Most common 1999 Ford Econoline problems
Share of the 84 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Ford Econoline complaints by model year
Best Econoline years: 2005, 2006, 2007. Years to avoid: 1997, 1999, 1996, 1995, 2000. Compare all years →
1999 Ford Econoline recalls (5)
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.
Equipment › Other › Labels
Vehicle description: bi-fuel cng pickup trucks and bi-fuel cng vans, modified by cfi control systems, inc., fail to conform to the requirements of FMVSS no. 303, "fuel system integrity of compressed natural gas vehicles." the label affixed to the fuel filler door by the vehicle modifier contains the inspection date and…
Remedy: Owners will be provided a label with the required statement, along with instructions for affixing the label at the fuel filler door. Owner notification began November 2, 2000.
Wheels › Lugs/nuts/bolts/studs
Vehicle description: cutaways and stripped chassis with single rear wheels. The lug nuts can potentially bottom out on a shoulder on the studs.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the rear wheel attaching studs.
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.
Power train › Manual transmission
Vehicle description: pickup trucks built with single rear wheels and equipped with 3.55:1 and 3.73:1 axle ratio. These vehicles were built with incorrect speedometer driven gears, resulting in a lower speedometer reading than the actual vehicle speed being driven.
Remedy: Dealers will install the correct speedometer gear.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 1999 Ford Econoline:
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 Econoline owners say
Brakes
Shortly after purchase brakes failed pedal went to floor on several occasions but were told by dealer there was nothing wrong was common for ABS brake pedal to go to floor when sitting at traffic light however they did play with pedal until it came up several trips to dealer never resolved problem yet when the vehicle was at dealer and complained about brakes , transmission,steering,outside right mirror and seat belt in mid right seat dealer found nothing wrong with anything but mirror which they replaced however two hours later another dealer said seat belt was defective and would order one a second dealer shortly thereafter replaced loose linkage in steering, and rebuilt transmission which had burnt overdrive and defective parts in lower range still no-one could find brake prblem until crash when deputy sheriff tested brake pedal 8 times putting pedal to floor Ford motor co says the …
Tl contact owns a 1999 Ford Econoline. While driving at an unknown speed, the power steering failed and the contact pulled off the road. He purchased a new vacuum pump and repaired the vehicle. Mileage was 34,000 and failure mileage was 30,000. Updated 04/22/08.
Engine & cooling
The spark plug ejected for the second time in two weeks and this time had a small fire that was put out right away that could have been real trouble as we had 9 people in the motorhome at the time.
My Ford e350 1999 made a loud flapping noise as I was leaving my home. I pulled right back into the driveway and shut off the engine. I found out that the #2 spark plug had completely blown out of the cylinder head. This has never happened on any vehicle I have ever owned. I take good care of my vehicles. I am a mechanic, and former jet engine mechanic also. My obdii confirmed a misfire on cylinder #2 that is how I located which plug it was. Ford said it would cost $260 to look at it, and up to $1700 if they could repair it. Plus towing. I asked how much a new engine would cost since the van is in excellent condition. Ford said it would cost $7,200 for a new engine. This van has cost more for repairs than any vehicle I have owned in my life. I am 62. …
Wheels & tires
Tl* the contact own a 1999 Ford Econoline 350 equipped with kelly tires, tire line: safari lt, tire size lt23585r16. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH, a loud banging noise and the sound of metal being dragged on the ground was heard from outside of the vehicle. The vehicle was maneuvered to the side of the road. The contact noticed that the front passenger's side tire exploded. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The defective tire had not been replaced.the manufacturer had not been notified of the problem. The approximate failure mileage was 300,000. The tire failure mileage was unknown.
Noticed 2 seperate cracks or splits on the front left tire of my vehicle. The cracks are on the sidewall of the tire about 1/2 inch each.they are seperate and about a 1 inch space betwween them. But a very fine line or crack can be seen conecting the two from one end to the other.I've taken the vehicle to the Firestone dealer at bustleton and street rd. In feasterville,pa 19053 iwas told my tires were not on the recall list , I mentioned that these tires were on the news for blow outs and tire seperation.the dealer then said if the cracks get worse to bring them back and he would reinpspect them but for now it looked minor.also I pointed out that very small cracks surrounding the diameter of the tires below the tread on the side wall could be seen on all the tires. …
1999 Ford Econoline 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 Econoline a good car?
Based on 84 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1999 Econoline rates avoid: 3.0× as many complaints as a typical year of the Econoline at the same age. It is one of the Econoline 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 Econoline?
The brakes — 17 complaints, 20% of all complaints for this model year, most often about antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip. Next are the engine & cooling (14) and wheels & tires (12).
How many recalls does the 1999 Ford Econoline have?
There are 5 recalls for the 1999 Ford Econoline, the most recent from February 4, 2008 (cruise 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 Econoline?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2005, 2006 and 2007. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 1997, 1999, 1996, 1995 and 2000. See the full Ford Econoline years comparison.
At what mileage do 1999 Ford Econoline problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 77,000 miles; 17% 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.