Problems · by component
1999 Ford F-150 air bags problems
69 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1999 Ford F-150 cite air bags, 6% of all 1,121 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
69
6% of all complaints
Crashes
54
Reported by owners
Fires
3
Reported by owners
Injuries
48
Reported by owners
What owners say about the air bags
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“WENT TO STOP AT LIGHT HAD NO BRAKES WITH NO WARNING. I HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME IN THE REAR THIS ALSO CAUSED A DELAYED RELEASE OF THE AIR BAGS. THIS APPEARS TO BE PROBLEM GOING BACK YEARS THAT FORD OR THE GOVERNMENT WONT DO ANYTHING ABOUT.”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD F-150. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO AVOID HITTING A DEER, THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED OFF THE SIDE OF A 20 FOOT HIGH BRIDGE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED A MINOR HEAD INJURY AND RECEIVED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE SPEED WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.”
“ON JULY 28TH AROUND 3:00 AM THERE WAS A STORM EARLIER IN THE NIGHT AND A TREE TOP FELL INTO THE ROAD AND I WENTTO APPLY THE BRAKES THEY LOCKED UP CAUSING ME TO FISH TAIL AND LOSE CONTROL SPINNING AROUND TWICE MAKING ME STRIKE A TREE AND SPIN BACK AROUND AND NOSE DIVE DOWN AND EMBANKMENT AND LAND ON ALL FOUR WHEELS MESSED UP THE FRONT BUMPER LEFT FENDER LEFT DOOR CRACKED WINDSHIELD AND COMPLETELY WIPED OUT THE BED. *TR”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING DOWNHILL AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THERE WAS A SUDDEN LOSS OF CONTROL DUE TO ICY ROAD CONDITIONS. THE VEHICLE THEN CRASHED INTO A UTILITY POLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY WITH THE SIGNIFICANT IMPACT. THERE WAS NO PERSONAL INJURY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED OF THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO A SALVAGE FACILITY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 173,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.”
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 TO 60 MPH ON ICY ROAD CONDITIONS AND CRASHED INTO A HERD OF CATTLE AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. NO WARNING LIGHTS WERE VISIBLE PRIOR TO THE CRASH. THE CONTACT AND THE PASSENGER RECEIVED MINOR ABRASIONS AND BRUISES. THE POLICE WERE CALLED, BUT DID NOT ARRIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED, BUT HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED NOR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 167,000. UPDATED 03/29/11 *BF UPDATED 05/06/11”
“WHILE SEAT BELTED INTO THE PASSENGER SEAT OF A FORD F150 MY SON WAS EJECTED IN A FRONT IMPACT AND ROLL OVER ACCIDENT. THE SEAT BROKE LOOSE FROM THE TRUCK FLOOR DURING THE IMPACT ALLOWING HIM TO COME OUT OF THE SEAT BELT AND BE EJECTED OUT ONTO THE ROADWAY CAUSING SEVERE INJURIES. *TR”
Showing 6 of 69 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 6, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.