What breaks most · 1990 to 2001 model years
Ford Club Wagon problems by year
Owners have filed 152 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Ford Club Wagon across model years 1990 to 2001. Three years stand out: 1998 for engine and cooling complaints, 1997 for brakes (hydraulic) complaints and 1994 for brakes (hydraulic) complaints. The quietest years are 1999, 1990 and 1991.
- Years to check closely: 1998, 1997, 1994
- Fewest complaints: 1999, 1990, 1991
- Complaints on file
- 1521990 to 2001, all trims
- Worst year
- 199828 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 139 fires · 19 injuries · 2 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 108kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 4Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 0 | 0 | Electrical system (2) | |
| 5 | 1 | 0 | Tires (2) | |
| 15 | 2 | 0 | Brakes (hydraulic) (4) | |
| 12 | 0 | 0 | Steering (3) | |
| 17 | 3 | 1 | Brakes (hydraulic) (7) | |
| 15 | 0 | 1 | Brakes (hydraulic) (9) | |
| 17 | 2 | 2 | Brakes (hydraulic) (6) | |
| 27 | 3 | 0 | Brakes (hydraulic) (8) | |
| 28 | 2 | 0 | Engine and cooling (8) | |
| 4 | 0 | 0 | Visibility (1) | |
| 5 | 0 | 0 | Engine and cooling (2) | |
| 2 | 0 | 0 | Brakes (hydraulic) (1) |
What fails on the 1998 Ford Club Wagon
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and coolingRadiators, thermostats and cooling | 29% |
8 | 0 | Shop all engine and cooling parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Speed control and throttleThrottle and pedal sensors | 18% |
5 | 0 | Shop all speed control and throttle parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Brakes (hydraulic)Brake pads, rotors and calipers | 14% |
4 | 1 | Shop all brakes (hydraulic) parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| SuspensionStruts, springs and control arms | 11% |
3 | 0 | Shop all suspension parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Powertrain and transmissionTransmission parts | 7% |
2 | 0 | Shop all powertrain and transmission parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Seats | 7% |
2 | 1 | — |
| EngineEngine gaskets and seals | 7% |
2 | 0 | Shop all engine parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Seat belts | 7% |
2 | 0 | Check recalls for seat belts on NHTSA.gov |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
-
Strong odor of fuel fumes are coming in and around the vehicle. Dealer stated to make sure that windows are rolled down, and a/c is shut off. Vehicle is subject to explode. Dealer claims there is no solution. *ak
-
When driving at 60 mph front end of vehicle vibrates and brakes become inoperable. Took vehicle to the dealer severa times. Problem has not been remedied as of yet. Please provide any further information, and identification number.*ak
-
Driving home in the rain, went to apply the brakes (ABS), they failed to catch, vehicle went into spin across 3 lanes of traffic, was hit by another vehicle. *k
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 30, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Ford Club Wagon years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 1998, 1997, 1994 carry the most filings on the Ford Club Wagon. The 1998 alone has 28 complaints, led by engine and cooling.
What is the most common Ford Club Wagon problem?
On the 1998 model year, the most-reported component is engine and cooling with 8 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Ford Club Wagon problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Ford Club Wagon complaints that include mileage is about 108,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.