1999 Ford F-350 Problems, Recalls & Reliability
700 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 1999 Ford F-350, alongside 3 recall campaigns and 7 defect investigations. It scores 100/100 on the trouble index — one of the years to avoid for this model. Wheels & tires leads the reports, typically around 104,000 miles.
Avoid this year if you can. The 1999 Ford F-350 sits at the top of this model's complaint rankings. Quieter picks in the same family: 1991–1994, 2007, 2009–2010, 2013–2014, 2021–2022.
Avoid
Where 1999 sits among all F-350 years
What owners report
“Blowout on right front tire due to tread separation( dot number: tire size: lt26575r16 )”— owner report to NHTSA, 1999 F-350
“Consumer applied the emergency brake, placed transmission in neutral and stated the truck, soon after the truck surged forward into boathouse.”— owner report to NHTSA, 1999 F-350
“I know many fellow ford diesel 6 spd. Owners having clutch&transmission problems. Ford dealers tell us it's an isolated problem. I guess that's why my truck is in douglas, wy and i live in needville, tx”— owner report to NHTSA, 1999 F-350
“Power steering pump failed, causing a loss of control, pump also controls brakes. (qcaw)”— owner report to NHTSA, 1999 F-350
“Dt: bought truck 11-15-01. Since then you have had repaeted problems with the front hub bearings. The 1st time they went out was 12-12-01, again on 2-11-02, and 2-14-02. Again 4-23-03. Now currently out again. In the past ford has worked with this issue, now will not. 3-15-05 new engine was…”— owner report to NHTSA, 1999 F-350
“While driving the driver side suspension spring broke, causing a tire blowout. Dealer determined both helper springs were missing, holes were drilled but springs never installed. Nlm”— owner report to NHTSA, 1999 F-350
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 196 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 100,650 miles. Half of those reports fall between 53,000 and 130,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (3)
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…
Fix: 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…
CERTAIN FEDERAL-MOGUL REPLACEMENT WHEEL HUB ASSEMBLIES WITH THE BRAND NAMES: NATIONAL, CARQUEST P/NOS. 515020, 515021, 515025, 515053, 515054, 515059, AND 515060, SHIPPED BETWEEN JANUARY 23, 2006, AND DECEMBER 20, 2007, SOLD FOR LIGHT DUTY AND MEDIUM DUTY…
Fix: FEDERAL-MOGUL WILL NOTIFY CUSTOMERS AND WILL REPLACE THE HUB ASSEMBLY FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON FEBRUARY 7, 2008. OWNERS CAN CONTACT FEDERAL-MOGUL TOLL-FREE AT 877-489-6659.
ON CERTAIN HEAVY DUTY TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH 7.3L DIESEL ENGINES, THE CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR LOCATED ON THE ENGINE OF THE VEHICLE MAY FUNCTION INTERMITTENTLY, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN AN ENGINE STALL.
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE SENSOR AND REPLACE IT WITH AN IMPROVED CAMSHAFT POSITION SENSOR FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 29, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-866-436-7332.
Federal defect investigations
Led to recall campaign 07V553000.
Led to recall campaign 05V388000.
Led to recall campaign 98V101000.
Technical service bulletins
167 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on transmission & drivetrain and engine — are on file for the 1999 Ford F-350. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 1999 Ford F-350 reliable?
The 1999 Ford F-350 drew 700 complaints in federal safety records — one of the years to avoid for this model. Its trouble index is 100/100, scored against the model's worst year (1999).
What are the most common 1999 Ford F-350 problems?
The top reported problems for the 1999 Ford F-350 are wheels & tires (161 complaints), brakes & stability (109), and transmission & drivetrain (91).
At what mileage do 1999 Ford F-350 problems show up?
Owners most often report 1999 Ford F-350 problems around 100,650 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 53,000 and 130,000 miles.
Does the 1999 Ford F-350 have recalls?
3 recall campaigns apply to the 1999 Ford F-350. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.