IllustrationTHE INTERIOR LIGHT STAYS ON AS A RESULT OF READING THE DOOR AJAR. THIS WILL BE THE THIRD TIME THAT I'VE HAD TO FIX THIS.*JB
1998 Mazda B-SERIES Truck
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1998 Mazda B-SERIES Truck do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 26.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all B-SERIES Truck years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 14 of 67 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Tires. Review the 19 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
6 crash reports3 fire reports4 injury reports
What owners actually said
67 reportsB4000 TRUCK CONTINUOUSLY OVERHEATS. THERMOSTATS HAVE BEEN REPLACE 4 TIMES. TRUCK HAS BEEN WORKED ON BY CERTIFIED MECHANICS AT FORD DEALERSHIP. 2002 TRUCK OVERHEATED. THERE WAS COOLANT IN THE OVERFLOW BOTTLE BUT NONE IN THE RADIATOR. RADIATOR LEAKED AND HEAD GASKET WAS BLOWN. I REPLACED RADIATOR AND HEADS. 2004 REPEAT OF SAM…
Read full complaint
B4000 TRUCK CONTINUOUSLY OVERHEATS. THERMOSTATS HAVE BEEN REPLACE 4 TIMES. TRUCK HAS BEEN WORKED ON BY CERTIFIED MECHANICS AT FORD DEALERSHIP. 2002 TRUCK OVERHEATED. THERE WAS COOLANT IN THE OVERFLOW BOTTLE BUT NONE IN THE RADIATOR. RADIATOR LEAKED AND HEAD GASKET WAS BLOWN. I REPLACED RADIATOR AND HEADS. 2004 REPEAT OF SAME INCIDENT OCCURED.
I NOTICED FROM TSB#97-24-14, NOV 1997 THAT THE WIRE HARNESS TERMINAL REPAIR KIT WAS A RECALL PROBLEM FOR THE 1998 FORD RANGER PICK-UP, MY MAZDA B3000 HAD A BURNED OUT PAD SWITCH AND MODULAR FOR THE AIRBAG. THE 1998 MAZDA B3000 AND FORD RANGER ARE EXACTLY THE SAME TRUCK, HOW COME THE 98 MAZDA DOES NOT HAVE A RECALL. *AK
WHILE BRAKING ABRUPTLY THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO MOVE. AS A RESULT THE DRIVER REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. NEITHER OF THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE DRIVER WAS NOT HURT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A BODY SHOP FOR REPAIRS. *NM
1998 MAZDA B2500 SE EXTENDED CAB: PROBLEMS WITH ENGINE IDLE SPEED DURING IDLE SITUATIONS (E.G., STOP SIGN, STOPLIGHT, GARAGE START) W/ CLUTCH DISENGAGED; ENGINE REVS FROM 1000 RPM TO 3000 RPM AND THEN QUICKLY BACK DOWN TO 1000 RPM. THIS IS DANGEROUS BECAUSE IT COULD BE A POTENTIAL ROOT CAUSE OF AN ACCIDENT.
WHILE THE DRIVER'S FOOT WAS PRESSING THE CLUTCH, THE PLASTIC COVER RIPPED OFF AND CAUSED THE DRIVER'S FOOT TO RELEASE THE CLUTCH. AS A RESULT THE VEHICLE REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. BOTH THE MANUFACTURER AND THE DEALERSHIP WERE CONTACTED. *NLM
THE INTERIOR LIGHT FLICKERED ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY.*JB INTERIOR LIGHTS ALSO STAY ILLUMINATED WHEN THE DOORS ARE CLOSED.*MR
CONSUMER STATES THAT AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE AIR BAG WAS NO LONGER OPERATIVE "POSSIBLY" DUE TO FAILURE OF THE VEHICLE'S CLOCKSPRING. MR *JG
ENGINE STALLS AND IDLE IS UNSTABLE WHILE AT STOPLIGHT. LOSES POWER WHEN DRIVING
WHEN PRESSING CLUTCH VEHICLE RPMS ARE ERRATIC. HAS TO SHUT VEHICLE DOWN AT HIGHWAY SPEED TO BRAKE. VEHICLE THROTTLE RACES OUT OF CONTROL. DEALER CONTACTED. *AK
Official recalls
307V347000 · Vehicle Speed Control
Aug 7, 2007
ON CERTAIN TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH A SPEED CONTROL SYSTEM, THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH MAY, UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, LEAK INTERNALLY AND THEN OVERHEAT, SMOKE, OR BURN.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS COULD RESULT IN AN UNDERHOOD FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A FUSED WIRING HARNESS. AN INTERIM NOTICE WAS SENT TO OWNERS ON SEPTEMBER 7, 2007, DIRECTING THEM TO HAVE THE SPEED DEACTIVATION CONTROL SWITCH DISCONNECTED TEMPORARILY. A SECOND NOTIFICATION LETTER TO OWNERS WAS IN FEBRUARY 2008 ADVISING THEM TO RETURN TO DEALERS FOR INSTALLATION OF THE REPAIR PART. OWNERS OF AFFECTED VEHICLES WHO DID NOT RECEIVE A PHASE 2 NOTICE AND HAVE NOT HAD THE RECALL COMPLETED WILL BE NOTIFIED BEGINNING AUGUST 6, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MAZDA AT 1-800-222-5500.
99V062002 · Vehicle Speed Control
Mar 31, 1999
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: CERTAIN 1998-1998 MAZDA B-SERIES TRUCKS (B2500, B3000 AND B4000) EQUIPPED WITH CRUISE CONTROL AND BUILT FROM JANUARY 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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE CRUISE CONTROL IS USED AND THIS CONDITION IS PRESENT, A STUCK THROTTLE COULD RESULT, WHICH COULD POTENTIALLY RESULT IN A CRASH.
Remedy: 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.
97V186002 · Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/piping, And Fittings
Nov 6, 1997
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: LIGHT DUTY 4X2 AND 4X4 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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: 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.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL AN ADDITIONAL CLIP TO HOLD THE FUEL LINE IN THE INTENDED DESIGN POSITION.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.