Your vehicle report

1999 Ford F-550 SD

The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.

NHTSA data through October 2026View original NHTSA data Change vehicle

Your vehicle at a glance

Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.

Owner complaints
61
Received Aug 1998 to Jan 2018
Official recalls listed
8
Naming this model year; check your VIN for applicability
BrakeNews flagged problems
0
Statistical signals, not official defect findings or recalls

Owner reports

Most reported problems

  1. 1
    Axle breaks while driving, wheel detaches10 complaints · 16% of this vehicle’s complaints
  2. 2
    Manual clutch wears out or fails early10 complaints · 16% of this vehicle’s complaints
  3. 3
    Frame rusts and corrodes through4 complaints · 6.6% of this vehicle’s complaints
See all reported problems

Official NHTSA records

Recalls to check

  • Recall #09V399000Ford 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.
  • Recall #07V553000On 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.
View recall details

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 identified

Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 0 crashes, 3 fires, 2 people injured, 0 deaths.

Explore by system

Where do owners report problems?

Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.

Schematic car with five system shortcutsGeneric side view, with the front on the left. Numbered links explore engine, brakes, steering, electrical, and body complaints. Text controls below provide the same choices.12345FRONTSCHEMATIC VIEW

Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.

View selected problems

Showing all 4 listed problems by system.

Engine & powertrain

Brakes

No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.

Electrical & lights

No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.

Airbags, belts & seats

No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.

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.

Complaints received about the 1999 Ford F-550 SD
11
Show as a table
YearComplaints
19981
19998
20009
200110
20028
20035
200411
20051
20065
20070
20080
20090
20101
20110
20121
20130
20140
20150
20160
20170
20181
20190
20200
20210
20220
20230
20240
20250
2026 (to Oct 2026)0
Total61

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.

ProblemComplaintsShareShare ratioStatus
Axle breaks while driving, wheel detaches1016%–
Manual clutch wears out or fails early1016%–
Frame rusts and corrodes through46.6%–
Tires blow out or tread separates46.6%–

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 #09V399000October 13, 20094,500,000 vehicles affected

    vehicle speed control

    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.

    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.

  • NHTSA recall #07V553000December 5, 20071,176,000 vehicles affected

    engine and engine cooling: engine: diesel

    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.

    In the event of an engine stall, a crash could result without warning.

    Remedy

    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.

  • NHTSA recall #06V286000August 1, 20061,200,000 vehicles affected

    vehicle speed control

    On certain trucks equipped with speed control, gasoline or natural gas engines, the speed control deactivation switch may overheat.

    Overheating could result in smoke or burn and an underhood fire.

    Remedy

    Dealers will install a fused wiring harness into the speed control system free of charge. The recall began on august 7, 2006. Owners may contact Ford at 1-866-436-7332. (note: also see recalls 05V017 and 05V388)

  • NHTSA recall #02V068000March 11, 200251,846 vehicles affected

    parking brake: conventional: mechanical: linkage and cable

    On certain pickup trucks equipped with manual transmissions, failure of the front parking brake cable input button could result in failure of the parking brake system to hold the vehicle stationary.

    This could result in unintended vehicle movement and a vehicle crash.

    Remedy

    Dealers will replace the front parking brake cable and the controller and verify the performance of the parking brake system. Owner notification began april 5, 2002. 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 1-866-436-7332.

  • NHTSA recall #01V046000February 14, 2001102,000 vehicles affected

    tires: valve

    Vehicle description: trucks equipped with commercial truck tires that have steel cords in the tire sidewall. The valve stems may have been torn or damaged during assembly and could leak causing sidewall damage.

    If not maintained, could result in a sidewall zipper failure. A zipper failure during inflation of a damaged tire could result in injury to someone near the tire.

    Remedy

    Dealers will inspect the valve stems for leakage, and will replace both the valve stem and the tire if leakage is present. Owner notification began march 28, 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.

  • NHTSA recall #99V062001March 30, 1999898,739 vehicles affected

    vehicle speed control

    Vehicle description: certain 1997-1999 rhd explorer equipped with 4.0L ohv/sohc engines and cruise control built from may 29, 1996 through march 4, 1999; 1998-1999 explorer/mountaineers equipped with 4.0L ohv/sohc or 5.0L engines or 1998-1999 rangers equipped with 2.5L, 3.0L ffv/efi or 4.0L engines and cruise control built from january 5, 1998 through march 4, 1999; 1998-1999 mustangs equipped with 3.8L, 4.6L 2-VALVE or 4-VALVE engines and cruise control built from march 2, 1998 through march 4, 1999; 1999 F250/F350/F450/F550 (over 8,500 lbs.) trucks equipped with 5.4L or 6.8L engines and cruise control built from march 2, 1998 through march 4, 1999; and 1999 F-53 stripped chassis equipped with 5.4L or 6.8L engines and cruise control built from march 2, 1998 through march 4, 1999. A cruise control cable Can interfere with the speed control servo pulley and not allow the throttle to return to idle when disengaging the cruise control.

    If the cruise control is used and this condition is present, a stuck throttle could result, which could potentially result in a crash.

    Remedy

    Dealers will replace the cruise control cables. At the present time, the replacement cables are not available. Customers are being advised not to use the cruise control system until a replacement Can be made.

  • NHTSA recall #98V303000December 1, 199820 vehicles affected

    air bags: frontal: sensor/control module-inactive

    Vehicle description: light duty trucks. The cast tow hooks changes the crash pulse of the vehicle in frontal barrier impacts and the air bag sensor was not calibrated to this new crash pulse which may cause the air bags to deploy in lower speed impacts than design intent.

    Unexpected air bag deployment Can result in personal injury.

    Remedy

    Dealers will replace the cast tow hooks with forged hooks.

  • NHTSA recall #98V116000May 29, 199890,000 vehicles affected

    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.

    If a rivet is not crimped, the flex joint Can rotate on the shaft and there would be a reduction in or loss of steering control.

    Remedy

    Dealers will inspect the lower steering shaft rivets and replace any shafts with uncrimped rivets.

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 F-550 SD.

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