These help you judge whether this one is worth its price.
Costly problem zones ahead at your miles come with a Car Hunt Pass or Pro. See plans
Loading the EPA's yearly fuel cost
What about the price? Check the asking price on two listing sites. Buying from a dealer? Run its offer through the offer X ray.
Education, not financial or mechanical advice. Have any used car checked by a mechanic you trust before you buy.
The full record
Tap to open
What owners complain about
Loading owner complaints
Seller kit
Questions for the seller, test drive checks and price points
Car Hunt Pass or Pro
Walk up to the seller ready
Questions to ask the seller of a 1998 Ford Ranger, built from this year's owner complaints and recalls. What to feel, hear and look at on the test drive, with boxes to tick at the car. Honest points to raise on price, from the records and never from guesses. Copy the questions to your phone in one tap.
Car Hunt Pass: $15 once for 30 days, a launch price. It never renews. Full refund if you ask within 7 days.
Write your offer
A ready to send offer for the seller, by text or email
Car Hunt Pass or Pro
Send the seller a fair offer
Type the asking price and your own offer for the 1998 Ford Ranger, tick what you found, and get a polite message ready to text or email. Its reasons come from this year's owner complaints, recalls and crash ratings, and never from made up repair prices.
Car Hunt Pass: $15 once for 30 days, a launch price. It never renews. Full refund if you ask within 7 days.
When problems show up
Loading mileage at failure
Will it outlast the loan?
The month of your loan each problem zone lands in
Loading the problem zones
Recalls
Loading recalls
Crash ratings
NHTSA's stars out of five, for each version it tested. Front crash stars only compare cars of about the same size and weight. The tests changed for 2011 models, so these stars do not line up with newer ones.
Loading crash ratings
Fuel economy
The EPA's estimates for each engine and transmission, and its own yearly fuel cost. Yours depends on how you drive and the shape the car is in. Figures for 2007 and older use the EPA's 2008 method, so they may be lower than the original sticker.
Loading fuel economy
True cost to own
The loan, fuel, insurance and upkeep, a month and over 5 years
Car Hunt Pass or Pro
What it really costs to own
What the 1998 Ford Ranger costs a month and over 5 years: the loan and its interest, fuel worked out from the EPA's figures for the version you pick, and your own insurance, registration and upkeep. A cost a mile, a link that reopens your numbers, and the breakdown copied to your phone in one tap.
Car Hunt Pass: $15 once for 30 days, a launch price. It never renews. Full refund if you ask within 7 days.
Every year of the Ranger
Owner complaints for each model year, this one outlined. Tap a year to open it. The newest 2 are not judged yet. Bars are totals, so older years stand taller; the verdict compares every year at the same age.
Loading every year of this model
Before you buy this one
Built from this year's numbers. Whatever the data says, the car in front of you is the one that counts.
Not every car needs every fix. Run the VIN at NHTSA to see which are still open. Repairs are usually free at a dealer for the brand; ask before any work.
Lights
May 11, 2009 · Recall 09E025000
Dope, inc. Is recalling 42,540 combination corner and bumper lamp assemblies of various part numbers sold for use as aftermarket equipment for various passenger vehicles. These headlamps fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." these lamps do not contain the required amber side reflectors.
What can happen
Decreased lighting visibility may result in a vehicle crash.
The fix
Dope, inc. Will notify owners and offer a full refund for the noncompliant combination lamps. The safety recall began on july 28, 2009. Owners may contact dope, inc. At 1-626-272-1798.
Lights
Apr 7, 2009 · Recall 09E012000
Sabersport is recalling 16,270 combination corner and bumper lamp assemblies of various part numbers sold for use as aftermarket equipment for various passenger vehicles. These headlamps fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment." these lamps do not contain the required amber side reflectors.
What can happen
Decreased lighting visibility may result in a vehicle crash.
The fix
Sabersport will notify owners and offer a full refund for the noncompliant combination lamps. The safety recall began on may 11, 2009. Owners may contact sabersport at 1-909-598-7589.
Cruise and speed control
Aug 3, 2007 · Recall 07V336000
On certain pickup trucks, passenger vehicles, sport utility vehicles, and motor homes chassis, the speed control deactivation switch may, under certain conditions, leak internally and then overheat, smoke, or burn.
What can happen
This could result in an underhood fire.
The fix
Dealers will install a fused wiring harness. Owners of the passenger cars included in this campaign will be instructed to return their vehicles to their dealers to have the speed control deactivation switch disconnected as an interim repair. As soon as repair parts are available (expected october 2007), owners will be instructed to return to the dealers for installation of a fused wiring harness. The recall began on august 13, 2007, and mailing completed by september 19, 2007. Owners may contact Ford at 1-888-222-2751.
Fuel system
Jun 13, 2006 · Recall 06E056000
Certain aftermarket fuel filters sold under the purolator brand name, p/n f65277, shipped from january 16 through june 2, 2006, for use on the above listed passenger vehicles. Due to incorrect design, the quick connectors may not fully seat with the tube interface, even though the person making the connection may believe that the quick connector is fully attached.
What can happen
Failure of this connection could lead to fuel spillage and, in the presence of an ignition source, a fire could occur.
The fix
Ufi will notify owners and replace the filters free of charge. The recall began on august 4, 2006. Owners may contact ufi filters USA at 800-230-5876.
Lights
Mar 23, 2006 · Recall 06E026000
Certain pro-a motors corner lamps, turn signals, and headlights sold as replacement lamps for use on certain passenger vehicles listed above. Some combination lamps that are not equipped with amber side reflectors fail to conform to federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment.
What can happen
Without the amber reflectors, the vehicle will be poorly illuminated, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash without warning.
The fix
Pro-a motors will notify owners and offer to repurchase the lamps. The recall began on april 3, 2006. Owners may contact pro-a motors at 323-838-2988.
Wheels and tires
May 22, 2001 · Recall 01X001000
This is not a safety recall in accordance with the safety act. However, it is deemed a safety improvement campaign by the agency.
Equipment description: Ford is replacing all firestone wilderness at 15, 16, and 17 inch tires mounted on Ford trucks and suvs. Ford reports tread separation can occur due to a combination of the sensitivity of the tire design to stress, aging, and manufacturing differences between plants. Ford is replacing these tires to prevent possible premature tire failure.
Vehicle description: the vehicles listed below may have been originally equipped with firestone wilderness at tires or may have had wilderness at tires installed during the firestone recall launched in august 2000.
Certain 1991 throught 2002 Ford explorer
certain 2001 throught 2002 explorer sport, and sport trac
certain 1997 through 2002 mercury mountaineer
certain 1991 through 2001 ranger
certain 1999 through 2001 expedition
certain 1991 through 1994, and 1997 model year f-series
certain 1991 through 1994 bronco
note: both original equipment and replacement tires are affected.
What can happen
Should the tread separate at highway speeds, a vehicle crash could occur, possibly resulting in personal injury or death.
The fix
The replacement/reimbursement program for this campaign expired on march 31, 2002. However, customers can contact Ford at 1-877-917-3673 or go on-line to www.Ford.com for possible assistance.
Show 5 more recallsShow fewer recalls
Wheels and tires
Aug 21, 2000 · Recall 00T005000
Tire description: firestone wilderness at, size p235/75r15, produced at the decatur, illinois tire plant and all firestone radial atx and radial atx ii tires, size p235/75r15. Operation of these tires at low inflation pressures, high speed, and in hot weather, can contribute to separation of the tire tread.
What can happen
If the tread separates from the tire, the driver can lose control of the vehicle, possibly resulting in a crash causing injury or death.
The fix
The replacement/reimbursement program for this campaign expired on august 29, 2001. However, customers should contact firestone customer service at 1-800-465-1904 for possible assistance.
Vehicle description: electric vehicles. The transaxle may have been manufactured with the park detent spring misaligned. If the spring is misaligned, the park mechanism may not engage when the shift lever is placed in the park position.
What can happen
If the park mechanism does not engage and the vehicle operator has not applied the parking brake, the vehicle could roll free as if in neutral.
The fix
Dealers will inspect the transaxle and any with misaligned park detent springs will be replaced.
Cruise and speed control
Mar 30, 1999 · Recall 99V062001
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.
What can happen
If the cruise control is used and this condition is present, a stuck throttle could result, which could potentially result in a crash.
The fix
Dealers will replace the cruise control cables. At the present time, the replacement cables are not available. Customers are being advised not to use the cruise control system until a replacement can be made.
Equipment and accessories
Feb 2, 1998 · Recall 98V021000
Vehicle description: light duty four-wheel drive pickup trucks equipped with off-road option. The tire and rim identification information is incorrect on these vehicles. This does not comply with the requirements of fmvss no. 120, "tire selection and rims for motor vehicles other than passenger cars."
What can happen
The 16" tires could not be inflated on the specified 15x7.0j rim.
The fix
Owners will be sent a safety certificaiton label partial overlay which will contain the correct rim size, and instructions for affixing this label to the vehicle. If an owner so desires, their Ford dealer can install the label for them.
Fuel system
Oct 28, 1997 · Recall 97V186001
Vehicle description: light duty pickup trucks equipped with 4.0l engines. The flexible section of the chassis mounted fuel line that connects to the engine was routed too close to the exhaust manifold. The line could contact the manifold.
What can happen
This could potentially result in damage to the fuel line, or in some cases, cause a fuel leak. Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source could result in a fire.
The fix
Dealers will install an additional clip to hold the fuel line in the intended design position.
656 complaints; the part named most is the wheels and tires
Unverified reports, not adjusted for sales. One complaint can name several parts, so shares add up past 100%. Filed Dec 30, 1997 to Apr 27, 2021. 25% name a part that is usually costly to fix.
Owners reported 69 crashes, 35 fires, 49 injuries and 7 deaths in these complaints.
Wheels and tires161 · 25%
Cruise and speed control77 · 12%
Transmission and drivetrain66 · 10%Usually costly to fix
What one owner wrote about the wheels and tires
Dispite proper maintence, I observed body rust and decay on the underside of my truck frame. Also the brake lines have been replaced due to corrusion and rust into the frame. Spare tire brackets have rusted into and the tire fell off. Also evap canaster bracket rusted into and the evap canaster fell off.
Filed Jan 29, 2011NHTSA complaint 103803661 of 18 owner quotes
Car Hunt Pass or Pro
15 more parts, and 18 owner quotes
Every part owners name for the 1998 Ford Ranger, with their own words about what went wrong. Usually costly to fix among them: Engine, Body and frame.
Wheels and tires: the middle complaint around 20,000 miles
Not enough owner complaints for the 1998 Ford Ranger mention a mileage to lay against a loan. Have a mechanic look it over all the same.
5 checks, with a close look at the wheels and tires
The bar holds the middle half of the complaints that gave a mileage; the dark mark is the middle one. 55 complaints of 656 gave one. Owners file when something fails, so this shows when problems were reported, not how long the cars last.
Wheels and tires15,000 to 35,000 mi
Half of these 17 complaints came between about 15,000 and 35,000 miles, the middle one around 20,000.
Run the VIN at NHTSA to confirm every recall was fixed.
This year has 11 recalls on file. Recall repairs are usually free at a dealer for the brand. Ask the dealer to confirm before any work is done. Look up a VIN at NHTSA.
Ask the seller for the service records.
Look closely for any work on the wheels and tires. It is the part owners complain about most for this year.
Have a mechanic you trust inspect it before you pay.
Ask them to look at the wheels and tires first.
Look at a vehicle history report.
It can show reported crashes, flood or salvage titles, and mileage that does not add up.
On the test drive, pay attention to the wheels and tires.
Look at how the tires are wearing, and feel for shaking at highway speed.
