Ford 998 Hard fault present
How to read it
Code 998 reads as 9 flashes, pause, 9 flashes, pause, 8 flashes on the check-engine light. Jumper the self-test input to signal return at the test connector, then run the key on engine off self test and the running self test, counting the check-engine flashes each time.
New to flash codes? The How to Read Ford EEC-IV Self-Test Codes walks through the test and what the numbers mean. The general OBD-I guide covers the rest.
What does Ford code 998 mean?
Hard fault present
Common causes of 998
- A fault is present right now during the test
- A component failed and the fault is stored as a hard code
- An open or shorted circuit causing a continuous fault
- A failed sensor or actuator holding the fault
- A fault stored after a component failure
How to fix 998
- Confirm the code and read all codes that follow it in the sequence
- Diagnose the companion fault codes first since this is a status code
- Inspect the circuits named by the other codes for opens and shorts
- Repair the fault and clear the codes
- Retest to confirm no hard fault remains
Source
Source review recorded
Sources and review
Review: checked against the recorded source material.
- EEC-IV Ford trouble code table (MIL, description, type)
archived reference page (troublecodes.net via Wayback Machine)
Supports: code identity and meaning
Fetched directly. The three-digit row matches the description used in the data file.
https://web.archive.org/web/20030720231430id_/http://www.troublecodes.net:80/Ford/eec-iv.shtml
- Ford trouble codes, Contour, Escort, Mustang, Probe, Taurus and Tempo 1992-1995 (code, description, probable cause)
archived reference page (troublecodes.net via Wayback Machine)
Supports: code identity and probable causes
Independent table on the same archive site with matching code identity and a probable cause column.
http://web.archive.org/web/20160501223306id_/http://www.troublecodes.net:80/ford/contour-escort-mustang-probe-taurus-tempo-1992-1995/
Last updated 2026-10-10.
Report a correction for 998. Include your vehicle, the issue and a source if you have one.