1999 Ford F-150 Electrical System Problems

1999 FORD F150. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE CATCHING FIRE WHILE PARKED. *LD CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO SENDING IN EXTRA INFORMATION REGARDING THEIR CASE. *AS *TR

AROUND 1:30AM ON THURSDAY NOV. 24TH, I RECEIVED A CALL FROM MY NEIGHBOR SAYING MY TRUCK WAS ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SAID IT LOOKED LIKE IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. THAT IT LOOKED LIKE IT STARTED UNDER THE HOOD. THE TRUCK HAD BEEN DRIVEN TO THE STORE THE MORNING BEFORE THE FIRE, AND WAS PARKED AT THE TIME OF THE FIRE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE. THE CONTACT WAS ALERTED TO THE FIRE BY NEIGHBORS. THE SECURITY VIDEO FOOTAGE SHOWED THAT SMOKE ORIGINATED FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. FIVE MINUTES LATER, THE VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 05V017000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL); HOWEVER, THE CONTACT WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 200,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND IGNITED IN FLAMES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN EARLIER THAT DAY BUT THE VEHICLE SEEMED TO FUNCTION NORMALLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THERE WAS A FIRE REPORT FILED AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ADVISED THAT THE FIRE ORIGINATED FROM THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 243,000.

WHILE DRIVING, THERE WAS A LOUD EXPLOSION, THEN ENGINE WAS RUNNING ROUGH AND LOUD. MECHANIC STATED THAT DUE TO A FAULTY DESIGN, THE #7 SPARK PLUG HAD BEEN SHOT FROM THE ENGINE, DAMAGINE THE IGNITION COIL AND ALLOWING FUEL TO SPRAY FROM THE INJECTORS ONTO THE NOW LOOSE SPARK PLUG. MECHANIC STATED I WAS LUCKY THIS DID NOT RESULT IN AN ENGINE FIRE. ENGINE IS FORD 5.4L V8. MECHANIC EXPLAINED THAT THE DESIGN OF THE ENGINE MEANS THAT THE ALUMINUM HEADS HAVE APPROX. HALF AS MANY THREADS AS A NORMAL SPARK PLUG, MEANING THAT THIS IS A FREQUENT OCCURRENCE AND FORD IS AWARE OF THE FIRE RISK BUT HAS CHOSEN NOT TO ADDRESS. *TR

THE WINDSHIELD LEAKS ON THIS MODEL STYLE AND THE WATER RUNS DOWN TO THE GEM MODULE AND FUSE BOX CAUSING THE GEM MODULE TO SHORT OUT AND THE ELECTRONICS DO WHAT EVER THEY WANT TO. THE TRUCK WILL START ON ITS OWN EVEN IF OFF OR RUNNING AND DRIVING WITH THE STARTER ENGAGING. WINDOWS ROLL DOWN THE ALARM ACTIVATES RADIO COMES ON ALL THE ELECTRONICS COME ON AT THERE OWN EVEN WHEN PARKED WITH THE ENGINE OFF AND THE KEY REMOVED. THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM FROM MY RESEARCH TO TENS OF THOUSANDS OF THESE TRUCKS. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS DUE TO THE CAR CAN EVEN ENGAGE THE TRANSMISSION AS WELL AS IT CAN CUT OFF WHILE DRIVING AS IT HAS WITH MYSELF. THIS PART IS VERY EXPENSIVE AND THE LEAK IS VERY COMMON. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ACTIVATED INDEPENDENTLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED CONSTANTLY WHEN THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL WAS ACTIVATED. ADDITIONALLY, THE ODOMETER READING WOULD NOT DISPLAY ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE REAR SLIDING WINDOW ALLOWED PRECIPITATION TO ENTER THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.

WATER LEAKING THROUGH WINDSHIELD CAUSING DAMAGE TO ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS UNDER DASH. GEM MODULE NEED S TO BE REPLACED. POSSIBLY FUSE BOX AS WELL. *TR

THE ENGINE SURGES OR QUITS AS I AM DRIVING. THIS HAPPENS EVERY 8 TO 10 MILES. I CAN BE GOING 75 MPH ON THE FREEWAY WHEN IT QUITS AND I HAVE TO SHUT OFF THE IGNITION TO RESTART IT. THIS IS AT LEAST THE NINTH TIME THIS TRUCK HAS DONE THIS SINCE IT WAS NEW. I THINK YOU CAN IMAGINE WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE GOING 75 MILES PER HOUR AND YOUR ENGINE QUITS AND YOU ARE LEFT WITH NO POWER STEERING, OR BRAKES. THIS WILL BE THE NINTH COIL I HAVE REPLACED ON THIS MOTOR. FORD IS COMPLETELY AWARE THAT THERE HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FOR YEARS WITH THIS SIZE MOTOR. I CAN'T BELIEVE AN ENGINE THAT SHUTS OFF AT 75 MILES PER HOUR HAS NOT BEEN CONSIDERED A SAFETY CONCERN BEFORE. *TR

I OWN A 1999 FORD F-150 WITH THE 5.4 LITER TRITON ENGINE AND IT HAS BLOWN OUT 2 DIFFERENT SPARK PLUGS IN THE LAST YEAR. THE FIRST ONE HAPPENED TRAVELING DOWN I-95 AND THE SECOND ONE HAPPENED IN A 35 MPH ZONE. *TR

MY 1999 FORD F150 TRUCK WAS SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY AND HAD NOT BEEN DRIVEN FOR OVER TWO DAYS. THE ECU MODULE SHORTED OUT AND STARTED TO BURN LARGE AMOUNT OF SMOKE BILLOWED OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD OF TRUCK. TRUCK WAS REPAIRED WITH A USED PART SINCE FORD NO LONGER MANUFACTURES THE ECU MODULE. *TR

HVAC INTERIOR FAN BEGINS TO BE INTERMEDIATE AT ALL SETTING BUT HIGHEST SETTING. THE RESISTOR FAILS ON ALL BUT HIGHEST SETTING. SHORT IN WIRE HARNESS STARTED A SMOLDERING FIRE AT CONNECTOR. ALL RESISTORS ARE OPEN AIR AND RUSTED ASSUMED DO TO ITS PROXIMITY TO THE EVAPORATOR. FAILURE EXACTLY LIKE THIS ONE EXPERIENCED BY OTHER OWNERS. HTTP://WWW.F150ONLINE.COM/FORUMS/ARTICLES-HOW-TOS/378955-HEATER-BLOWER-FAN-FIX-ONLY-HIGH-SPEED.HTML. *TR

MY HUSBAND WENT TO THE STORE AND WHEN HE CAME OUT, OUR TRUCK WAS ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPT. SAID IT WAS ELECTRICAL. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD F-150. THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE UNDER THE HOOD WHILE PARKED. A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED. THE MANUFACTURER INVESTIGATED THE FAILURE AND CONCLUDED THAT THE FIRE WAS CAUSED BY THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL SENSOR. THE MANUFACTURER WILL REPLACE THE VEHICLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 112,000. UPDATED 09/04/08 *BF UPDATED 09/09/08. *JB

I PURCHASED THIS FORD F150 1999 ABOUT SEVEN YEARS AGO. I HAVE NOTICED FROM THE FIRST TIME I DROVE IT, WHEN I FIRST START IT UP I HEAR A SERIES OF DINGS (LIKE ONES YOU WOULD HEAR FOR SEAT BELT NOT FASTENED), BUT THE SEAT BELTS ARE FASTENED. MY RADIO SOMETIMES HAS POWER AND WORKS, OTHER TIMES IT HAS NO POWER TO COME ON. SOMETIMES MY ODOMETER IS ON AND I CAN READ MY MILEAGE, MOST OF THE TIME ITS OFF. SOMETIMES WHEN THE BLOWER FAN IS BEING USED IT DOES NOT GO OF WHEN THE IGNITION KEY IS TURNED OFF AND REMOVED, THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THIS PROBLEM IS TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY. I HAVE HEARD ON OCCASIONS, A CLICKING SOUND BEHIND THE DASHBOARD AREA, AGAIN THE ONLY WAY TO MAKE THIS PROBLEM STOP WAS TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY CONNECTIONS. I FEAR IT MAY LEAD TO, OR CAUSE A FIRE SOMEHOW. MOST OF THE TIME I CAN LEAVE MY TRUCK PARKED, AND START IT UP THE NEXT DAY, SOMETIMES AFTER SITTING OVER NIGHT THE BATTERY IS MYSTERIOUSLY DRAINED DEAD THE NEXT MORNING. I HAVE BEEN DILIGENT TO MAKE SURE I HAVE LEFT NOTHING ON THAT COULD IN ANY WAY DRAIN THE BATTERY. I FEAR THESE ARE MANUFACTURER PROBLEMS, DO I HAVE ANY OPTIONS TO GET THESE ISSUES REPAIRED? *TR

'99 F-150, MANUAL TRANS., 4.2L V6 ODOMETER BACKLIGHT FADES IN & OUT. UNABLE TO DETERMINE CAUSE AT THIS TIME. FAILURE STARTED @ ABOUT 138K MILES. ODOMETER HOWEVER REMAINS ACCURATE. *JB

TL*- THE CONTACT OWES A 1999 F150 FORD PICKUP. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ON MARCH 14,2007 WHILE DRIVING IN SUNNY CONDITIONS, AND WHILE STOPPING AT A TRAFFIC SIGNAL THE ANTI-THEFT LIGHT FLASHE. , AFTER THAT ALL EQUIPMENT ON THE VEHICLE TURNED OFF. HE WAS ABLE TO DRIVE TO THE SHOULDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE, UNPLUGED THE BATTERY, AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE. THIS SAME EVENT OCCURRED REPEATEDLY SINCE THE FIRST INCIDENT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 156,200 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 156,909.*AK

1999 FORD F-150 WAS SITTING IN DRIVEWAY, WHEN A FIRE STARTED UNDER HOOD. ORIGIN SEEMS TO BE AT BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER. ALL PLASTIC COMPONENTS UNDER HOOD MELTED AND WIRING WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD F150. HE STATED THAT THE ODOMETER WOULD FADE IN AND OUT AND SOMETIMES WOULD REMAIN OFF FOR SEVERAL MINUTES. HE FELT THAT THE FAILURE COULD POSSIBLY CAUSE A SHORT AND FIRE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 96,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 101,000. UPDATED 02-01-08. *KB

TL* - THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD F150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ON 01/27/2007 THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON THE STREET, WHEN A NEIGHBOR ALERTED HIM THAT THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT WORKING ANY DIFFERENTLY PRIOR TO THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN TURNED OFF FOR APPROXIMATELY 40 MINUTES, WHEN IT BEGAN SMOKING AND CAUGHT ON FIRE. *AK MADE 3RD ATTEMPT 10/16/07 LEFT MESSAGE. *LJ