U.S. public vehicle records

1999 Ford F-250 SD problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

248 owner complaints analyzed

2 distinct recall campaigns

97,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 1999 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 198 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 32 of 248 complaints (12.9%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Braking behavior	60	24.2%
Steering behavior	28	11.3%
Transmission and shifting	16	6.5%
Engine operation	16	6.5%
Electrical and battery issues	8	3.2%
Fuel system concerns	8	3.2%

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

Electrical System

Engine And Engine Cooling

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Diesel

Tires:Tread/Belt

Tires

Power Train:Automatic Transmission

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings

Component breakdown data
Category	Count
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine	32
Electrical System	24
Engine And Engine Cooling	24
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Diesel	23
Tires:Tread/Belt	16
Tires	10
Power Train:Automatic Transmission	8
Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings	8

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 32; Electrical System: 24; Engine And Engine Cooling: 24; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Diesel: 23; Tires:Tread/Belt: 16; Tires: 10; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 8; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And Fittings: 8

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

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 11; 25,000 to 49,999: 17; 50,000 to 74,999: 33; 75,000 to 99,999: 39; 100,000 to 149,999: 52; 150,000 and above: 46

100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (52). 50 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

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2000: 6; 2001: 4; 2002: 10; 2003: 31; 2004: 25; 2005: 30; 2006: 27; 2007: 29; 2008: 22; 2009: 18; 2010: 16; 2011: 16; 2012: 1; 2013: 2; 2014: 6; 2015: 4; 2016: 1

Pattern summary

Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 60 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 28 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 16 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 10008506 · 2003-03-06 (March 6, 2003)

THE VEHICLE ROLLED OFF HILL AFTER BEING PARKED 60 MINUTES. TRUCK WAS IN FIRST GEAR WITH EMERGENCY BRAKE ON! THIS HAPPENED IN NOVEMBER OF 2001. RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE FROM FORD MOTOR COMPANY DURING MAY OF 2002 AND HAD SERVICE COMPLETED MAY 29TH OF 2002. ON FEBRUARY 28TH 2003 THE SAME TRUCK ROLLED OFF ANOTHER HILL WHILE IN FIRST GEAR WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ON, AFTER BEING PARKED OVER 45 MINUTES! THERE SEEMS TO BE A DESIGN PROBLEM WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKES AND/OR TRANSMISSIONS/GEAR RATIO IN THIS MODEL TRUCK***RECALL DID NOT WORK!!!!. A PERSON S…

Owner-reported narrative. 83,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10008506 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10016830 · 2003-05-01 (May 1, 2003)

TRUCK WANDERS ON ROAD AND PULLS WHEN BRAKES APPLIED, DEALER WAS TOLD OF THIS PROBLEM SINCE VIEHICLE WAS PURCHASED THEY NEVER COULD FIND THE PROBLEM. I HAVE OWNED THIS VIEHICLE FOR 3 YEARS AND HAVE REPLACED BRAKE PADS 3 TIMES AND HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE HUBS TWICE MYSELF AT MY EXPENCE OUT OF WARRANTY NOW. THERE WAS ALMOST A FATALITY WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKES MY TRUCK PULLED ME INTO THE DITCH SLIDING AND ROCKING FROM DRIVERS SIDE TO PASSENGER SIDE UP ON TWO WHEELS. MY AIRBAG LIGHT FLASHES ON AND OFF. WHO KNOWS IF THEY EVEN WORK. MY OVERDRIVE SWIT…

Owner-reported narrative. 113,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10016830 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10008312 · 2003-03-01 (March 1, 2003)

HORN CANNOT BE ACTIVATED QUICKLY OR REPEATEDLY BECAUSE ONLY A VERY SMALL SPOT IN THE AIRBAG/STEERING PAD IS LIVE. FINDING THE SMALL, UNMARKED SPOT IS IMPOSSIBLE UNDER EMERGENCY CONDITIONS AND DIFFICULT AT ANY TIME. DEALERS KNOW IT'S A PROBLEM BUT HAVE NO FIX. COMMON TO ALL SUPER DUTY WITH AIRBAG.*JB

Owner-reported narrative. 19,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10008312 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10046778 · 2003-11-12 (November 12, 2003)

STEERING SECTOR SHAFT FRACTURED RESULTING IN A ROLLOVER ACCIDENT. *LA

Owner-reported narrative. 105,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10046778 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10003364 · 2003-01-24 (January 24, 2003)

F-250 SUPER DUTY, 6 SPEED MANUAL TRAN. THE SHIFTING LEVER ATTACHED TO THE THROW OUT BEARING BROKE. THIS VEHICLE HAS 45,000 MILES. THIS WAS A DEFECTIVE PART, FORD IS UNRESPONSIVE TO MY COMPLAINT. NOT THEIR PROBLEM.

Owner-reported narrative. 45,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10003364 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10023047 · 2003-06-13 (June 13, 2003)

I WAS DRIVING MY 1999 FORD F250 DIESEL TRUCK AT 70 MPH (SPEED LIMIT) WHEN I TOUCHED THE BRAKE TO RELEASE THE CRUISE TO STOP AT THE TRAFFIC LIGHT UPON ENTERING PLAINS, TX. THE CRUISE DID NOT RELEASE AND I BRAKED HARDER......THE ENGINE KEPT AT OVER 2,000 RPM AND DID NOT SLOW DOWN.....I BRAKED HARDER TO STOP AT THE LIGHT AND THE ENGINE NEVER SLOWED DOWN......I PUSHED THE OFF BUTTON ON THE CRUISE CONTROL AND PUMPED THE BRAKE AND IT NEVER SLOWED......I HAD TO BRAKE PRETTY HARD TO COME TO A STOP AT THE HIGHWAY INTERSECTION.....THE ENGINE WAS STILL R…

Owner-reported narrative. 28,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10023047 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10047404 · 2003-11-23 (November 23, 2003)

1999 FORD F-250 SUPERDUTY DIESEL 6 SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION. WHILE IN FIRST GEAR AT STOP LIGHT WITH CLUTCH PUSHED IN TRUCK STARTED MOVING FORWARD. LUCKILY, NO ONE WAS IN FRONT OF TRUCK. THE TRUCK FINALLY STALLED. FOUND OUT LATER CLUTCH MASTER CYLINDER HAD GONE BAD. *LA

Owner-reported narrative. 47,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10047404 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10140225 · 2005-10-19 (October 19, 2005)

WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, NUMBER 3 CYLINDER SPARK PLUG EJECTED VIOLENTLY WHEN DRIVING ON INTERSTATE AT 65 MPH - DAMAGED COIL PACK AND CYLINDER HEAD - RESULTED IN IMMEDIATE LOSS OF POWER. VEHICLE RETURNED TO BISHOP, CA (NEAREST TOWN, APPROX. 10 MILES) AND LEFT AT SHOP THERE FOR THREE DAYS WHILE REPAIR COMPLETED. REPAIR FAILED A SECOND TIME IN FEBRUARY, 2005. VEHICLE REPAIRED AGAIN AND SUBSEQUENTLY SOLD. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 79,450 miles reported. Look up ODI 10140225 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10028512 · 2003-07-17 (July 17, 2003)

WHILE BACKING A JET SKI TRAILER DOWN A BOAT RAMP THE BRAKE PEDAL CAME COMPLETELY DISCONNECTED FROM THE OTHER COMPONENTS AND LAID AGAINST THE FIREWALL. THIS MADE THE BRAKE SYSTEM UNUSABLE. THE TRUCK WAS FINALLY STOPPED WITH THE PARKING BAKE PLUS THE TRAILER JACK KNIFING TO THE LEFT AND INTO THE LEFT REAR QUARTER PANEL OF THE PICKUP BED. THE YELLOW RETAINING PIN THAT HOLDS THE BRAKE PEDAL POST WITHIN THE ? STABALIZING MOUNT AND THE ELECTRICAL SENSOR MODULE WAS FOUND ON THE FLOORBOARDS. ONCE RECONNECTED THE BRAKE SYSTEM PERFORMED NORMALLY.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 55,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10028512 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10224662 · 2008-04-16 (April 16, 2008)

BRAKE LINE FAILURE! THE PORTION OF THE BRAKE LINE BETWEEN THE FRAME RAIL AND THE FUEL TANK IS SUBJECT TO EXTREME RUSTING AS DEBRIS IS NOT EASILY CLEARED FROM THIS AREA. (SAND, MUD, WATER, ECT...) THIS AREA BECOMES WEAK, AND THE RUSTING CAUSED A RUPTURE WHEN APPLYING MY BRAKES AT A STOP SIGN IN A SHOPPING CENTER PARKING LOT. THE FRONT BRAKES/REAR BRAKES DO NOT HAVE SEPARATE FLUID RESERVOIRS. THIS CAUSED COMPLETE BRAKING FAILURE. I HAD TO USE THE PARKING BRAKE TO STOP THE VEHICLE IN A PARKING SPOT! THANK GOD THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED IN A PAR…

Owner-reported narrative. 134,632 miles reported. Look up ODI 10224662 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10239969 · 2008-08-27 (August 27, 2008)

1999 F250 V10- #2 SPARK PLUG LOOSENED UP FLAMES SHOT OUT FROM AROUND THE PLUG,THE CYLINDER HEAD HAD A CHUNK BURN OUT OF IT AROUND THE PLUG,THE COIL ,BOOT AND INJECTOR WIRING WAS ALL DAMAGED FROM THE FLAMES COMING FROM THE CYLINDER. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10239969 at NHTSA ↗