1999 Ford Econoline Problems
- Complaints
- 84filed with NHTSA
- Median mileage
- 75,794miles, 18 complaints with mileage
- Recalls
- 5campaigns on record
- Trend
- StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
Sources: NHTSA records for the 1999 Ford Econoline (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests. Report an error
What owners report
Owners of the 1999 Ford Econoline most frequently report brake performance concerns, engine cooling and spark plug issues, and fuel system leaks. Brake complaints span premature wear, pulling, and pedal feel problems that dealers often could not reproduce or resolve. Fuel tank cracking and leaks appear across a range of mileages, and spark plug ejection from the aluminum cylinder head is a recurring engine complaint at higher miles.
- Brakes
Brake pulling, pedal problems, and premature wear
- 13 complaints (15%)
- typically at 1.4 yrs old
- 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
- filed 1999–2002
Complaints describe the vehicle pulling sharply to one side during braking, the brake pedal sinking toward the floor, and brake pads and rotors wearing out well before expected. Some owners report the problem persisting after the dealer replaced rotors, pads, and calipers. Dealers frequently told owners they could not reproduce the issue in the shop or that the brakes met specifications. Several complaints were filed within the first year of ownership and at low mileage, while others appear throughout the vehicle's life.
What to check: Ask for brake service records and have the rotors, pads, calipers, and brake fluid inspected before purchase. Test-drive on a grade to check for pulling or a soft pedal feel.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“Downhill grade applied brakes, vehicle began shaking along with steering wheel. As brakes were pumped shaking became worse to where began to loose control. Same thing on return trip. Braking works fine on level terrain. Situation was very frightning. Took vehicle to Ford dealer who stated that if the symptoms cannot be replicated in the shop they will not be able to diagnose the problem. They asked if the asb light came on. I responed that I was too busy trying to gain control of the vehicle to notice. …”
NHTSA complaint #732503, filed 2000-09“Plastic cap for brake reservoir does not remain secure which allows brake fluid to leak within engine compartment. Dealership examined vehicle for problem and replaced reservoir cap. Replacement cap is also coming loose on one side and does not remain tight. Please provide any additional information / documentation.”
NHTSA complaint #8002544, filed 2002-01 - Fuel system
Fuel tank cracks and fuel leaks
- 9 complaints (11%)
- median 97,458 mi at 14.2 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
- 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
- filed 2002–2016
Complaints describe fuel leaking from cracked fuel tanks, leaking filler hoses, and fuel overflowing when filling the tank. Some owners noticed a strong gasoline odor inside the cabin before a crack was identified. According to complaints, some vehicles were not included in related NHTSA fuel system recalls despite exhibiting the same symptom. Complaints with known mileage range from around 20,000 to 135,000 miles, with several filed at high mileage.
What to check: Inspect the underside of the fuel tank and the rubber filler hose for cracks, staining, or fuel odor, and ask whether any fuel system repairs have been performed.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“I have a 1999 Ford Econoline conversion van, the problem I am having is a constant gas smell. I have had it or taken it to the Ford service department several times to no avail. The van has never been involved in an accident.”
NHTSA complaint #10020584, filed 2003-05“Vehicle was being serviced for another problem and it was discovered that fuel tank has a crack. The vehicle is not included in the fuel line crack NHTSA recall 01v114000.”
NHTSA complaint #10113729, filed 2005-03, 71,000 miles - Vehicle speed control
Vehicle speed control recall — parts delays
- 8 complaints (10%)
- median 65,000 mi at 8.9 yrs old (1 states mileage, few)
- filed 2000–2008
Owners report receiving recall notices for the cruise control system and then being told by dealers that replacement parts were unavailable for months. Some dealers offered to disconnect the cruise control as an interim measure, which some owners declined. According to complaints, owners waited many months after the recall notice before a permanent repair was available. Most of these complaints were filed in late 2007 and early 2008, around the time recall notices were sent out.
What to check: Verify with a dealer lookup by VIN that all open speed control recalls have been completed, since the repair was significantly delayed for many owners.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“1999 Ford Econoline with speed control recall. Consumer states that dealer told him the parts were not available to make repair. The dealer offered to disconnect the cruise control, but the consumer declined because he didn't feel that was an acceptable solution to the problem. (lawyer wrote in on behalf of consumer).”
NHTSA complaint #10210593, filed 2007-11“Vehicle experincing problem with sudden acceleration during disengaging and after resuming cruise control. Dealer notified, and unable to locate the problem. Please fill free to provide any further details.”
NHTSA complaint #871822, filed 2000-09 - Tires
Tire sidewall cracking and tread separation
- 7 complaints (8%)
- median 300,000 mi at 16.0 yrs old (1 states mileage, few)
- filed 2000–2014
Complaints describe sidewall cracks on original-equipment tires, tread separating at highway speeds, and sudden blowouts. Several complaints mention Firestone Steeltex tires, with owners noting the tires showed cracks while still at low mileage. Some owners were told the tires were not on a recall list despite similar symptoms being covered on related models. Sidewall cracking was noted at very low mileage on original-equipment tires; one blowout complaint was filed at approximately 300,000 miles, and others had no mileage recorded.
What to check: Inspect all tires carefully for sidewall cracking, bulges, or uneven tread wear, and check the manufacture date on the sidewall — tires older than six years are generally recommended for replacement regardless of tread depth.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“Noticed 2 seperate cracks or splits on the front left tire of my vehicle. The cracks are on the sidewall of the tire about 1/2 inch each.they are seperate and about a 1 inch space betwween them. But a very fine line or crack can be seen conecting the two from one end to the other.I've taken the vehicle to the firestone dealer at bustleton and street rd. …”
NHTSA complaint #733051, filed 2000-10“Goodyear is replacing these tires on 15 passenger vans. Our van has the identical chassis and tires, but goodyear ignores them. Please help. We travel to art shows with as much or more weight then a passenger van. Most of our travel is at interstate speeds. Any suggestions? (tiresize: lt245/75r1)”
NHTSA complaint #758495, filed 2002-02 - Engine cooling
Spark plug ejection from aluminum cylinder head
- 6 complaints (7%)
- median 76,589 mi at 12.5 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
- 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
- filed 2005–2011
Owners report spark plugs blowing completely out of the cylinder head, sometimes with an audible bang or flapping noise, occasionally accompanied by a small underhood fire. Complaints describe this happening without prior warning on vehicles that owners say were regularly maintained. Dealers quoted repair costs ranging from several hundred to over a thousand dollars, and according to complaints Ford declined to cover the repairs. Complaints with known mileage range from around 62,000 to nearly 200,000 miles, suggesting this can occur across a wide range of vehicle age.
What to check: Ask about any history of spark plug work and whether the cylinder head threads have been repaired or re-threaded; on high-mileage examples, a compression check by an independent mechanic is worthwhile.
2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records
“My Ford e350 1999 made a loud flapping noise as I was leaving my home. I pulled right back into the driveway and shut off the engine. I found out that the #2 spark plug had completely blown out of the cylinder head. This has never happened on any vehicle I have ever owned. I take good care of my vehicles. I am a mechanic, and former jet engine mechanic also. My obdii confirmed a misfire on cylinder #2 that is how I located which plug it was. Ford said it would cost $260 to look at it, and up to $1700 if they could repair it. Plus towing. …”
NHTSA complaint #10433618, filed 2011-10, 197,540 miles“The spark plug ejected for the second time in two weeks and this time had a small fire that was put out right away that could have been real trouble as we had 9 people in the motorhome at the time.”
NHTSA complaint #10423894, filed 2011-09, 76,589 miles
Buying note. The 1999 Ford Econoline has well-documented brake and fuel system complaints as well as a known spark plug ejection issue on the triton V8 engine that can be costly to repair; a pre-purchase inspection covering the brakes, fuel tank underside, and cylinder head condition is advisable. Also confirm via VIN that all open recalls, particularly for the vehicle speed control, have been resolved.
Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.
NHTSA recorded 84 consumer complaints for the 1999 Ford Econoline. 18 of the complaints include a mileage, and 17% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 75,794 miles. Of all complaints, 5 involved a crash, 4 a fire, 6 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns and 1 technical service bulletin for this model year.
Not compared (before 2008). Model years 2008–2023 of the same vehicle that have at least 25 complaints are compared, and a model needs at least 3 of them.
Which parts are reported most
Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.
- Brakes17 20%
- Engine cooling14 17%
- Fuel system11 13%
- Vehicle speed control11 13%
- Tires9 11%
- Suspension6 7.1%
- Steering5 5.9%
- Electrical system4 4.8%
- Seat belts3 3.6%
- Body and structure3 3.6%
Also reported: Transmission and drivetrain (3), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (3), Wheels (3), Equipment (2), Seats (2), Other or unknown (1).
Example complaints
Brakes: “The contact owns a 1999 Ford Econoline. While driving at an unknown speed, the power steering failed and the contact pulled off the road. He purchased a new vacuum pump and repaired the vehicle. Mileage was 34,000 and failure mileage was 30,000. Updated 04/22/08.”
NHTSA complaint #10223140, filed 2008-04, 30,000 milesEngine cooling: “Dt: the consumer states that 1999 Ford Econoline 350 blew a spark plug at 60 MPH. This blew out of the whole manifold. The consumer took the vehicle to a dealer, and the price that the consumer was quoted was around $2500.00. The consumer was in contact with Ford. The consumer stated that Ford could care less. The vehicle was being repaired now by the dealership. The vehicle did not have any prior problems. It was regularly maintained by the consumer. The consumer believes this happened due to lack of thread on the aluminum cylinder head.”
NHTSA complaint #10136956, filed 2005-10, 62,000 milesFuel system: “The contact owns a 1999 Ford Econoline e250 van. The contact stated that after refueling to capacity, the fuel filler shut off failed, causing gasoline fuel to spill back out onto the vehicle. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 116,000.”
NHTSA complaint #10489083, filed 2012-12, 116,000 milesVehicle speed control: “The contact owns a 1999 Ford Econoline. The contact received safety recall notice number 05s28 (vehicle speed control). He has attempted to schedule an appointment to have the vehicle repaired since august 30, 2007. Three different Ford dealers stated that the parts would be unavailable until november or december of 2007. He stated that none of the dealers advised him to deactivate the speed control switch. The switch is still activated. There had been no failure to date. The purchase date was unknown. The current mileage was 65,000.”
NHTSA complaint #10204248, filed 2007-09, 65,000 milesMileage when problems were reported
17% of the 18 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 62,000 and 130,800 miles.
Complaints by year filed
Trend: stable. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 1999 Ford Econoline. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.
| Version | Overall | Frontal | Side | Side pole | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Econoline · sedan | not rated | 4 / 4 | — | — | — |
Ratings before the 2011 model year come from an older, less demanding test and are not comparable with ratings for 2011 and later.
Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.
Recalls and investigations
- 08V051000Feb 4, 2008Vehicle speed control › Cruise controlCovers: Ford Econoline 1992–2003, E-150 1992–2003, E-350 1992–2003 +10 more
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…
- 00V284000Sep 21, 2000Equipment › Other › LabelsCovers: Ford Econoline 1998–2000, F-150 1998–2000, E-350 1998–2000 +2 more
Vehicle description: bi-fuel cng pickup trucks and bi-fuel cng vans, modified by cfi control systems, inc., fail to conform to the requirements of fmvss no. 303, "fuel system integrity of compressed natural gas vehicles." the label affixed to the fuel filler…
- 00V115000Apr 19, 2000Wheels › Lugs/nuts/bolts/studsCovers: Ford Econoline 1999–2000, E-350 1999–2000
Vehicle description: cutaways and stripped chassis with single rear wheels. The lug nuts can potentially bottom out on a shoulder on the studs.
- 99V046000Mar 15, 1999Latches/locks/linkages › Doors › LatchCovers: Ford Econoline 1999, E-150 1999, E-350 1999 +1 more
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…
- 98V257000Oct 14, 1998Power train › Manual transmissionCovers: Ford Econoline 1999, E-350 1999
Vehicle description: pickup trucks built with single rear wheels and equipped with 3.55:1 and 3.73:1 axle ratio. These vehicles were built with incorrect speedometer driven gears, resulting in a lower speedometer reading than the actual vehicle speed being…
Recall details for the 1999 Ford Econoline → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls
Technical service bulletins
TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 1 on record; the latest 1 are shown.
- 10148820Apr 6, 2018Steering. This SKU is a front upper ball joint. The Customer communication requested return of unsold inventory to inspect for ball studs with excessive rotational friction in the ball joint assembly…
Other model years of the Ford Econoline
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | Crash ★ | MPG | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 22 | 48,500 | 2 | — | — | — | Stable |
| 2002 | 23 | 97,258 | 2 | — | — | — | Stable |
| 2001 | 28 | 86,000 | 3 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 2000 | 39 | 50,000 | 3 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1999 | 84 | 75,794 | 5 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1998 | 46 | 79,500 | 2 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Falling |
| 1997 | 79 | 89,400 | 2 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1996 | 81 | 98,000 | 3 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1995 | 73 | 45,000 | 4 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1994 | 124 | 118,000 | 4 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Rising |
| 1993 | 65 | 103,000 | 3 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Rising |
| 1992 | 83 | 115,000 | 3 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1991 | 24 | 52,867 | 3 | — | — | — | Stable |
| 1990 | 30 | 44,000 | 4 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1989 | 32 | — | 2 | — | — | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1988 | 22 | — | 0 | — | — | — | Stable |
| 1987 | 15 | 110,000 | 4 | — | — | — | Stable |
| 1986 | 7 | — | 5 | — | — | — | Not enough data |
| 1985 | 10 | — | 5 | — | — | — | Not enough data |
| 1984 | 7 | — | 6 | — | — | — | Not enough data |
All Ford Econoline model years · Best and worst years by complaints
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1999 Ford Econoline?
Owners of the 1999 Ford Econoline most frequently report brake performance concerns, engine cooling and spark plug issues, and fuel system leaks. The issues reported most often: Brake pulling, pedal problems, and premature wear; Fuel tank cracks and fuel leaks; Vehicle speed control recall — parts delays.
How many NHTSA complaints does the 1999 Ford Econoline have?
NHTSA recorded 84 consumer complaints for the 1999 Ford Econoline as of Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
What part of the 1999 Ford Econoline is reported most often?
Brakes is named most often, in 17 complaints (20% of the total), followed by engine cooling with 14.
Has the 1999 Ford Econoline been recalled?
NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
At what mileage are problems with the 1999 Ford Econoline reported?
Among the 18 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 75,794 miles and the middle half falls between 62,000 and 130,800 miles; 17% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program.
Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.