Entry | 30th August, 2008 |