Most common 1999 Ford E-150 problems
Share of the 83 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Ford E-150 complaints by model year
Best E-150 years: 2009, 2014, 2015. Years to avoid: 2001, 1997, 1999, 1995, 1996. Compare all years →
1999 Ford E-150 recalls (5)
Vehicle speed control
Ford is recalling model years 1995-2003 windstar, 2000-2003 excursion diesel, 1993-1997 and 1999-2003 f-250 sd through f-550 sd diesel, 1992-2003 e-150 through e-550, 1995-2002 explorer, 1997 and 2002 Mercury mountaineer, 1995-1997 and 2001-2003 ranger, and 1994 f53 vehicles equipped with the texas instruments speed control…
Remedy: Ford will notify owners that dealers will install a fused wiring harness in line with the scds. On 1999-2003 windstar vehicles with a leaking scds, dealers will also inspect the ABS control module connector and repair…
Vehicle speed control › Cruise control
Ford is recalling 225,000 my 1992-2003 econoline, my 1993-1995 taurus sho, my 1992-1998 crown victoria, my 1993 bronco, f-series, my 1995-1997 f-series super duty stripped chassis, my 1992-1998 Mercury grand marquis, and my 1992-1995 Lincoln town car vehicles.
Remedy: Dealers will install a new wiring harness, or replace the mating electrical component. The recall began on February 18, 2008. Owners May contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673.
Vehicle speed control
On certain pickup trucks, passenger vehicles, sport utility vehicles, and motor homes chassis, the speed control deactivation switch May, under certain conditions, leak internally and then overheat, smoke, or burn.
Remedy: Dealers will install a fused wiring harness. Owners of the passenger cars included in this campaign will be instructed to return their vehicles to their dealers to have the speed control deactivation switch disconnected…
Fuel system, gasoline › Storage › Tank assembly
Vehicle description: on certain vans with ambulance prep packages or other severe-duty applications involving operation at or near the gross vehicle weight with frequent twisting of the vehicle body, such as off-road, rough road or speed bump events, the 35 gallon mid-ship fuel tank could develop a crack where it contacts the…
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the fuel tank and, if cracked, will replace the tank. Insulator pads will be installed on all vehicles to reduce the stress levels in the fuel tank. Owner notification began April 19, 2001.
Latches/locks/linkages › Doors › Latch
Vehicle description: utility vans equipped with the "60/40" hinged side cargo doors. The strikers for the 60/40 door single latch system were found to contain stress cracks at the striker wire lower stake joint. Strikers with stress cracks May not meet the requirements of FMVSS no.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the door striker.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 1999 Ford E-150:
Spark plug ejection from cylinder head
On September 6, 2005, odi received a petition requesting that the agency investigate allegations of engine spark plug ejection in certain model year 1997 through 2004 Ford vehicles with triton v-8 and v-10 engines.odi received a total of 474 non-duplicative complaints on the subject vehicles where the complainant, or the dealer repairing the vehicle, reported that a spark plug detached from the cylinder and/or…
What 1999 Ford E-150 owners say
Fuel & propulsion system all 20 →
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 Ford e-150. While driving approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle vibrated. The contact discovered that the fuel strap beneath the fuel tank on the rear axle was rusted and fractured. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the welding on the tail pipe was also rusted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 128,000.
My mark III conversion van has a fuel leaking from the mid-ship tank. I noticed that there is a recall from Ford, but when I went to my local dealer enfield Ford in enfield ct they ran the VIN and stated my van was excluded. The only time it leaks is when I am pumping gas, if I pump slowly there is less fuel spilling on the ground
Steering
While turning into a parking space the bolts to the steering box sheared off with complete loss of steering. Further inspection showed severe cracking and loss of metal in the steering box area. After doing some searches I found that this is common issue in the E series vans. I did do a recall search and a CSA search to see about having this problem resolved safely by a certified shop. Unfortunately I haven't found any recall information on what is obviously a serious safety issue. Apparently the bolts shear off at low speeds while turning. The real concern is should one bolt only crack and not let the steering box become useless the vehical may be at highway speed when the failure does occour causing complete loss of control of the vehicle. I've read hundreds of emails on this subject and none had a resolution provided by the Ford Motor Company. …
Vehicle veered off the road and into a tree. The air bags did not deploy during the accident. NHTSA did some testing but could not pin point the problem. A recall was initiated which the consumer received August 24, 2003, 30 days prior to the accident. Since the vehicle was to be out of service for approximately two weeks the consumer was in the process of rearranging his schedule to comply when the failure occurred. Five days after the consumer purchased the vehicle the brake unit failed. The manufacturer replaced the unit after some installer/manufacturer disagreements. The emergency brake never worked properly.
Brakes
Vehicle veered off the road and into a tree. The air bags did not deploy during the accident. NHTSA did some testing but could not pin point the problem. A recall was initiated which the consumer received August 24, 2003, 30 days prior to the accident. Since the vehicle was to be out of service for approximately two weeks the consumer was in the process of rearranging his schedule to comply when the failure occurred. Five days after the consumer purchased the vehicle the brake unit failed. The manufacturer replaced the unit after some installer/manufacturer disagreements. The emergency brake never worked properly.
Ltr fm denis bittenbender (pa) writer is a quadriplegic use of electronic equipment to operate vehicle involved in accident electronic equipment failed causing accident request NHTSA test equipment defect, reply to the allentown ofc dot 2004-4251. The vehicle had run off the highway and ran into a tree in which the vehicle veered at a 30 degree angle to the right an did not respond to any actions the consumer tried to perform. On another occasion, the brake unit failed and the manufacturer replaced the unit. The emergency brake never worked properly and the air bags did not deploy. It was also possible the van had a steering problem.
1999 Ford E-150 engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.2L 6-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 13 / 17 / 14 |
| 4.6L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 12 / 17 / 14 |
| 5.4L 8-cyl | 4-speed automatic | RWD | 12 / 16 / 14 |
EPA ratings. Class: Van.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1999 Ford E-150 a good car?
Based on 83 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1999 E-150 rates avoid: 3.3× as many complaints as a typical year of the E-150 at the same age. It is one of the E-150 years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 1999 Ford E-150?
The fuel & propulsion system — 20 complaints, 24% of all complaints for this model year, most often about storage › tank assembly. Next are the steering (17) and brakes (14).
How many recalls does the 1999 Ford E-150 have?
There are 5 recalls for the 1999 Ford E-150, the most recent from October 13, 2009 (vehicle speed control). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Ford E-150?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2009, 2014 and 2015. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2001, 1997, 1999, 1995 and 1996. See the full Ford E-150 years comparison.
At what mileage do 1999 Ford E-150 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 96,000 miles; 12% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.