There are 17 owner-reported lighting complaints for the 1998 Ford F-150in NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
BOTH HEADLIGHTS OF THE CONSUMER'S 1998 FORD F150 HAVE DISCOLORED TO THE POINT THAT IT'S NO LONGER SAFE TO OPERATE THE VEHICLE AT NIGHT. *NM THE CONSUMER ALSO EXPERIENCED THIS SAME PROBLEM WITH HIS 1996 FORD CROWN VICTORIA. THE DEALER HAD NO SUGGESTIONS AS TO HOW TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *SC
HEADLIGHTS CAN GO OFF WHEN USING RIGHT DIRECTIONAL INDICATOR, OR BY TURNING ON INTERMITTENT WIPERS. *LA
THE DOME LIGHT TAKES OVER FIVE MINUTES TO GO OUT AFTER CONSUMER STARTS THE ENGINE. ALSO, WHEN THE VEHICLE IS OFF THE DOME LIGHT STAYS ON, EVEN WHEN CONSUMER CLOSES ALL THE DOORS. *AK
THE VEHICLES DOOR AJAR LIGHT CONTINUED TO STAY ON . *NLM
THE DOME LIGHT STAYED ON WHILE DRIVING. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *NLM
CONSUMER STATES INTERMITTENTLY DOOR LIGHT BECAME INOPERABLE, ALSO THE DOME LIGHT IS ALWAYS ON OBSTRUCTING THE DRIVER'S VIEW. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. TS
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT NIGHT TIME INTERMITTENTLY HEAD LIGHT SWITCH BECOMES INOPERABLE OBSTRUCTING THE DRIVER'S VIEW. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. TS MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH REPLACED. *TT
TURN SIGNALS NOT WORKING NEITHER ARE BRAKE LIGHTS HAVE REPLACED BULBS RELAYS AND SOCKETS HAVE TRACED WIRING ALL TO NO AVAIL. DT
WHILE WAITING AT AN INTERSECTION CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS WERE INOPERATIVE. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE BOLTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED,. THEY REPLACED THEM FOUR TIMES HOWEVER THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK *NM
IT STARTED WITH DOME LIGHT STAYING ON CONSTANTLY - SO WE GO WITHOUT A DOME LIGHT AND IT IS UNSAFE AND QUITE THE NUSANCE. NEXT THE DOOR AJAR LIGHT STAYED ON CONSTANTLY - WEATHER SEEMS TO PLAY A FACTOR.*AK NEXT THE IGNITION SWITCH CHIME STARTED STAYING ON CONSTANTLY WHEN KEYS AREN'T EVEN IN THE IGNITION...AGAIN WEATHER SEEMS TO BE A FACTOR. INITIALLY WIGGLING THE IGNITION SWITCH WOULD SOMETIMES GET THE CHIME TO STOP BUT NOW I HAD TO REMOVE THE GEM FUSE(15) AS IT WAS THE ONLY WAY TO GET THE CHIME TO QUIT. I HAVEN'T CHECKED YET WHAT ELSE THAT FUSE IS USED FOR. IT SEEMS THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM FOR ALL F150 OWNERS - SO FORD NEEDS TO FIX IT!!!!
DOOR AJAR LIGHT, INTERIOR LIGHT, AND CARGO LIGHT STAY ON HAS IF A DOOR WERE OPEN WHEN ALL DOORS ARE ALL CLOSED. IF THE KEY IS IN THE IGNITION , AND THE IGNITION IS OFF AND THE DOORS ARE SHUT, THE CHIME/TONE CONTINUES TO GO OFF.*AK
INTERIOR LIGHT PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED ON MANY 1998 F-150 AND RANGERS. IT IS A SAFTEY HAZARD WHEN DRIVING WITH THE INERIOR LIGHT ON, ESPESIALLY WITH TINTED WINDOWS. *AK
DOME LIGHT WILL NOT TURN OFF EVEN WITH ALL THREE DOORS FULLY CLOSED. *LA
THE DOOR AJAR SWITCH DOES NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY. THE DOOR AJAR DASH LIGHT & INTERIOR LIGHTS REMAIN ON EVEN WHEN THE DOOR IS FULLY CLOSED. THIS CAUSES A VERY DANGERIOUS SITUATION, ESPECIALY AT NIGHT WHEN THE INTERIOR LIGHTS ARE ON AND WON'T GO OFF. I KNOW THAT THIS IS A WIDE SPRED PROBLEM AND I HAVE BEEN ADVICED THAT FORD HAS A TSB ON IT. EVERYONE THAT I HAVE TALKED TO WITH A 97', 98', OR 99' F-150 EXTENDED CAB HAS HAD PROBLEMS WITH THIS.*AK
WHEN DOORS ARE CLOSED THE DOME LIGHT, DOOR AJAR LIGHT, AND EXTERIOR LIGHT ABOVE TRUCK BED REMAIN ON. THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN RECURRING FOR THE LAST 3-4 YEARS. I HAVE ASKED DIFFERENT REPAIR SHOPS CONCERNING THE PROBLEM AND GET MANY REPLIES FROM BAD DOOR SWITCH, BAD RELAY SWITCH TO IT'S A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH 1998 FORD F-150'S AND YOU HAVE TO LIVE WITH IT. THE LIGHTS CAN STAY ON FOR 1 MINUTE OR 30 MINUTES, OCCASIONALLY I HAVE TO REMOVE THE FUSE. THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO OCCUR MOST FREQUENTLY WHEN THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE GOES FROM COLD TO WARMER WEATHER. I HAVE DISCUSSED THE PROBLEM WITH OTHER OWNERS AND THEY ALL SEEM TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. IT IS ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS AT NIGHT BECAUSE OF THE INTERIOR LIGHT REMAINING ON. I AM ALSO CONCERNED WITH WEAR ON THE BATTERY. I FEEL THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW AND MANUFACTURER SHOULD TAKE CARE OF THE REPAIR. *JB
DOME LIGHT WILL NOT SHUT OFF, DOOR ADJAR LIGHT STAYS ON. IT MAKES IT VERY HARD TO SEE AT NIGHT WHEN DRIVING. I HAVE SEEN MANY OTHER FORD P/U'S WITH THIS SAME PRBLEM. *AK
WHILE DRIVING, THE CONSUMER TRIED TO TURN THE HIGH BEAM LIGHTS ON AND THE HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT. *JB
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026