Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).
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).
My fianc & I were driving down a 35mph road & I told her my steering wheel was a little crooked & I don't remember hitting anything to knock out of alignment. We got to my friends house to move a car trailer for him up his steep driveway. I hooked up to the trailer pulled it out, moved it around to line up to back up driveway & making the last adjustment all of a sudden I was turning my steering wheel but the tires were not turning, jumped out to find the output shaft of the steering box was cracked in half diagonally & the steering arm was laying on the street. When I got under the truck & looked at the part that broke you could see it was fractured for a long time. There was only about an 1/8" on one side that was raw metal from just finally breaking. Thank God we are alive if it would have happened going fast probably would have killed someone.
I was going down the freeway @ 65mph and I noticed my steering was not responding in the normal way. I had made it to a exit and stopped at light tried to make right turn truck continued straight, and I was stopped in rush hour traffic in ca. Got out and saw my sector shaft had broken off my steering gear box.
My truck was involved in a accident. Mention was made by the driver that the steering column seemed to go out. I ignored his comments and simply assumed that he was driving too fast and lost control. On May 11, 2001 I read an article in the kansas city star that indicated your agency was opening an investigation into "fractures in the steering gear shaft of Ford f-series super duty trucks. I faxed the article to the shop repairing my truck. Henry mills, mills automotive, marshall, missouri, inspected the vechicle, called me back almost immediately informing that this sector had broke on my truck. He contacted the local Ford dealer, who I understand went and looked at the vechile and informed mr. Mills that Ford had not issued any bulletins on the problem and could do nothing about it at this time. I decided I should bring this to your attention. Please keep me informed of your findings.I
I turned right into a paint store parking lot after leaving a major highway (m-32) with my 1999 Ford f250 (69000 miles) and noticed a slipping feeling in my steering. When I tried to back up to leave the paint store my right front wheel was pointed to the far right and my left wheel was straight. I looked under the right wheel area and saw the tie rod end was separated from the steering rod. I had the truck transported on a flat bed to a repair shop. I had all the tie rod ends replaced. The repair shop, bedford's muffler & brake (9893458732) has seen this same type of failure recently on a Ford. I have the failed parts and have contacted Ford over a week ago. They have not responded.
While driving 50mph the vehicle experienced a loss of control, unknown as to why the vehicle lost control, and went through a mailbox/tree/ embankment until it stopped on a field on its own. Also, the bumper experienced frontal impact damage, but the driver's airbag did not deploy and did not protect the occupant in this accident. Caused unknown. Please provide details.
I suffered closed head trauma with amnesia in the accident. The truck had no grass or dirt on the front undercarriage. The front body clip was destroyed as well as the side doors and bed. The left wheel steering linkage was sheared off. Turning the steering would not turn the wheels. I read in the paper that you have upgraded investigation on steering problems in this model.
The vehicle pulled to the left and the right, the tire were cupping on the edges, the cloth seat were wearing, the radius arms were loose, the lights were inoerative, there was a squeak in the cowel, the engine experienced gasket and seal problems, however once the engine was replaced, it burned oil fast.
While traveling on the highway and without prior warning the consumer lost control of the vehicle, this failure was as a result of the steering column locking up. Please furnish additional information dealer is aware of the problem.
The second gear has gone out of the transmission. The consumer took the vehicle to the dealer. The lights at the bottom of the door were inoperative. The steering wheel was out of alignment.
The power steering went out and the brakes were not working properly, the vehicle shook very hard when the brakes were applied. In July of 2000 the newspaper in beckley, wv , the register-herald, ran an article that NHTSA reports that the Ford f-series super duty truck had problems of losing their steering and brakes. And they could go out without any warnings. That happened to my truck. Ford denies knowing anything about it. What do you know about the report? I have asked to talk to Ford engineers and have been refused. What can you do about this? What do you know about this?
Related recalls
Steering › Gear box (other than rack and pinion)
Vehicle description: medium duty trucks and chassis-cabs. One or more of the four rivets on the lower steering shaft flex coupling May not have been crimped during the sub-assembly process.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the lower steering shaft rivets and replace any shafts with uncrimped rivets.
NHTSA investigations
Steering shaft fracture
Alleged that the steering shaft May fracture
Steering complaints in other F-250 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are steering problems on the 1999 Ford F-250?
NHTSA has 49 complaints about the steering of the 1999 Ford F-250, 8% of the model year's 581 complaints. The component named most often is hydraulic power assist system (9 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1999 Ford F-250 steering problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 98V-116 (gear box (other than rack and pinion), May 29, 1998). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 1999 Ford F-250 steering problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 69,000 miles, and 17% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 5 crashes, 0 fires and 2 injuries to steering 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.