Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (front, side and curtain air bags, sensors and inflators).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1999 Ford F-150 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Went to stop at light had no brakes with no warning. I hit the car in front of me in the rear this also caused a delayed release of the air bags. This appears to be problem going back years that Ford or the government wont do anything about.
Tl contact owns a 1999 Ford f-150. While driving approximately 35 MPH, the contact was involved in a crash. The air bags failed to deploy and the seat belts did not lock. A police report was filed. The contact experienced soreness and the passenger had to have a staple placed in his head as a result of not being protected by the seat belt. The vehicle was unable to be driven after the crash. The dealer did not offer assistance and the manufacturer has not been notified. The current and failure mileages were approximately 120,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 Ford f-150. The contact stated that while driving downhill at approximately 25 MPH, there was a sudden loss of control due to icy road conditions. The vehicle then crashed into a utility pole. The air bags failed to deploy with the significant impact. There was no personal injury. A police report was filed of the incident. The vehicle was destroyed and towed to a salvage facility. The manufacturer was notified of the problem. The approximate failure mileage was 173,000. The VIN was not available.
Tl contact owns a 1999 Ford f-150. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 to 60 MPH on icy road conditions and crashed into a herd of cattle and the air bags did not deploy. No warning lights were visible prior to the crash. The contact and the passenger received minor abrasions and bruises. The police were called, but did not arrive. The vehicle was towed, but had not been inspected nor repaired. The failure and current mileages were approximately 167,000. Updated 03/29/11 updated 05/06/11
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 Ford f-150. While attempting to avoid hitting a deer, the driver lost control of the vehicle and crashed off the side of a 20 foot high bridge. The air bags failed to deploy. The driver sustained a minor head injury and received medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The speed was unknown. The failure mileage was 150,000.
While seat belted into the passenger seat of a Ford f150 my son was ejected in a front impact and roll over accident. The seat broke loose from the truck floor during the impact allowing him to come out of the seat belt and be ejected out onto the roadway causing severe injuries.
I purchased a 1999 Ford f150 from kings auto mall near cincinnati. The trucks air bag light was on and I did not know what this meant until after I purchased the truck. I had it in the dealers shop to fix the A/C and have other items looked at. They stated that the air bag light was caused by a faulty air bag switch. This is the switch that turns off the air bag when small children are riding in the passenger seat. The dealership had placed a sticker on the passenger window stating that the truck had been safety checked. But yet I purchased a truck that could have killed my 4 year old if the air bag had went off. The dealership stated that they will only pay for half of the repair for fixing the switch. I don't understand how they could have sold me a truck that had this major issue.
Dt: the contact states there is NHTSA recall campaign 05V388000 concerning the vehicle speed control:cruise control. The parts needed for recall repairs were not available at the local dealership. He spoke to the manufacturer, who confirmed the parts were not available at this time. Updated 12/27/2005. The tires had excessive wear at 20000 miles. The seat belt roller has been replaced three times. The air bag control was replaced. Both doors had stress fractures. The rear brake lines were not secured properly which resulted in wear . The wheel hubs came off while driving at highway speed. The driver side exterior rearview mirror was defective.
I first noticed that my air bag dash light began blinking. I decided that it should be repaired in that I do travel quite a bit for work on heavily traveled highways here in indiana. I took the vehicle to butler Ford here close to my residence and ask that the warning light on be repaired along with a Ford recall #05s28 and a windshield wiper problem. When I returned for the vehicle the warning light was still blinking but the other two items had been taken care of. I was handed a bill for 126 dollars and the flashing light was not fixed. The repair bill stated "pass side air bag switch shorted. No further action was taken to repair the problem.
Tl contact owns a 1999 Ford f150. While driving 5 MPH, the front air bags deployed without warning or an impact. The dealer was unable to determine the cause of the failure. No repairs were made. The rearview mirror shattered and cut the driver's hand. The failure mileage was 172,000 and current mileage was 175,759. The consumer stated has included the cheapest estimate for repairs and multiple pictures of the vehicle. Updated 11/14/07
Airbag complaints in other F-150 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are airbag problems on the 1999 Ford F-150?
NHTSA has 69 complaints about the air bags of the 1999 Ford F-150, 7% of the model year's 1,044 complaints. The component named most often is frontal (55 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1999 Ford F-150 airbag problems?
No. NHTSA lists no air bags recall for the 1999 Ford F-150, though it has 7 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 1999 Ford F-150 airbag problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 120,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 54 crashes, 3 fires and 49 injuries to air bags 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.