Your vehicle report
1999 Ford Expedition
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 946
- Received Jan 1999 to Sep 2022
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Tires blow out or tread separates176 complaints · 19% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Spark plugs blow out of cylinder head117 complaints · 12% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Vehicle catches fire from wiring71 complaints · 7.5% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #05V388000On certain pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles equipped with speed control, the speed control deactivation switch may overheat, smoke, or burn.
- Recall #00V073000Vehicle description: multi-purpose vehicles. The trailer hitch assembly to the frame attaching bolts could lose the clamp load.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 52 crashes, 77 fires, 62 people injured, 5 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 20 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 1999 | 71 |
| 2000 | 187 |
| 2001 | 94 |
| 2002 | 74 |
| 2003 | 93 |
| 2004 | 86 |
| 2005 | 93 |
| 2006 | 57 |
| 2007 | 27 |
| 2008 | 32 |
| 2009 | 31 |
| 2010 | 30 |
| 2011 | 18 |
| 2012 | 6 |
| 2013 | 12 |
| 2014 | 10 |
| 2015 | 12 |
| 2016 | 8 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 2 |
| 2019 | 2 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 946 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 176 | 19% | – | |
| Spark plugs blow out of cylinder head | 117 | 12% | – | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 71 | 7.5% | – | NHTSA recall #05V388000 |
| Head gasket leaks coolant into engine | 66 | 7.0% | – | |
| Side mirrors give poor rear visibility | 55 | 5.8% | – | |
| Windshield wipers work intermittently or fail | 43 | 4.5% | – | |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 19 | 2.0% | – | |
| Water leaks into cabin during rain | 15 | 1.6% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 15 | 1.6% | – | |
| Suspension struts and shocks wear out early | 14 | 1.5% | – | |
| Suspension clunking or rattling noise over bumps | 11 | 1.2% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 10 | 1.1% | – | |
| Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines | 10 | 1.1% | – | NHTSA recall #98V296000 |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 10 | 1.1% | – | |
| Tie rod ends break or come loose | 10 | 1.1% | – | |
| Engine knocking from rod or main bearings | 10 | 1.1% | – | |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 9 | 0.9% | – | |
| Transmission fails or loses power while driving | 9 | 0.9% | – | |
| Steering wheel shakes violently at highway speed | 8 | 0.9% | – | |
| Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline | 7 | 0.7% | – | NHTSA recall #98V312000 |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #05V388000September 7, 20054,500,000 vehicles affected
vehicle speed control
On certain pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles equipped with speed control, the speed control deactivation switch may overheat, smoke, or burn.
A fire at the switch could occur.
Remedy
By letter dated september 12, 2005, owners were instructed to return their vehicles to their dealers to have the speed control deactivation switch disconnected. Owners who have had their speed control deactivated are being notified that parts will be available and advised to make an appointment to reconnect the speed control beginning in february 2006. Owners who did not have their speed control deactivated are being notified to have their system remedied beginning in february 2006. Owners are urged to avail themselves of the free disconnect service as soon as possible because of the significant risk of fire. Owners may contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673. (note: also see recalls 05V017 and 06V286)
NHTSA recall #00V073000March 7, 2000565,800 vehicles affected
trailer hitches
Vehicle description: multi-purpose vehicles. The trailer hitch assembly to the frame attaching bolts could lose the clamp load.
The trailer hitch could then separate from the vehicle.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the trailer hitch mounting bolts and nut plates.
NHTSA recall #99V099000April 29, 199953,784 vehicles affected
wheels: lugs/nuts/bolts/studs
Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles equipped with four-wheel-drive (4X4), 17" chrome steel wheels. The clamp load Can be lost on the wheel lugs due to insufficient wheel contact area with the hub. In some cases, the contact area Can deform, resulting in a loss of lug nut torque.
Loss of lug nut torque Can cause vibration or separation of a wheel and tire from the vehicle.
Remedy
Dealers will re-torque the wheel lugs to proper specifications and also install a label that specifies that the wheel lugs be torqued to 110 lb-ft any time the wheel is removed.
NHTSA recall #98V312000December 7, 1998305 vehicles affected
fuel system, gasoline: delivery: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles. The fuel line assemblies may have been damaged by the supplier during manufacturing, allowing leakage.
Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source Can result in a fire.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect these vehicles and, if necessary, replace the front and rear fuel line assemblies.
NHTSA recall #98V296000November 17, 19984,000 vehicles affected
service brakes, hydraulic: pedals and linkages
Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles. These vehicles may have a missing or partially installed retainer clip that holds the master cylinder push rod to the brake pedal arm.
Increased brake stopping distance Can occur, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect these vehicles to see if the retainer clip was installed, and repair, if necessary.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 1999 Ford Expedition.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN