1998 Ford F-150 Suspension
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
WHILE DRIVING AT NORMAL SPEED LOWER BALL JOINT ON DRIVER'S SIDE FELL OFF. DEALER STATED NO RECALL, AND CALLED NHTSA.*AK
CONSUMER HEARD NOISE FROM BACK END OF VEHICLE. DEALER DETERMINED THAT REAR LEAF SPRINGS WERE BROKEN AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. IN MARCH OF 2002,REAR LEAF SPRINGS BROKE AGAIN.*AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
PREMATURE WEAR OF LOWER BALL JOINT. DEALER WILL BE NOTIFIED. *AK CONSUMER ADDS BALL JOINTS FAILED AND FOUND OTHER MODEL YEARS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. *TT
WHILE DRIVING, RIGHT FRONT TORSION BAR SNAPPED DURING REGULAR DRIVING. *TT
WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH REAR LEAF SPRING BROKE. DEALER NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
DEALER TOLD ME THERE WERE NO PREVIOUS KNOWN PROBLEMS WITH THE TORSION BAR. *AK
FRONT TORSION BAR BROKE OVERNIGHT WHILE PARKED. MANUFACTURER IS AWARE OF DEFECT. THE TORSION BAR WAS REPLACED BY THE DEALER. *AK
ALTHOUGH THERE WAS NOT AN INJURY DURING THIS INCIDENT, WE WERE VERY LUCKY. IF WE HAD BEEN ON THE HIGHWAY IT COULD HAVE BEEN A MUCH DIFFERENT SITUATION. I HAVE NOTICED ON DIFFERENT WEB SITES THAT I AM NOT ALONE WITH THIS PROBLEM. I WONDER IF SOMETHING IS BEING DONE ABOUT IT. NO SAFETY DEFEC TMENTIONED. *AK
THE BAR FAILED WITHIN TWO DAYS OF EACH OTHER-WE HAD THE FRONT RIGHT FIXED THEN LATER THAT DAY AFTER GETTING THE RIGHT FIXED. THE LEFT SIDE WENT OUT. IT WENT OUT WITH NO WARNING AND WE DISCOVERED ICE IN THE BAR. IF WE WERE DRIVING FASTER I WOULD OF LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. ESPECIALLY IN THE CLIMATE THAT WE LIVE IN-SNOW, ICE ARE APART OF OUR DAY. WE HAVE READ THIS IS A PROBLEM HAPPENING TO MOST TRUCKS. WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE A RECALL SO NO ONE GETS HURT OR IS INCONVIENCE LIKE WE WERE-TOTAL DAYS WITHOUT TRUCK 5. *AK
SUDDEN AN SPONTANIOUS BREAKAGE OF TORSION BAR AT LOW SPEED WITHOUT HITTING ANY OBSTICLE OR POT-HOLE IN ROAD.*AK
WAS MOVING 15MPH WHEN A POP SOUND WAS HEARD. RIGHT SIDE WENT DOWN. WAS BARELY ABLE TO STEER VEHICLE. TOOK VEHICLE TO FIRESTONE RETAILER & INFORMED IT WAS TORSION BAR THAT HAD SNAPPED. *AK
CONSUMER GOT INTO VEHICLE TO BACK OUT AND FRONT END COLLAPSED. SERVICE MANGER STATED IT HAPPENED ALL THE TIME FROM NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. SERVICE IF VEHICLE WAS SERVICED PROPERLY, THEY WOULD'VE BEEN ABLE TO CATCH IT IN TIME. CONSUMER PURCHASED VEHICLE ON OCTOBER 26, 2000 FROM SAME DEALER WITH A CLEAN INSPECTION. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO SEVERAL MECHANICS, WHO STATED THAT PIN TO BALL JOINT BROKE BECAUSE OF THE INCLINE, AND THE ANGLE CONSUMER WAS TURNING WHEEL CAUSED IT TO SNAP FRONT END.*AK
TORSION BAR SNAPPED AS I SHIFTED INTO REVERSE IN MY DRIVEWAY. *AK
THE TRUCK WAS SITTING IN THE PARKING LOT AT WORK WHEN THE DRIVERS SIDE TORSION BAR BROKE. FROM SOME PEOPLE I HAVE TALKED TO THIS HAS HAPPENED TO QUITE A FEW OTHER TRUCKS-SAME SIDE TORSION BAR. THE DEALER HAS WORKED WITH US AS WELL AS CAN BE EXPECTED CONSIDERING THAT THE MANUFACTURER REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE A PROBLEM. I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO SPEAK WITH A REPRESENTATIVE BECAUSE THEY ARE " ON VACATION". I AM CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT COULD HAPPEN TO ANOTHER FAMILY WITH THE SAME TRUCK IF PERHAPS THE BAR WOULD BREAK WHILE DRIVING. THIS A A DANGEROUS PROBLEM THAT FORD MOTOR COMPANY IS REFUSING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT. I HAVE WRITTEN TO THEM ON TWO OCCASSIONS NOW ASKING FOR THEM TO ISSUE A RECALL SINCE THIS IS NOT JUST MY TRUCK, BUT MANY OTHERS. ALSO, I DO NOT BELIEVE THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES SHOULD FAIL ON A TRUCK WITH THE MILEAGE IT HAD AT THE TIME. THE DEALER ALSO WORKED WITH US ON THIS PROBLEM. OUR TOTAL BILL WAS FOR $90.87 FOR BOTH OF THE PROBLEMS, BUT I STILL BELIEVE THAT FORD MOTOR COMPANY SHOULD REIMBURSE US THIS MONEY CONSIDERING THAT THIS IS A MAJOR DEFECT BOTH WITH THE TORTION BAR AND THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME REGARDING THIS IMPORTANT MATTER. I DO NOT WANT ANYONE TO BE INJURED BECAUSE OF FORD MOTOR COMPANY IGNORING THESE PROBLEMS.*AK
TORISION BAR ON LEFT SIDE FAILED WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK POSITION, CAUSING FRONT SUSPENSION TO FALL TOWARDS BACK. *AK
RT FRONT TORSION BAR BROKE WHILE SITTING IN THE DRIVE WAY. *AK
TORSION BAR SEVERED. DEFECT WAS DISCOVERED WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. PRIVATE MECHANIC HAS NOT PROVIDED ANY INFORMATION AS OF YET FOR CAUSE OF DEFECT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK
WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE TORISON BAR BROKE. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
FRONT TORSION BAR BROKE WHILE PARKED IN GARAGE; DEALER/MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED; MANUFACTURER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THEY WOULD PAY ALL EXCEPT 20%, WHICH WOULD BE AT CONSUMER COST. *AK THE CONSUMER STATES THAT THERE WERE MANY OTHER OWNERS OF THIS MODEL VEHICLE WITH TORSION BARS PROBLEM, BUT THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT EVEN TRYING TO MAKE BETTER QUALITY PARTS AVAILABLE. *YH
DURING OIL CHANGE CONSUMER NOTICED FRONT LEFT COIL SPRING WAS BROKEN. *AK *SLC
WHILE TRUCK WAS PARKED IN GARAGE THE DRIVER'S SIDE TORSION BROKE. FEBRUARY 1999 THE TORSION BAR ON THE PASSENGER BROKE WHILE DRIVING AT 20 MPH. FORTUNATELY IN EITHER CASE NO INJURIES. THIS IS NOT A NORMAL FAILURE, BUT AFTER CONTACTING FORD DIRECTLY AND THE DEALER WHERE THE TRUCK NEEDED TO BE TOWED EITER STATED THIS IS A PROBLEM. MY FAMILY NOW FEELS FOR THEIR SAFETY NEXT TIME WE DRIVE IN THE TRUCK. I NEED TO BE CONVINCED THAT CAN'T HAPPEN AGAIN AND THAT THERE WAS PROBLEM WITH THE TORSION BARS USED ON THAT YEAR TRUCK. *AK
RT TORSION BAR BROKE WHILE DRIVING APROX 50 MPH. FRONT RT OF TRUCK DROPPED AND WAS HARD TO CONTROL.
PASSENGER'S SIDE RIGHT TORSION BAR COLLASPED AND BROKE WHICH CAUSED PASSENGER'S SIDE OF VEHICLE TO DROP DOWN ON ONE SIDE. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER, DEALER HAS REPLACED TORSION BAR. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
TORSION BAR BROKE WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN GARAGE.*AK
Trend Over Time
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Other Issues
Common problems reported
Quick Summary
The 1998 Ford F-150 has 108 Suspension complaints on file. 1 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.