Problems · by component
1999 Ford F-150 service brakes, hydraulic problems
97 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1999 Ford F-150 cite service brakes, hydraulic, 9% of all 1,121 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
97
9% of all complaints
Crashes
9
Reported by owners
Fires
3
Reported by owners
Injuries
7
Reported by owners
What owners say about the service brakes, hydraulic
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“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”
“FORTUNATELY, I WAS UNDER 1/2 MILE FROM MY HOUSE. MY ROAD DEAD ENDS ONTO ANOTHER. I APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AS I APPROACHED THE STOP SIGN. I WENT THROUGH THE STOP SIGN AND INTO THE DRAINAGE DITCH ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROAD. BECAUSE MY VEHICLE IS 4 WHEEL DRIVE, I WAS ABLE TO GET OUT OF THE DITCH AND RETURN HOME. UPON INSPECTION, I FOUND THAT THE BRAKE LINE THAT GOES FROM THE FRONT TO THE REAR WAS RUSTED AND FAILED. THERE WAS LITTLE DAMAGE FROM THE CRASH, JUST A FENDER THAT NEEDS REPLACED. I AM ANAL WITH REGARD TO MY VEHICLES CONDITION AND MAINTENANCE. TO HAVE A FAILURE LIKE THIS ON A WHAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE THE BEST BUILT TRUCK IS ABSURD AND TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE! MY BROTHERS 1999 HONDA, MY STEP SON'S 1991 NISSAN STANZA (RECENTLY SOLD) A 1993 GEO PRIZM (I.E. TOYOTA COROLLA!!!) RECENTLY SOLD HAD ZERO RUST ON ANY BRAKE FITTING, BRAKE LINE OR FUEL LINE. *KB”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE PEDAL WOULD FEEL SPONGY AS IF THE VEHICLE WAS NOT GOING TO STOP. THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO CONTINUOUSLY PUMP THE BRAKE PEDAL FOR THE VEHICLE TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 05V388000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER THE RECALL BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE DEALER ALSO REPAIRED THE LEAK IN THE BRAKE LINE BUT NOT THE AIR THAT WAS BEING RELEASED AND CAUSING THE BRAKES TO NOT PERFORM PROPERLY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE BUT ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE DEFECT WAS NOT DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE RECALL. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 204,000.”
“FRONT BRAKES:: GRADUAL UNKNOWN BRAKING DEGRADATION OVER TIME UNTIL IT GOT TO THE POINT I HAD TO PUMP THE BRAKES LIKE AS IF A BRAKE LINE WAS SUCKING AIR OR THE MASTER CYLINDER WAS GOING BAD, IN ORDER TO STOP. UPON INVESTIGATING I FOUND THAT BOTH DUST SHIELDS ON THE FRONT BRAKES WERE EXTREMELY RUSTED AND THE RUST PIECES WERE FALLING BETWEEN THE FRONT INBOARD BRAKE PADS AND REAR ROTOR SURFACES CAUSING EXTREME CONTAMINATION OF THE BACKSIDE OF BOTH ROTORS TO THE POINT THAT LESS THAN 50% CONTACT SURFACE WAS LEFT. SINCE THE INBOARD BRAKE PADS DO MORE STOPPING THAN THE OUTSIDE BRAKE PADS IT'S A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. TO ADD TO THE DANGER THE FRONT BRAKING SYSTEM DOES ABOUT 75% OF A VEHICLES TOTAL BRAKING. AND, IF IT HAPPENS ON A LONG DOWN HILL GRADE WITH ALLOT OF BRAKING, IT CAN CAUSE THE FRONT BRAKE FLUID TO BOIL INSIDE THE CALIPERS GIVING SOMEONE ONE HELL-OF-A WILD RIDE. IN FACT, ONE DAY I HAD TO HIT THE BRAKES WITHOUT HAVING TIME TO PUMP THEM AND JUST ABOUT HIT A KID ON A BIKE THAT DARTED OUT FROM BETWEEN 2 CARS. THAT'S WHEN I DECIDED I HAD BETTER DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE PROBLEM. I SUSPECT FORD HAS BEEN LOVING IT BECAUSE NON-MECHANICAL PEOPLE WILL NEVER KNOW OR…”
“BRAKE LINE IS RUSTED COULD CAUSE FAILURE OF BRAKES. GAS TANK AND SUPPORTS ARE RUSTED REPLACED ONCE BUT STILL ALL RUSTED. ALL FRAME UNDERNEATH IS RUSTED IMPOSSIBLE TO DO REPAIRS. *KB”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD F150. THE CONTACT WAS ATTEMPTING TO PARK THE VEHICLE. AS THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS ABNORMALLY DEPRESSED INTO THE FLOORBOARD. AFTER INSPECTING THE FAILURE HE NOTICED CORROSION AND RUST ON THE BRAKE LINE AND THE FUEL STRAPS. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE RUST AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THERE WERE NO RECALLS AND OFFERED NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALSO NOTIFIED WHO OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.”
Showing 6 of 97 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.