Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (fuel pump, injectors, fuel tank, hybrid and EV propulsion).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1999 Ford Expedition owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
My Expedition started acting like it was starving for fuel misfiring loss of power and there's a ticking sound coning from under the dash board the door lock unlock the lights flicker and horn beeps by its self I parked it and a couple days later it wouldnt it trying to crank but its sound I dont believe battery is dead if it was then lights wouldn't come on now and again also when I use my key ring lock to lock the door there's a clunk cluck sound I've spent a lot of money trying to find out what's wrong with lamont that's my expeditions name and nobody knows last repair shop had it 9 days total on the 7th day I called them they said they had no idea and on the 9th I went in and they said I needed a new motor costing 2600 and charging me 220 to tell me that. The shop before that cost me 350 saying the truck itself were the plugs go in was stripped and they needed a special tool. …
A spark plug blew/popped out the head on our 1999 Ford Expedition, causing fuel vapor to leak out of the opening, and starting a small fire, which was quickly doused. This is the 2nd time in 3 years that this has occurred, resulting in over $2000 in repair costs for each occurrence. I am very frustrated as I have read thousands of complaints from other Expedition, navigator, f-150, and f-250 owners with this same dangerous situation, and nothing has been done? Peoples lives could be at risk with this issue? Recall now!
SUV stalled fuel vapors filled inside SUV smoke then filled inside,we got out lifted hood a fire was starting on driver side near wall, my son and I stood back fire was dropping from the engine we got away from the vehicle it exploded 3 x. I received lung life long lung damage, the incident had never occurred before,the vehicle was not salvageable.
For the 2nd time I have had a spark plug blow out of the engine. This time the gas caught fire. I managed to beat it out with my jacket, unhook the fuel injector, and drive the vehicle the rest of the way home. Fortunately the fire started just as I opened the hood and I got it out before any damage could occur.
Was driving car to work this morning. Made a right hand turn and heard a knocking noise suddenly after completing turn. Pulled to side of road and immediately shut down vehicle. After shutting down I smelled what appeared to be gasoline. Called my insurance company and they had vehicle towed to Ford dealership. After waiting a few hours they told me spark plug had popped out and cylinder head needed to be fixed along with plug, and it was indeed gasoline I smelled. They said it would need major repair to fix, and tried to convince me to pay and arm and a leg. I don't care about that, I care that my child could have been in car, as I pick her up every day from school. Also mad that a fire could have started and Ford does nothing about this problem and that there have been thousands of complaints from Ford truck owners with expeditions and f150's from 97-02. …
I have a 1999 Ford Expedition xlt with a 5.4 l v8 with 130K miles on it. I started my vehicle this morning and it sounded like the engine had exploded followed by grey smoke coming from under the hood. After inspecting the vehicle I discovered that the passenger side , second from the rear spark plug was blown out of the cylinder head.after some research I found that this is an all to common problem for certain year model fords. This a very dangerous defect and not only could someone get injured or stranded but could also be lethal if the gas from the cylinder were to ignite under the hood causing an explosion or engine fire. Something should be done to prevent this.
My 1999 Ford Expedition had a spark plug shoot out from the head on my way to my cabin April 2nd, 2010. I have 2 small children and was driving in a area with no cell coverage or gas stations. The fumes made the inside of my vehicle smell horrible and had to drive to 17 miles with the windows down late at night. This is a bad engine from Ford, I could've been worse off with kids getting sick from gas fumes or being stranded in the middle of nowhere.
My 1999 Ford Expedition blew a sparkplug. The cost to fix is ridiculous compared to the worth of my SUV now. I checked online and this apparently happens all the time to this engine yet there has been no recall. What is up with this? This is dangerous and costly. If brakes for japanese carmakers are recalled why not plug problems which can create engine fires and strand people far from home? Please help?
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 Ford Expedition. The contact stated the straps that supported the fuel tank were corroded and fractured. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who replaced both fuel tank straps at a cost of $278 to the contact. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 66,000. The rear differential cover was leaking and had to be replaced. Updated 06/27/11
99 Ford Expedition blew out #3 spark plug and damaged coil, no forewarning of this , has 114,000miles, cost me $400 for a temp fix,,was told this is a common problem with the 5.4 engine, garage installed a repair sleeve and special plug,,no warranty,,I was 800 miles from home, when the plug blew, I thought somebody took a shot at me...it also ruined the coil.
Related recalls
Fuel system, gasoline › Delivery › Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles. The fuel line assemblies May have been damaged by the supplier during manufacturing, allowing leakage.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect these vehicles and, if necessary, replace the front and rear fuel line assemblies.
Fuel System complaints in other Expedition years
Frequently asked questions
How common are fuel system problems on the 1999 Ford Expedition?
NHTSA has 27 complaints about the fuel & propulsion system of the 1999 Ford Expedition, 3% of the model year's 946 complaints. The component named most often is storage › tank assembly (6 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1999 Ford Expedition fuel system problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 98V-312 (hoses, lines/piping, and fittings, Dec 7, 1998). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 1999 Ford Expedition fuel system problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 130,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 5 fires and 4 injuries and 2 deaths to fuel & propulsion system problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.