Problems · by component

1999 Ford F-250 electrical system problems

59 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1999 Ford F-250 cite electrical system, 7% of all 830 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
59
7% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
10
Reported by owners
Injuries
4
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the electrical system

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 25, 2019Electrical system, EngineFire reportedODI 11203772
“I HAVE A 1999 FORD F-250, SUPER DUTY PICK-UP, WITH A 5.4 V8 ENGINE, WITH ONLY 69,000 MILES. I WAS TRAVELING THROUGH TOWN AT 35 MPH WHEN I HEARD A LOUD POP (GUN SHOT SOUND), FOLLOWED BY POP POP POP POP POP. WHEN I PULLED OVER I DISCOVERED THAT ONE OF MY MICRO-COILS OVER MY SPARK PLUG HAD BROKEN OF THE PLASTIC HOUSING. WHEN I REMOVED THE COIL I FOUND THE PLATINUM SPARK PLUG IN THE COIL BOOT. SPARK PLUG BLOW OUT! NICE!...FORD WANTS $550 TO REPAIR ONE SPARK PLUG AND COIL, AND ALSO CHECK THE REST OF THE PLUGS FOR TIGHTNESS. HELP! *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 21, 2011Electrical systemODI 10378193
“I HAVE A 1999 FORD SUPER DUTY PICKUP. I WAS DRIVING HOME AFTER MY SONS BASEBALL PRACTICE AND THE UNTHINKABLE HAPPENED. MY TRUCK MADE A LOUD BANG AND NOTICED A BURNING SMELL. I STOPPED TO SEE WHAT THE PROBLEM WITH MY TRUCK. AS I OPENED THE HOOD I SAW A FLASH OF LIGHT AND SAW THE ENGINE ON FIRE. I IMMEDIATELY SHUT THE TRUCK OFF AND GRABBED MY SONS WATER BOTTLE TO TRY TO STOP THE FIRE. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO SMOTHER THE FIRE OUT WITH A BASEBALL GLOVE. MY SON AND I WAITED FOR OVER AN HOUR FOR THE TOW TRUCK. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL GARAGE. I WAS SHOCKED TO FIND OUT THE REPAIR BILL OF $2700!!!!!! THE SHOP SAID THE SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT OF THE ENGINE AND CAUSED A FIRE. AND TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE THEY SAID THIS WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE FORD V8 ENGINE!!! I AM SO UPSET! I JUST WAS LAID OFF FROM MY JOB BECAUSE OF THE ECONOMY, I NOW ONLY HAVE MY WIFE'S CAR FOR TRANSPORTATION, AND GET A BILL FOR 2700 BUCKS? THIS CAR HAS PUT MYSELF AND MY 10 YEAR OLD SON IN DANGER BECAUSE OF A KNOWN ENGINE PROBLEM WITH FORD TRUCKS! NOT ONLY THAT BUT I HAD TO REPLACE MY SONS BASEBALL GLOVE FROM TRYING TO SNUFF OUT THE FIRE. I CAN'T BELIEVE THERE ISN'T SOME KIND OF SAFETY RECALL ON…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 28, 2009Engine and engine cooling, Fuel system, gasoline, Electrical systemFire reportedODI 10275129
“I HAVE A 1999 F250 SUPER DUTY PICKUP 7.3 DIESEL. AS I WAS DRIVING IT ONE EVENING I SMELLED SMOKE AND SAW SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE DASH AND UP IN THE DEFROSTER AREA AT THE WINDSHIELD. IT THEN BEGAN TO FLAME UP FROM THOSE AREAS AND I SLOWED THE VEHICLE DOWN AND JUMPED OUT,FEARING I WAS GOING TO GET BURNED. IT WAS LATE AT NIGHT ON A COUNTRY ROAD AT 2 AM. AND THE TRUCK BURNED FOR ALMOST A HALF HOUR BEFORE ANYONE DROVE BY ME TO CALL 911. BY THE TIME THE F.D. GOT THERE THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED DESTROYED AND TOTALED ENGULFED IN FLAMES. I HAD A SMALL ONE GALLON GAS/OIL MIXTURE CONTAINER( FOR MY CHAIN SAW ON THE FLOOR OF THE VEHICLE) WHICH HAD LESS THAN HALF A GALLON IN IT. I TOLD MY INSURANCE CO. OF THAT FACT. THE INSURANCE CO. NOW WANTS ME TO BE DEPOSED UNDER OATH. I HAVE NOTHING TO HIDE AND WILL ALLOW THAT. HOWEVER I RECEIVED INFORMATION FROM AN ANONYMOUS SOURCE THAT THE INSURANCE CO IS TRYING TO DENY MY CLAIM AND EVEN POSSIBLY TRY TO CHARGE ME WITH ARSON AND FRAUD. THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS MELTED AND THE ENTIRE TRUCK HAD BURNED TO BARE METAL. I HAD SMELLED THE ODOR OF BURNING ELECTRICAL WIRES ON SEVERAL PRIOR OCCASIONS BUT I NEVER DID FIND THE SOURCE OF THE…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 20, 2009Electrical systemFire reportedODI 10255794
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD F250. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE LIGHTS BLINKED ON AND OFF ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT ASSUMED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO BARE WIRES UNDER THE STEERING COLUMN. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS RUNNING, THE LIGHTS FLICKERED ON AND OFF HABITUALLY WHEN THE STEERING WAS IN USE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 124,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 97,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 19, 2008Electrical systemODI 10218546
“1999 FORD F-250 WITH TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. CONSUMER HAD THIS PROBLEM REPAIRED. SHE WAS THEN INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A TSB THAT SHE NEVER KNEW ABOUT. FORD IS REFUSING TO REIMBURSE HER FOR THE REPAIRS. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED THE MANUFACTURER WAS FULLY AWARE OF THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM, BUT FAILED TO NOTIFY THEIR CUSTOMERS. THE PROBLEM WAS THE FLUID WOULD OVERHEAT DURING SEVERE DUTY AND WEAR OUT THE TORQUE CONVERTER, WHICH RESULTED IN THE RADIATOR, COOLER LINES AND HOSES FOR THE TRANSMISSION TO BE REPLACED. THE STABILIZER BAR LINK AND BATTERY WERE REPLACED. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 19, 2007Suspension, Engine and engine cooling, Power train, Electrical systemODI 10207129

Showing 6 of 59 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

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