Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (service brakes, ABS, rotors and pads, parking brake).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1999 Ford F-250 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 Ford f 250. While driving approximately 5 MPH and making a left turn, the brake pedal was depressed but the vehicle failed to decelerate without warning. The contact observed that there was fuel leaking from the rear of the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the brake line was severely corroded and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that the VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 11V385000 (fuel system, gasoline). The failure mileage was approximately 180,000. Updated 11/23/15
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 Ford f-250. While attempting to stop the vehicle, the brake pedal extended to the floorboard and the vehicle failed to stop. The contact discovered brake fluid was leaking under the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the brake lines were corroded, causing brake fluid to leak from the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 180,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 Ford f-250. The contact stated that the emergency brake failed. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was notified. The approximate failure mileage was 160,000. Updated 05/24/16 updated 12/12/2017
Approximately every 6,000 miles, my brakes start vibrating when coming to a stop. I believe the disc is warping but to date, nothing concrete has been done to fix the problem. So far, the rotors have been turned twice and the disk replaced twice. The problem is reoccuring and I will be taking the car in again. This is a safety hazard as the car doesn't stop properly and the vibrating steering wheel May cause a loss of control. I see several other complaints of the same nature and most seem to be from alaska. Is the cold weather somehow responsible? It takes time, effort, and a lot of emotional grief to argue with the dealership each time I take the car in and tell them that the brakes haven't been right since driving the car of the lot. When is Ford going to permanently fix the problem? Changing the disk is apparently not a permanent fix. There is a major problem with the system itself. …
On februaary 3, 2001 my wife was pulling into the customer pickup area of sears in amarillo, texas as she pulled up to the pickup area and removed her foot from the accelerator to apply the brakes, the accelerator stuck and our pickup truck rammed the backend of another pickup truck in from her. She shifted to revers, the engine still running at a rapid speed, to back away from the vehicle that she had rammed. Since the engine ws running at a high speed, our vehicle raced backward. In order to keep from backing tnto someone behindher, she then shifted into forward gear and rammed the pickup in front of her again. All of this time the rear tires were spinning and smoking. After she rammed the pickup the second time, she turned the ignition off to stop the crazy situation. …
Upon braking, brake pedal went to the floor, afterwhich a flash fire developed which did extensive damage to wireing, steering column shaft & gear box, 4wd actuation lines etc. This vehicle has had multiple brake service & recalls on the brakes. Ford has redesigned the front rotors & hubs but refuses to upgrade early production vehicles. All early production 1999 Ford f250sd vehicles should be recalled for complete brake system replacement. The rotors warp, they shake when stopping, they have had multiple rear brake recalls, the antilock brakes release & will not stop on rough roads & now mine went on fire. These trucks are death traps! This incident occurred with a vehicle that had only been driven 3 miles, & had no load in the bed. What would have happened if I was in the mountains of pennsylvania towing my 5000 lb trailer & lost the brakes & had a fire ? …
Tl contact owns a 1999 Ford f250 with a manual transmission. He stated that he was having issues with the parking brake. With the engine started and in the park position the vehicle rolled out of the driveway while the emergency brake was engaged. This occurred twice within two months. The manufacturer was contacted and stated that there were no recalls and had not received any complaints pertaining to the failure. No repairs were made to date. The contact was utilizing a large piece of concrete under his wheels to keep the vehicle from rolling away. The failure and current mileages were 223,000. Updated 02/1710 updated 02/19/10
Dt*: the contact stated while approaching a red light at 15 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed, but the vehicle did not stop. After depressing and pumping the brake pedal several times, the vehicle did not slow down and ran the red light incident free. The vehicle was towed to a local independent repair shop for inspection. The mechanic determined the right rear brake line corroded and rusted completely through in pinhole size spots. The mechanic replaced the brake line and the vehicle operated normally. Updated 5/10/2006 - the consumer still has the corroded line in his possession.
1999 Ford 250 brakes were defective causing driver to swerve off the road and strike another vehicle. When the consumer applied the brake pedal it went to the floor and the vehicle would not slow down. The vehicle's front fender, right side panel, rear right fender , and rear taillight were damaged. The trailer of the other vehicle sustained yellow paint transfer and superficial scratches (ohio traffic crash report).
Consumer was driving on highway at 65 MPH on normal road condition when suddenly consumer had to apply brakes. Front wheel on driver's side locked up, causing vehicle to skid out of control, resulting in an accident, but no injuries. Dealer inspected brake system. Informed consumer nothing could be found.
Related recalls
Parking brake › Conventional › Mechanical › Linkage and cable
On certain pickup trucks equipped with manual transmissions, failure of the front parking brake cable input button could result in failure of the parking brake system to hold the vehicle stationary.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the front parking brake cable and the controller and verify the performance of the parking brake system. Owner notification began April 5, 2002.
NHTSA investigations
Parking brake failure
On May 11, 1998, Ford motor company filed a defect information report concerning parking brake failure on certain 1999 f-350 super duty vehicles built at the kentucky truck plant from January 26, 1998 through April 24, 1998; recall 98v-101.the reduction in parking brake effectiveness May occur on some of these vehicles, and is caused by the rust preventative coating the surface of the parking brake lining material…
Brake complaints in other F-250 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are brake problems on the 1999 Ford F-250?
NHTSA has 108 complaints about the brakes of the 1999 Ford F-250, 19% of the model year's 581 complaints. The component named most often is antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (47 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1999 Ford F-250 brake problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 02V-068 (linkage and cable, Mar 11, 2002). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 1999 Ford F-250 brake problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 76,000 miles, and 21% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 4 crashes, 2 fires and 1 injury to brakes 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.