IllustrationDOOR SWITCH THAT CONTROLS INTERIOR LIGHTS STAYS ON. LIGHT INTERFERES WITH DRIVING AND RUNS DOWN BATTERY. THREE TIMES THE SWITCH HAS BEEN CHANGED IN THE PAST THREE YEARS. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *JG *AK
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 reportsVEHICLES REAR BRAKES HAVE LOCKED UP FROM TIME TO TIME, WHICH HAS CAUSED CONSUMER TO LOSE CONTROL OF VEHICLE WHEN THEY ARE COLD OR WET. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN TO REPAIR SHOP,AND WAS TOLD THEY WERE AWARE OF THE PROBLEMS THESE VEHICLES WERE HAVING. *JG
TWO INCIDENTS OF ENGINE FAILURE WITHIN 2 MILES OF HOME. BOTH OCCURRED IMMEDIATELY AFTER PULLING AWAY FROM A TRAFFIC LIGHT OR STOP SIGN. TRUCK EXPERIENCES WIDE EXCURSIONS IN RPMS, ACCOMPANIED BY BY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON THE DOWNWARD SWINGS. WITHIN 5 TO 8 SECONDS ENGINE SHUTS DOWN, RESULTING IN LOSS OF POWER STEERING, BRAKES, ETC.…
Read full complaint
TWO INCIDENTS OF ENGINE FAILURE WITHIN 2 MILES OF HOME. BOTH OCCURRED IMMEDIATELY AFTER PULLING AWAY FROM A TRAFFIC LIGHT OR STOP SIGN. TRUCK EXPERIENCES WIDE EXCURSIONS IN RPMS, ACCOMPANIED BY BY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON THE DOWNWARD SWINGS. WITHIN 5 TO 8 SECONDS ENGINE SHUTS DOWN, RESULTING IN LOSS OF POWER STEERING, BRAKES, ETC. ATTEMPTS TO RESTART IMMEDIATELY AFTER INCIDENT FAIL. CRANKING OF ENGINE IS NORMAL, HOWEVER NO START. BOTH INCIDENTS RESULT IN TOWING, AFTER WHICH THE TRUCK STARTS NORMALLY, WITH NO CODES ENTERED IN THE COMPUTER. *AK
THE EMERGENCY BRAKE LINES ARE CROSSED AHEAD OF THE REAR DRIVERS TIRE. THERE IS A LOT OF PRESSURE ON THESE LINES AND THEY ARE RUBBING TOGETHER CAUSING A GREAT DEAL OF WEAR. I HAVE NOTICED THE SAME PROBLEM ON OTHER MAZDA B SERIES AND FORD RANGER PICKUPS. I HAVE PLACED A PIECE OF RUBBER BETWEEN THE LINES TO PREVENT FURTHER DAMAG…
Read full complaint
THE EMERGENCY BRAKE LINES ARE CROSSED AHEAD OF THE REAR DRIVERS TIRE. THERE IS A LOT OF PRESSURE ON THESE LINES AND THEY ARE RUBBING TOGETHER CAUSING A GREAT DEAL OF WEAR. I HAVE NOTICED THE SAME PROBLEM ON OTHER MAZDA B SERIES AND FORD RANGER PICKUPS. I HAVE PLACED A PIECE OF RUBBER BETWEEN THE LINES TO PREVENT FURTHER DAMAGE. I BELIEVE THAT THE EMERGENCY LINES ON THE MAZDA AND FORD RANGER PICKUPS SHOULD BE RECALLED BEFORE THEY FAIL AND CAUSE INJURIES.
WHEN VEHICLE COME TO A STOP SIGN IT DOESN'T STOP. VEHICLE WILL ACCELERATE WITHOUT PUSHING ON GAS PEDAL. ALSO, HAS TO TAKE VEHICLE OUT OF GEAR TO GET VEHICLE TO STOP.*AK
WHEN DRIVING LONG DISTANCES VEHICLE WILL STALL WHEN COMING TO A STOP.*AK
AFTER FUELING THERE IS A STRONG FUEL SMELL INSIDE VEHICLE. *AK
HAD PUSHED CLUTCH ON WAY IN AND THEN RELEASED IT. TO ENGAGE, CLUTCH PEDAL WOULD COME ALMOST ALL WAY BACK BEFORE STARTING OR MOVING VEHICLE. HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO 4 DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS. AT TWO DEALERSHIPS, MECHANICS INDICATED NO PROBLEM. AT OTHER 2, MECHANICS INDICATED CLUTCH WAS BAD, AND WOULD NEED TO REPLACE OR REPAIR …
Read full complaint
HAD PUSHED CLUTCH ON WAY IN AND THEN RELEASED IT. TO ENGAGE, CLUTCH PEDAL WOULD COME ALMOST ALL WAY BACK BEFORE STARTING OR MOVING VEHICLE. HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO 4 DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS. AT TWO DEALERSHIPS, MECHANICS INDICATED NO PROBLEM. AT OTHER 2, MECHANICS INDICATED CLUTCH WAS BAD, AND WOULD NEED TO REPLACE OR REPAIR ENTIRE SYSTEM.*AK
SPARE TIRE IS AN ATX II - FIRESTONE DEALER ON WM. CANNON DRIVE IN AUSTIN, TX WOULD NOT REPLACE TIRE AND REFUSED TO PROVIDE A RECEIPT STATING TIRE WAS NOT AFFECTED BY RECALL.*AK (TIRESIZE: 235/75 15)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 235/75 15 )
FRONT TIRES BEGAN CUPPING AFTER FOUR OR FIVE MONTHS. ALL TIRES CUPPED AFTER ROTATION. VERY HEAVY VIBRATION AND "THUMPING" OF VEHICLE. DEALER BLAMED TIRES. FIRESTONE BLAMED FRONT SUSPENSION OF MAZDA/FORD TRUCKS. NEITHER WOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. *AK (DOT NUMBER: W2UU1P0078 TIRESIZE: P225/70R15)
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.