U.S. public vehicle records

1999 Ford F-150 problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

951 owner complaints analyzed

7 distinct recall campaigns

100,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 1999 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 491 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 114 of 951 complaints (12.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Braking behavior	122	12.8%
Fuel system concerns	113	11.9%
Transmission and shifting	38	4.0%
Electrical and battery issues	33	3.5%
Steering behavior	28	2.9%
Engine operation	13	1.4%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine

114

Fuel System, Gasoline

Structure:Body:Door

Electrical System

Engine And Engine Cooling

Vehicle Speed Control

Air Bags:Frontal

Power Train:Automatic Transmission

Component breakdown data
Category	Count
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine	114
Fuel System, Gasoline	93
Structure:Body:Door	54
Electrical System	53
Engine And Engine Cooling	52
Vehicle Speed Control	38
Air Bags:Frontal	31
Power Train:Automatic Transmission	29

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 114; Fuel System, Gasoline: 93; Structure:Body:Door: 54; Electrical System: 53; Engine And Engine Cooling: 52; Vehicle Speed Control: 38; Air Bags:Frontal: 31; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 29

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

135

150,000 and above

113

Under 25,000: 24; 25,000 to 49,999: 45; 50,000 to 74,999: 96; 75,000 to 99,999: 78; 100,000 to 149,999: 135; 150,000 and above: 113

100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (135). 460 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2000

132

2001

101

2002

111

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2023

2000: 132; 2001: 101; 2002: 111; 2003: 88; 2004: 90; 2005: 88; 2006: 45; 2007: 26; 2008: 25; 2009: 17; 2010: 43; 2011: 95; 2012: 21; 2013: 13; 2014: 15; 2015: 14; 2016: 10; 2017: 7; 2018: 3; 2019: 3; 2020: 2; 2021: 1; 2023: 1

Pattern summary

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 122 complaint narratives. Fuel system concerns appears in 113 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 38 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10003100 · 2003-01-21 (January 21, 2003)

THE TRUCK WAS STARTED, WHEN PUT IN DRIVE, THE TRUCK WENT INTO FULL ACCELERATION. BRAKES WERE APPLIED, BUT WERE NOT EFFECTIVE. TRUCK WAS STILL ACCELERATING. THEN TURNED OFF THE KEY, TO STOP ENGINE. THE ENGINE DID NOT STOP RUNNING FOR A FEW MINUTES. THIS WAS A TERRIFING EXPERIENCE. IF IT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IN TOWN, OR ON A BUSY HIGHWAY, YES SOMEBODY PROBABLY WOULD HAVE BEEN KILLED.

Owner-reported narrative. 92,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10003100 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10006301 · 2003-02-11 (February 11, 2003)

THE SERVICE MANAGER INDICATED TWO OF THE BRAKE ROTORS HAD COMPLETELY RUSTED AND TWO OF THE LOWER BALL JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *JG *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10006301 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10162482 · 2006-07-15 (July 15, 2006)

I HAVE HAD MY F150 FOR 7 YEARS AND HAVE HAD VERY FEW PROBLEMS. BAD FUEL INJECTOR AND THE RECALL FOR THE CRUISE CONTROL. I HAVE BEEN HAVING TROUBLE WITH MY WIPERS COMING ON BY THEMSELVES. I CALLED MY LOCAL FORD DEALER (COLUMBIA FORD, LONGVIEW,WA) AND THEY SAID THEY HAD NOT SEEN THIS PROBLEM BEFORE. I DID A LITTLE RESEARCH ON THE WEB AND FOUND YOUR TSB 00-9-6 WHICH DESCRIBES THIS PROBLEM TO A TEE. I CALLED THE DEALER BACK AND WAS ADVISED I WOULD HAVE TO ABSORB THE ENTIRE COST FOR THE REPAIR? SINCE THEY HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM SINCE …

Owner-reported narrative. 5,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10162482 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10205430 · 2007-10-11 (October 11, 2007)

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD F-150. DURING A ROUTINE INSPECTION, THE MECHANIC NOTICED THAT ONE OF THE STRAPS THAT HELD THE FUEL TANK DISINTEGRATED. THE MECHANIC FELT THAT THE STRAPS WERE NOT ADEQUATE FOR THE FUEL TANK AND HE MADE THE REPLACEMENT. THERE HAD BEEN NO FURTHER OCCURRENCES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 83,800 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 84,396. UPDATED 1/02/08. *4200 THE CONSUMER STATED BOTH STRAPS WERE BROKEN AND THE TANK WAS ONLY ATTACHED BY THE HOSE. THE CONSUMER ATTACHED A COPY OF AN ARTICLE WITH THE SAME DEFECT. UPDATED 12/12/07…

Owner-reported narrative. 83,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10205430 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10023974 · 2003-06-29 (June 29, 2003)

I BOUGHT THE 99 F-150 USED. I'VE OWNED IT FOR 2 YEARS AND IN THOSE TWO YEARS SPENT OVER 3000 DOLLARS REPAIRING IT. I CANT HANDLE THE THOUGHT OF KEEPING A TRUCK THAT COST SO MUCH IN REPAIRS. AND NOW THE DEALER TELLS ME I NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION. THIS IS ONE WEEK AFTER I SPENT OVER 500 REPLACING THE SPARK PLUGS, FUEL FILTER, AND GETTING THE FUEL INJECTORS CLEANED. I HAVE ONLY 58,000 MILES ON THE THING AND WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THE PLUGS DON'T NEED TO BE TOUCHED FOR 100,000 MILES. WELL IT WAS MISSING AND THAT WAS THE PROBLEM. THE TRUCK SLAMS…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10023974 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10025208 · 2003-06-30 (June 30, 2003)

TRANSMISSION BLEW A BACK SEAL. THERE WAS METAL AND BRASS SHAVINGS IN THE TRASNMISSION. THE REPAIR PERSON SAID HE BELIEVED THE PROBLEM WAS BEING CAUSED BY "REAR SEAL WALKING OR SPINNING OUT, PROBABLY DUE TO EXCESS DRIVESHAFT MOVING OR FLEXING. WE REBUILT THE TRANSMISSION AND A WEEK LATER WE ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. EXCEPT THIS TIME THE REAR SEAL GOT SO HOT IT BLEW THE TRANSMISSION CORE ALSO. I HAVE SPENT 1700.00 SO FAR. NO END IN SITE AND NO HELP FROM FORD.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 62,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10025208 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10020551 · 2003-05-27 (May 27, 2003)

MY FAMILY AND I WERE TRAVELING ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN OUR GAUGES ON OUR TRUCK BEGAN TO GO FROM ZERO TO ONE HUNDRED MILES PER HOUR BACK AND FORTH. OUR GAS GAUGE WOULD FROM FULL TO EMPTY. ALL GAUGES ON THE DASH WOULD GO CRAZY. OUR BATTERY LIGHT HAD COME ON A FEW MILES BEFORE THIS OCCURRED. WE LOST ALL POWER AND OUR TRUCK DECELERATED QUICKLY ON THE INTERSTATE. WE FOUND A PARTS STORE AND PUT ON A NEW ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY THINKING THAT WOULD DO THE JOB. AS WE CONTINUED OUR TRIP, THE GAUGES BEGAN TO DO THE SAME THING WITHIN TEN MILES OF CHANGI…

Owner-reported narrative. 117,124 miles reported. Look up ODI 10020551 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10033713 · 2003-08-12 (August 12, 2003)

CONSUMER STATES ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10033713 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10023805 · 2003-06-26 (June 26, 2003)

HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE TURN SIGNALS, BRAKE LIGHTS, AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS ON MY 1999 FORD F-150. ON A RECENT TRIP TO INDIANA I NOTICED THAT WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TILTED DOWN SO THAT MY WIFE COULD DRIVE, THE TURN SIGNALS STOPPED WORKING. WHILE IN INDIANA A MAN WAS NICE ENOUGH TO FLAG ME DOWN TO LET ME KNOW THAT MY BREAK LIGHTS WERE NOT WORKING. I TOOK THE TRUCK TO EBY FORD SALES (JUNE 6, 2003) IN GOSHEN FOR REPAIR. THEY INDICATED THAT THE MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH DISCONNECTED WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TILTED DOWN. SO THEY LENGTHENED …

Owner-reported narrative. 41,679 miles reported. Look up ODI 10023805 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10024789 · 2003-06-24 (June 24, 2003)

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND NO WARNING THE STEERING BOLTS ARE LOSE AND IT IS CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL TO JUMP AROUND, MAKING IT HARD FOR CONSUMER TO STEER THE VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10024789 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10068261 · 2004-05-04 (May 4, 2004)

MY 1999 F-150 5.4 LTR 4WD STARTED MAKING LOUD TICKING NOISE @ 39,000 MILES.TOOK TRUCK TO BURCH FORD FROM WHOM I PURCHASED VEHICLE & THEY DIAGNOSED TICKING NOISE AS A BAD CAT. CVRTR!!! THEY ALSO ADVISED ME OF LEAKING HEAD GASKET FROM (R)REAR HEAD AND A REPAIR COST OF $3,200 W/ (12 MO./12,OOO MI.WARRANTY !!! )ON REPAIR.WHEN I PICKED UP VEHICLE & STARTED ENGINE,THE SAME LOUD TICKING NOISE (ONLY WORSE) WAS STILL THERE!!! BURCH FORD & FORD MOTOR CORP REFUSED TO EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE PROBLEM OR WARRANTY THEIR REPAIR.WHILE TRYING TO GET ASSISTANCE, I DROVE…

Owner-reported narrative. 40,250 miles reported. Look up ODI 10068261 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10073334 · 2004-05-10 (May 10, 2004)

WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH, SUDDENLY THERE WAS A POPPING NOISE, THEN THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE SPARK PLUG HAD CAME OUT THE ENGINE CYLINDER HEAD. THIS OCCURRED BECAUSE OF A DESIGN FLAW, THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT TREAD TO HOLD THE SPARK PLUGS. THE CYLINDER HEAD WAS REPLACED. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 140,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10073334 at NHTSA ↗