1998 Ford Explorer vs 1998 Honda Passport
Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Sep 21, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.
| Metric | 1998 Ford Explorer | 1998 Honda Passport |
|---|---|---|
| NHTSA complaints | 1,959 | 229 |
| Recall campaigns | 5 | 2 |
| Service bulletins (TSBs) | 349 | 104 |
| Investigations | 8 | 5 |
| Crash reports | 181 | 24 |
| Fire reports | 102 | 0 |
| NCAP overall rating | — | — |
| EPA MPG (combined) | 14–17 | 16–17 |
| Median reported incident mileage | 100,000 mi | 116,114 mi |
Reported problems side by side
| Component | Ford Explorer | Honda Passport |
|---|---|---|
| Tires | 696 | 5 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 281 | 16 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 189 | 24 |
| Suspension | 111 | 48 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 86 | 57 |
| Electrical System | 114 | 17 |
| Power Train | 103 | 19 |
| Visibility | 108 | 3 |
Symptoms owners describe
| Stalling | 133 | 12 |
| Vibration / shaking | 71 | 25 |
| Hesitation / surging | 55 | 0 |
| Rust / corrosion | 21 | 34 |
| Clunking / rattling | 16 | 0 |
| Overheating | 14 | 0 |
| Electrical failures | 13 | 0 |
| Loss of power | 12 | 0 |
1998 Ford Explorer
1998 Honda Passport
Compare all Ford Explorer vs Honda Passport years →
Method. Complaints are unique NHTSA reports. A vehicle that sold more units will naturally accumulate more complaints — use shares and read the underlying reports before drawing conclusions.