Problems · NHTSA complaints

1999 Ford F-150 problems

Owners filed 1,121 complaints about the 1999 Ford F-150 with NHTSA between Jan 1999 and Jul 2023. The most-cited component is engine and engine cooling (240).

Complaints
1,121
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
89
Reported by owners
Fires
76
Reported by owners
Injuries
84
People reported injured
Deaths
11
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Engine and engine cooling240
  2. Fuel system, gasoline115
  3. Structure99
  4. Service brakes, hydraulic97
  5. Electrical system92
  6. Visibility86
  7. Vehicle speed control83
  8. Power train79
  9. Air bags69
  10. Tires58
  11. Steering52
  12. Suspension46
  13. Engine30
  14. Seat belts25

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 6, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
199994
2000137
2001101
2002112
200396
200494
2005106
200651
200732
200827
200922
201050
201197
201224
201316
201416
201519
201610
20177
20183
20193
20202
20211
20220
20231

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Engine and engine cooling

240 reports11 fires
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD STARTED BREAKING AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE BOLTS HOLDING THE MANIFOLD IN PLACE HAD RUSTED AND BROKEN OFF. THE CONTACT WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT THIS WAS A COMMON FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 291,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 18, 2012Engine and engine coolingODI 10455648

Fuel system, gasoline

115 reports3 fires3 related recalls
“I TOOK MY F-150 IN FOR A RECALL ON THE FUEL TANK STRAPS RUSTING, THE DEALERSHIP WAS NICK NICHOLAS FORD IN INVERNESS, FLORIDA. THEY TOLD ME MY FUEL TANK WAS LEAKING FROM RUST. I AM IN THE PROCESS OF FIXING IT. MY COMPLAINT IS IF THE STRAPS RUSTED AND CAUSED THE TANK TO RUST AND LEAK AT THE AREA WHERE THE STRAPS TOUCH THE TANK. WHY ISN'T THE TANK INCLUDED IN THE RECALL? THE RUSTED TANK LEAKING IS A CLEAR DANGER TO ME, THE ENVIRONMENT, AND OTHER DRIVERS. THE GAS NEVER DRIPPED ON THE GROUND SO I NEVER KNEW IT WAS LEAKING UNTIL I TOOK IT IN. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 27, 2013Fuel system, gasolineODI 10549669

Structure

99 reports2 fires
“AROUND 1:30AM ON THURSDAY NOV. 24TH, I RECEIVED A CALL FROM MY NEIGHBOR SAYING MY TRUCK WAS ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SAID IT LOOKED LIKE IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. THAT IT LOOKED LIKE IT STARTED UNDER THE HOOD. THE TRUCK HAD BEEN DRIVEN TO THE STORE THE MORNING BEFORE THE FIRE, AND WAS PARKED AT THE TIME OF THE FIRE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 24, 2016Electrical system, Structure, EngineFire reportedODI 10927774

Service brakes, hydraulic

97 reports9 crashes3 fires
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD F-150. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND NOTICED THE BRAKE PEDAL DROPPED TO THE FLOOR BOARD ABNORMALLY. THE CONTACT USED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED BRAKE FLUID LEAKING FROM THE BRAKE LINES AS A RESULT OF CORROSION OF THE BRAKE LINES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 157,000. UPDATED 05/08/12*LJ”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 6, 2012Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10454329

Electrical system

92 reports1 crash29 fires
“1999 FORD F150. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE CATCHING FIRE WHILE PARKED. *LD CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO SENDING IN EXTRA INFORMATION REGARDING THEIR CASE. *AS *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 21, 2019Electrical system, EngineFire reportedODI 11174095

Visibility

86 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT BOTH THE AIR CONDITIONER AND THE HEATER WERE INOPERABLE. THE CONTACT WAS ALSO UNABLE TO USE THE DEFROSTER SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THEY ADVISED HIM THAT THE FLAPPER THAT WAS INSIDE THE HEATER BLOWER FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 136,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 146,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 26, 2013VisibilityODI 10500132
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 6, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.