There are 27 owner-reported fuel system complaints for the 1999 Ford Explorerin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
WHILE DRIVING 60 MILES AN HOUR DURING RUSH HOUR THE GAS PEDAL DISAPPEARED. THE BRACKET THAT ATTACHES TO THE FIREWALL BECAME SEPARATED AND I LOST ALL ABILITY TO ACCELERATE. I WAS ABLE SOMEHOW TO GET ACROSS 2 LANES OF TRAFFIC AND PARK ON THE SHOULDER OF A MAJOR INTERSTATE. *JS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ALSO OBSERVED A FUEL LEAK UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED FREQUENTLY AS SHE REFUELED THE VEHICLE DAILY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
FIRE STARTED FROM CAR TO OUR HOUSE. CAUSED MAJOR DAMAGE TO OUR HOUSE AND ALMOST KILLED OUR CAT. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH THE VEHICLE STALLED. THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE FUEL SYSTEM. HOWEVER, THE DEALER STATED THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO THE VIN. ALSO, THE HOOD ON THE VEHICLE WILL NOT OPEN. THE FAILURE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED. THE DRIVER'S DOOR WILL NOT OPEN WITH THE KEY. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 190,000. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MILES PER HOUR, MY 1999 FORD EXPLORER LOST ALL POWER. MY FOOT WAS ON THE ACCELERATOR AND I WAS TRAVELING AT A CONSTANT SPEED. IT WAS VERY, VERY SCARY AND I WAS LUCKY TO STEER THE CAR INTO A TURNING LANE PRIOR TO THE VEHICLE LOSING ALL MOMENTUM AND COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY TOLD ME THAT THE PROBLEM MIGHT BE THE FUEL PUMP, BUT THEY DIDN'T SEEM TOO SURE ABOUT IT, WHICH WORRIED ME TO THE POINT THAT I HAVE DECIDED NOT TO HAVE IT REPAIRED AT THIS TIME. I AM NOW AFRAID TO DRIVE MY CAR IN THE EVENT THAT THIS COULD HAPPEN AGAIN! *NM
THE FUEL TANK WAS LOOSE AND WAS CAUSING THE FUEL SENDING UNIT TO FAIL. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED. THE PROBLEM WAS REPAIRED. *AK....THE FUEL TANK WA SNOT LOOSE. THE BAFFLE PLATE INSIDE THE FUEL TANK BECAME UNATTACHED, SLIDING BACK AND FORTH, WHICH IN TURN ALSO RUINED THE GAS TANK FUEL SENDING UNIT. AFTER INQUIRING OF FOR DEALERSHIP, THEY ADMITTED THAT THIS COULD BE A DANGEROUS SITUATION, ESPECIALLY IF THE SLIDING BAFFLE PLATE SEVERED THE ELECTRICAL WIRES TO THE FUEL TANK GAUGE SENDING UNIT. CONSUMER FELT THAT THIS WAS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT AND HE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY FOR A NEW TANK/FUEL PUMP, AND SENDING UNIT. *AK
THE INTERIOR OF THE FUEL TANK DEVELOPED RUST, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL MULTIPLE TIMES ON THE ROAD. TAKEN TO SHOP FOR A NEW REPLACEMENT FUEL TANK.*AK *TC
THE REAR WINDSHIELD WIPER DOES NOT CLEAR THE ENTIRE WINDOW, THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL DID NOT WAIT UNTIL THE TURN WAS MADE BEFORE GOING OFF. THE CONSUMER BELIEVES SOMETHING MAY HAVE COME LOOSE WHICH CAUSED A GAS LEAK WHILE DRIVING. THE DEALER REFUSED TO REPAIR THE WIPER AND TURN SIGNAL UNDER WARRANTY. *JB *NM
ENGINE STALLS OUT WHEN YOU LET OFF GAS HAS DONE IT THREE TIME FIRST TIME TOOK IT DEALER THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG SECOND TIME DID IT COMING OF INTERSTATE RAMP THAT WAS FUN THEY REPLACE PART IN FUEL SYSTEM (SOME THING ABOUT IDLE SENSOR?). MY WIFE'S AND SISTER'S 2000 RANGER ALSO DID IT. *AK
ENGINE STALLS OUT WHEN YOU LET OFF GAS HAS DONE IT THREE TIME FIRST TIME TOOK IT DEALER THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG SECOND TIME DID IT COMING OF INTERSTATE RAMP THAT WAS FUN THEY REPLACE PART IN FUEL SYSTEM (SOME THING ABOUT IDLE SENSOR?). MY WIFE'S AND SISTER'S 2000 RANGER ALSO DID IT. *AK
I HAVE A EDDIE BAUER 199 FORD EXPLORER, AND THE AUTOMATIC FUEL PUMP SWITCH WILL JUST SWITCH OFF FOR NO APPARENT REASON. THIS HAS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING AND AFTER BEING PARKED. NO ACCIDENT HAS OCCURED AS OF YET, BUT THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION.
THIS IS THE SECOND DESCRIBED COMPONENT THAT HAS FAILED. THE FIRST FAILED AROUND 12000 MILES. THE COMPONENT FAILURE RESULTS IN THE ENGINE FAILING TO IDLE. IN ORDER TO KEEP VEHICLE RUNNING AT SPEEDS BELOW 30MPH IT IS NECESSARY TO KEEP ONE FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR AND THE OTHER ON THE BRAKE WHEN COMING TO A STOP. FAILING TO KEEP ONE FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR AND MAINTAINING AT LEAST 500RPM WILL CAUSE THE ENGINE TO STALL. THE GEARING ARRANGEMENT OF MY EXPLORER CAUSES THE ENGINE TO STALL AT SPEEDS BELOW 30MPH WITHOUT USING BOTH BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR WHEN SLOWING DOWN OR COMING TO A STOP. WHICH MEANS THAT I MUST KEEP MY FOOT ON THE ACELERATOR AND BRAKE AT INTERSECTIONS WHEN IT IS NECESSARY TO SLOW DOWN OR STOP. MY INITAL FAILURE OF THE FIRST OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING ON AN OPEN STRETCH OF HIGHWAY WHILE SLOWING DOWN FOR APPROACHING TRAFFIC. FORTUNATELY, I WAS ABLE TO STILL CONTROL THE STEERING AFTER LOSS OF THE POWER-STEERING AS A RESULT OF THE STALLED ENGINE. I ASKED MY DEALER IF THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE DESIGN DEFECT OF THIS COMPONENT OR WAS FORD GETTING PARTS FROM A BAD SUPPLIER. ESPECIALLY, SINCE MY VEHICLE NOW HAS THE THIRD SUCH UNIT INSTALLED. HE DIDN'T KNOW BUT THEY HAD REPLACED SEVERAL UNITS. I ASK THE FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE PERSONNEL THE SAME QUESTIONS BUT THEY STATED THAT AS FAR WERE CONCERNED THE NUMBER OF FAILURES FOR THIS PARTICULAR COMPONENT HAD NOT REACHED A POINT TO BE A "CONCERN". WELL UNFORTUNATELY FROM THE STANDPOINT OF SAFETY, I THINK WHEN THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY OF A VEHICLE ENGINE STALLING WHEN YOU ARE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT OR AROUND 30MPH AND YOU CAN LOSE OR GREATLY REDUCE YOUR ABILITY TO STEER YOUR VEHICLE. MY REASON FOR CONTACTING YOU IS THAT I BELIEVE THAT FORD HAS A DESIGN PROBLEM WITH THIS COMPONENT ESPECIALLY WHEN I NOW HAVE THE THIRD SUCH UNIT INSTALLED AFTER TWO PREVIOUS FAILURES WITHIN A TOTAL OF 58,549 MILES. ALSO, WHEN THE MECHANICS WHO SERVICE THE VEHICLE STATE THAT THEY THINK THE FAILURE IS THE RESULT OF EXCESSIVE HEAT NEAR THE LOCATION.
THROTTLE BODY/LINKAGE, ETC, FAILS AND CAUSES PEDAL TO STICK. WHILE DRIVING, TRUCK WILL SURGE FORWARD OR STALL WITH NO WARNING. PEDAL MAY ALSO NOT DISENGAGE, REDUCING SPEED WHEN RELEASED. *AK DEALER FOUND STICKING IAC VALVE. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON. DEALER FOUND LEAKING INTAKE SEALS AND REPLACED. *TT
I HAVE HAD THE FUEL PUMP REPLACED TWO TIMES. THE FIRST WAS AT 8000. THE FIRST SYMPTOM WAS TRYING TO DIE AFTER BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY. THE SECOND FAILURE JUST OCCURRED WITH THE SYMPTOM BEING DIFFICULT STARTS.*AK
FUEL PUMP IS ALLOWING VEHICLE TO DIE, BACK FIRE, AND/OR STALL WHILE TAKING OFF. IT HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER THREE TIMES AND THE LAST TIME THEY DECIDED THE PROBLEM IS DUE TO THE FUEL PUMP NEEDING AN UPDATE INSTEAD OF THE PROBLEM BEING DUE TO THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONER AS THEY SAID THE FIRST TWO TIMES. TS
VEHICLE STALLED WHILE IN MOTION. *AK
GAS CAP DOES NOT SEAL,CAUSING A VAPOR LEAK IN FUEL TANK
WHILE DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY AT APPROX 45MPH SWITCHED LANE TO THE RIGHT HAND, AND ANOTHER VEHICLE CAME OUT FROM THE CONSUMER'S RIGHT, SWERVED BACK OVER TO ANOTHER LANE TO AVOID HITTING CONSUMER'S VEHICLE. BUT, INSTEAD VEHICLE REAR ENDED CONSUMER'S CAR. NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED. ALSO, INERTIA SWITCH FAILED. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK
WHEN STOPPING, VEHICLE HESITATES. INTERMITTENTLY STARTS UP, AND GAS PEDAL HAS TO BE PUMPED. DEALER CONTACTED AND STATED FUEL SYSTEM PRESSURE BLED DOWN.*AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
Showing 1–20 of 27 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026