While turning into a parking space the bolts to the steering box sheared off with complete loss of steering. Further inspection showed severe cracking and loss of metal in the steering box area. After doing some searches I found that this is common issue in the E series vans. I did do a recall search and a CSA search to see about having this problem resolved safely by a certified shop. Unfortunately I haven't found any recall information on what is obviously a serious safety issue. Apparently the bolts shear off at low speeds while turning. The real concern is should one bolt only crack and not let the steering box become useless the vehical may be at highway speed when the failure does occour causing complete loss of control of the vehicle. I've read hundreds of emails on this subject and none had a resolution provided by the Ford Motor Company. I would think that something this critical would have been addressed by now. Concidering the recalls for comparatively much lesser safety issues. Thank you for reviewing this matter.
The worst 1999 Ford E-150 problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Fuel system20
- Steering17
- Brakes14
- Engine11
- Electrical7
- Body6
- Suspension6
- Acceleration5
- Airbags5
- Tires5
- Transmission3
- Visibility3
- Seats2
- Seat belts1
Specific symptoms reported on the 1999 Ford E-150
Recalls 6
Vehicle speed control
- What is wrong
- Ford is recalling model years 1995-2003 windstar, 2000-2003 excursion diesel, 1993-1997 and 1999-2003 f-250 sd through f-550 sd diesel, 1992-2003 e-150 through e-550, 1995-2002 explorer, 1997 and 2002 mercury mountaineer, 1995-1997 and 2001-2003 ranger, and 1994 f53 vehicles equipped with the texas instruments speed control deactivation switch (scds). The scds may leak internally and then overheat, smoke, or burn.
- Risk
- A vehicle fire could occur with or without the engine running.
- Remedy
- Ford will notify owners that dealers will install a fused wiring harness in line with the scds. On 1999-2003 windstar vehicles with a leaking scds, dealers will also inspect the ABS control module connector and repair as necessary. Repairs will be completed free of charge. The safety recall began on october 27, 2009. Owners may contact ford at 1‑888‑222‑2751.
Recall number 09V399000 · Recall details
Vehicle speed control: cruise control
- What is wrong
- 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. The affected vehicles were previously repaired using a wiring harness that is not compatible with the vehicle circuit polarity.
- Risk
- As a result, the fuse is located in the output circuit rather than in the intended input power feed circuit, and may not offer the intended protection in the event of an electrical short to ground.
- 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.
Recall number 08V051000 · Recall details
Vehicle speed control
- What is wrong
- On certain pickup trucks, passenger vehicles, sport utility vehicles, and motor homes chassis, the speed control deactivation switch may, under certain conditions, leak internally and then overheat, smoke, or burn.
- Risk
- This could result in an underhood fire.
- Remedy
- Dealers will install a fused wiring harness. Owners of the passenger cars included in this campaign will be instructed to return their vehicles to their dealers to have the speed control deactivation switch disconnected as an interim repair. As soon as repair parts are available (expected october 2007), owners will be instructed to return to the dealers for installation of a fused wiring harness. The recall began on august 13, 2007, and mailing completed by september 19, 2007. Owners may contact ford at 1‑888‑222‑2751.
Recall number 07V336000 · Recall details
Equipment adaptive/mobility
- What is wrong
- On certain vans equipped with sure-lok wheelchair securement systems, the sprocket teeth of the retractor assembly is out of alignment.
- Risk
- In the event of a vehicle crash, the wheelchair may not be adequately secured possibly resulting in injuries to a wheelchair occupant.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and replace the wheelchair securement retractors as necessary. Sure-lok will handle the repairs for this campaign. Owners should contact sure-lock at 1‑908‑231‑1804 or mobilityworks at 1‑800‑769‑8267.
Recall number 04V562000 · Recall details
Fuel system, gasoline: storage: tank assembly
- What is wrong
- Vehicle description: on certain vans with ambulance prep packages or other severe-duty applications involving operation at or near the gross vehicle weight with frequent twisting of the vehicle body, such as off-road, rough road or speed bump events, the 35 gallon mid-ship fuel tank could develop a crack where it contacts the frame cross member. If the fuel tank cracks, fuel leakage could occur.
- Risk
- Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source could result in a fire.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect the fuel tank and, if cracked, will replace the tank. Insulator pads will be installed on all vehicles to reduce the stress levels in the fuel tank. Owner notification began april 19, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact ford at 1‑800‑392‑3673.
Recall number 01V114000 · Recall details
Latches/locks/linkages: doors: latch
- What is wrong
- 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. 206, "door locks and door retention components."
- Risk
- In the event of a crash, the door strikers may not hold the door, increasing the risk of personal injury or property damage.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the door striker.
Recall number 99V046000 · Recall details
See all 6 recalls for the 1999 Ford E-150
Defect investigations
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 ejected from the engine.as of december 8, 2005, odi is not aware of any allegations where the alleged defect resulted in a loss of vehicle control, a crash, an injury, or a fatality in any of the 10,319,810 subject vehicles.in addition, odi is aware of only two incidents where the vehicle stalled without restart.information contained in the odi consumer complaints and obtained from 72 telephone interviews with complainants showed the following:(1) 99% of the complaints were on my 1997 to 2002 subject vehicles.(2) most the complainants reported hearing a loud pop while driving or upon starting up the vehicle followed by a loud, repetitive clicking or popping sound.(3) many of the complainants reported that the popping sound was accompanied by some loss of vehicle power; however, in 99% of the incidents reported, the vehicle did not stall.in the very few incidents where the vehicle did stall, most vehicles could be restarted.(4) only a small percentage of the complainants cited that they smelled gas or a slight burning smell when the incident occurred.(5) in all but a very few incidents, vehicle damage was limited to the engine.in one incident, the complaint reported that the fuel rail was damaged and replaced after one of the spark plugs ejected from the engine; however, the complainant reported that the damage did not result in any type of fuel leak or fire.in another incident, the only incident where a fire was alleged, the complainant reported that no fluid leak was observed, but that a fire resulted after the spark plug had ejected from the engine and he had restarted the vehicle and driven to another location.none of the complainants reported any damage to the vehicle hood.(6) only two complainants reported that they observed what appeared to be some drops of fuel coming from the cylinder where the spark plug had failed or on the spark plug itself; however, each of these complainants reported that there was no smoke or flames as a result of his incident.as the petitioner noted, and odi?s analysis showed, it is possible for a spark plug to detach from the engine cylinder threads in the subject vehicles.however, odi?s analysis of 474 complaints describing such incidents found only a very few alleged any safety-related consequences.none of these showed any evidence of a serious safety consequence.given the large population and relatively long exposure time of the subject vehicles, the complaint analysis indicates that the risk to motor vehicle safety from the alleged defect is very low.in view of the foregoing, it is unlikely that the federal safety agency would issue an order for the notification and remedy of the alleged defect at the conclusion of the investigation requested in the petition.therefore, in view of the need to allocate and prioritize the federal safety agency?s limited resources to best accomplish the agency?s safety mission, the petition is denied.
DP05005
Technical service bulletins for the 1999 Ford E-150 19
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- Brake booster system may exhibit a brake pedal kickback and/or grabbing condition when applying the brakes
- Vibration/harshness above 45 mph (72 km/h) after tire balance
- Clunk from front suspension
- Front brake pad wear
- Vibration / roughness on acceleration or under load at about 50-55 mph. tt
- Subject regarding exaggerated engine braking on deceleration
- Some vehicles may exhibit accelerated front disc brake pad wear under extreme loading conditions
- Some vehicles may exhibit rapid wear of the front brake pads (under 10,000 miles)
- On some vehicles there may be an oil leak from the right hand head gasket at the rear of the block / head...
- Driveline vibration / roughness on acceleration or under load at about 50
1999 Ford E-150 fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.2L 6‑cyl | RWD | 12-13 | 16-17 | 14 |
| 4.6L 8‑cyl | RWD | 12 | 16-17 | 14 |
| 5.4L 8‑cyl | RWD | 11-12 | 16 | 13-14 |
What 1999 Ford E-150 owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
My mark iii conversion van has a fuel leaking from the mid-ship tank. I noticed that there is a recall from ford, but when I went to my local dealer enfield ford in enfield ct they ran the VIN and stated my van was excluded. The only time it leaks is when I am pumping gas, if I pump slowly there is less fuel spilling on the ground
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 ford e-150. While driving approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle vibrated. The contact discovered that the fuel strap beneath the fuel tank on the rear axle was rusted and fractured. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the welding on the tail pipe was also rusted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 128,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 ford e-150. The contact stated that the vehicle was leaking fuel due to a hole in the fuel tank. The VIN was excluded from the federal safety agency campaign number: 01v114000 (fuel system, gasoline). The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 135,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 ford e-150. The contact stated that the vehicle was leaking fuel due to a hole in the fuel tank. The VIN was excluded from the federal safety agency campaign number: 01v114000 (fuel system, gasoline). The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 135,000.
The gas is leaking out of the fuel tank.
When filling with fuel, gasoline leaks onto ground. This appears to be a common problem from what I see on line.
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 ford e-150 . The contact stated that while refueling, fuel started to spew out of the top of the fuel tank. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 132,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 ford e-150. The contact stated that after refueling, he noticed fuel leaking from the top of the fuel tank as a result of possible rust corrosion. The contact planned to remove the fuel tank to further investigate the defect. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the problem. The approximate failure mileage was 120,300.
I would like to report a finding on my 1997 f-150. After reading about the prob into the gas tank straps in the detroit news. I found that one of my straps has completely rusted off and I would like to be notified as soon as a recall is made as this is a serious hazard , [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).
Compare the 1999 Ford E-150
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Questions about the 1999 Ford E-150
Is the 1999 Ford E-150 reliable?
Owners have filed 83 complaints about the 1999 Ford E-150, 6.9 times a typical E-150 model year.
What is the most common problem with the 1999 Ford E-150?
Fuel and propulsion system, with 20 complaints, typically around 120,000 miles. Next is steering (17).
How many recalls does the 1999 Ford E-150 have?
6 recalls, covering vehicle speed control, equipment adaptive/mobility and fuel system, gasoline.
Was there a recall on the 1999 Ford E-150 fuel system?
Yes, 1 recall: 01V114000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
What year does the Ford E-150 have the most fuel system problems?
The Ford E-150 model years with the most fuel system complaints are 1997 (22 complaints), 1999 (20 complaints) and 1994 (17 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 1999 Ford E-150 get?
Official estimates for the 1999 Ford E-150 range from 13 to 14 mpg combined. The most efficient version (4.2L 6-cyl, RWD) gets 12-13 city and 16-17 highway.
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