Problems · NHTSA complaints
1999 Ford F-250 problems
Owners filed 830 complaints about the 1999 Ford F-250 with NHTSA between May 1998 and Sep 2023. The most-cited component is engine and engine cooling (159).
Complaints
830
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
70
Reported by owners
Fires
26
Reported by owners
Injuries
48
People reported injured
Deaths
2
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Engine and engine cooling159
- Tires136
- Service brakes, hydraulic121
- Power train83
- Steering63
- Electrical system59
- Air bags46
- Vehicle speed control39
- Suspension38
- Fuel system, gasoline35
- Visibility24
- Engine18
- Parking brake17
- Structure15
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 Oct 28, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
41
93
140
99
72
69
50
47
36
33
28
22
17
24
6
7
10
11
9
3
1
6
1
2
2
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 1998 | 41 |
| 1999 | 93 |
| 2000 | 140 |
| 2001 | 99 |
| 2002 | 72 |
| 2003 | 69 |
| 2004 | 50 |
| 2005 | 47 |
| 2006 | 36 |
| 2007 | 33 |
| 2008 | 28 |
| 2009 | 22 |
| 2010 | 17 |
| 2011 | 24 |
| 2012 | 6 |
| 2013 | 7 |
| 2014 | 10 |
| 2015 | 11 |
| 2016 | 9 |
| 2017 | 3 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 6 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 2 |
| 2022 | 2 |
| 2023 | 1 |
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.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Engine and engine cooling
159 reports4 fires1 related recall
“SPARK PLUG "BLEW OUT"OF ITS HOLE CAUSING LOSS OF POWER AND SUDDEN CONSTERNATION. WAS PULLING AN LIGHT EMPTY TRAILER AND FORTUNATELY DRIVING WITH NO OTHER TRAFFIC AROUND. 5.4L TRITON V8 ENGINE, MANUAL TRANSMISSION. FACTORY TUNE-UP AND PLUG REPLACEMENT DONE ABOUT 20K MILES EARLIER, 5 YEARS AGO. *TR”
Tires
136 reports9 crashes
“The Belt in the tire separated while driving. This caused a "Bubble" to form causing my truck to shake violently and required changing to the spare tire. If this happened on the highway I could have lost control and caused an accident. I took my truck to a tire installer who documented the above finding and noted the tire was properly inflated and there were no impact marks on the tread or sidewalls. I am currently working with the supplier but they are being unreasonable with the requirements to have it inspected. No other reps have been contacted at this time. No ( its a 24 year old truck, I don't have any tire related warning lamps) LT235/85 R16”
Service brakes, hydraulic
121 reports7 crashes2 fires
“WHILE BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY, THE BRAKE PEDAL SLOWLY SANK TO THE FLOOR. I PUT THE TRUCK IN PARK AND GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE. I NOTICED AN EXPANDING POOL OF HYDRAULIC FLUID FORMING UNDERNEATH THE TRUCK, JUST FORWARD OF THE REAR, DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE. UPON INVESTIGATION, THE RIGHT REAR BRAKE LINE HAD CHAFFED A HOLE ON THE FRAME RAIL RESULTING IN A LOSS OF BRAKES. HAD THIS BRAKE LINE FAILED AT ANY OTHER TIME, RATHER JUST BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY, IT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN DIRE CONSEQUENCES.”
Power train
83 reports4 crashes3 fires
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD F-250. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PLACED INTO THE PARK POSITION, IT INDEPENDENTLY ROLLED BACKWARDS WITHOUT WARNING. THE PASSENGER WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE VEHICLE INADVERTENTLY SWITCHED INTO THE REVERSE POSITION. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT WAS KNOCKED DOWN AND SUSTAINED INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 245,000. ....UPDATED 07/05/16 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED HE EXITED THE VEHICLE AND WALKED TO THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE SOMEHOW WENT INTO REVERSE, WHILE THE DOOR WAS STILL OPEN. UPDATED 07/21/16.*JB”
Steering
63 reports9 crashes1 related recall
“My fiancé & I were driving down a 35mph road & I told her my steering wheel was a little crooked & I don't remember hitting anything to knock out of alignment. We got to my friends house to move a car trailer for him up his steep driveway. I hooked up to the trailer pulled it out, moved it around to line up to back up driveway & making the last adjustment all of a sudden I was turning my steering wheel but the tires were not turning, jumped out to find the output shaft of the steering box was cracked in half diagonally & the steering arm was laying on the street. When I got under the truck & looked at the part that broke you could see it was fractured for a long time. There was only about an 1/8" on one side that was raw metal from just finally breaking. Thank God we are alive if it would have happened going fast probably would have killed someone.”
Electrical system
59 reports1 crash10 fires
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD F-250. WHEN THE CONTACT EXITED AND RETURNED TO THE VEHICLE, IT MADE AN ABNORMAL SOUND WHEN IT WAS RESTARTED. SUDDENLY, A FIRE ERUPTED UNDER THE HOOD, WHICH SPREAD TO THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER FELL AND HURT HER KNEE WHILE ATTEMPTING TO EXIT THE VEHICLE QUICKLY. MEDICAL TREATMENT WAS REQUIRED. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THERE WAS EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE INSURANCE COMPANY WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 300,000.”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.