There are 11 owner-reported body & structure complaints for the 1999 Ford Expeditionin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH ON A RURAL ROAD THE SPARE TIRE FELL OUT FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE, ONTO THE ROAD. I DISCOVERED THE CABLE THAT HOLDS THE SPARE TIRE IN PLACE UNDER THE VEHICLE HAD BROKEN. *JS
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD EXPEDITION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, HE HEARD A LOUD NOISE FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND NOTICED THAT THE TRAILING ARMS WHICH HELD THE REAR WHEELS HAD RUSTED AND BROKE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE DEALER, WHEN CALLED, STATED THAT THEY HAD NEVER HEARD OF SUCH A FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 130,000.
VEHICLE NEED ROCKER PANEL DUE TO RUST AND THEY ARE NOT OFFERED SO THE PROBLEM COULD BE FIXED FORD DOES NOT OFFER ROCKER PANELS THIS SHOULD BE A SAFETY RECALL DUE TO STATE INSPECTION IT ALLOWS EXHAUST INTO VEHICLE I HAVE A 99 FORD EXPEDITION AND I HAVE SEEN NUMEROUS OTHER FORD EXPEDITIONS AND FORD TRUCKS NEEDING THE SAME REPAIR. *TR
THE FLARED PORTION OF THE TERMINATOR FOB ON THE RETAINING/RETRACTING CABLE FOR THE SPARE TIRE FRACTURED AND SEPARATED ON MY 1999 FORD EXPEDITION EDDIE BAUER (I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER). *TR AS A RESULT, THE SPARE TIRE AND THE METAL CROSSPIECE RETAINER DROPPED ONTO THE STREET PAVEMENT, AND IN FRONT OF ONCOMING VEHICLES, WHICH SWERVED AND AVOIDED COLLIDING WITH THE LOOSE SPARE TIRE. I AM JUST GLAD, AND FORTUNATE, THAT THE SPARE TIRE DID NOT BOUNCE INTO THE AIR, OR END UP CRASHING THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD OF AN ONCOMING VEHICLE. THERE ARE NUMEROUS REPORTS OF SIMILAR, IF NOT IDENTICAL INCIDENTS OF THIS SPARE TIRE CABLE BREAKAGE POSTED ON THE INTERNET. ACCORDING TO THE OWNERS MANUAL, THE CRANK MECHANISM IS DRIVEN USING THE JACK HANDLE, AND IT IS SUPPOSED TO "RATCHET" WHEN THE SPARE TIRE BECOMES SNUG AGAINST THE VEHICLE UNDERCARRIAGE, PREVENTING OVER TENSION ON THE CRANK MECHANISM AND CABLE. UPON INSPECTION, THERE WERE NO SIGNS OF RUST, OR CORROSION, OR ATTEMPTED THEFT OR TAMPERING. A SMALL COLLAR PORTION OF THE TERMINATOR FOB REMAINED ON THE CABLE, WHILE FLARED PORTION BROKE AND SLIPPED OFF OF THE END OF THE CABLE. THERE ARE NOT ANY ADDITIONAL SAFETY DEVICES ON THE VEHICLE THAT RETAIN THE SPARE TIRE IN THE EVENT THE CABLE FAILS. DURING THE 2001 FIRESTONE TIRE RECALL, THE DEALER REPLACED ALL FIVE TIRES, WHICH INCLUDED THE SPARE TIRE. OTHERWISE, THE CRANK MECHANISM HAS NOT BEEN USED. I SEARCHED BUT FAILED TO FIND A REPORTED GOVERNMENT RECALL OF THIS CABLE AT HTTP://WWW.RECALLS.GOV/SEARCH.HTML. TO REPAIR THE CABLE END, I CREATED MY OWN TERMINATOR FOB USING AN ELECTRICAL SPLIT-BOLT SIZED TO THE DIAMETER OF THE CABLE. I FASHIONED A J SHAPE IN THE CABLE TO FORM A LOOP AND PLACED A SMALL SCREW THROUGH THE LOOP TO PREVENT PULL-THROUGH, ADDED A FEW DROPS OF BLUE LOCKTITE TO THE THREADS OF THE SPLIT-BOLT, AND CINCHED UP THE SPLIT-BOLT. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD EXPEDITION. THE VEHICLE HAS FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE SPARE TIRE BLEW OUT. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO A REPAIR SHOP AND HAD THE TIRE CHANGED. IT WAS ALSO DISCOVERED THAT THE FENDER WAS FOLDED UNDER THE VEHICLE NEAR THE FUEL LINE. THE TIRE SIZE AND DOT NUMBER WERE UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000. UPDATED 8/10/09 *CN UPDATED 08/13/09. *JB
WHENEVER THERE IS A HEAVY RAIN OR SNOW, SEVERAL OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS IN MY 1999 FORD EXPEDITION BEGAN TO FUNCTION IRREGULARLY. THE COMPONENTS FUNCTION WHETHER THE VEHICLE IS TURNED ON OR OFF. EXAMPLES OF THE IRREGULAR ACTIVITY INCLUDE THE RADIO TURNING ON AND OFF BY ITSELF, WINDSHIELD WIPERS TURNING ON AND OFF BY THEMSELVES, HEAT AND AIR UNIT TURNING ON AND OFF BY ITSELF, INTERIOR LIGHTS TURNING ON AND OFF BY THEMSELVES, AND THE RUNNING BOARD LIGHTS TURNING ON AND OFF BY THEMSELVES. SEVERAL TIMES I HAVE BEEN DRIVING IN THE RAIN AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL STOP WORKING FOR 1-2 MINUTES. *NM
1999 FORD EXPEDITION WATER LEAK FROM WINDSHIELD ONTO FUSE BOX CAUSING SHORT REQUIRING REPLACEMENT OF FUSE BOX BY FORD COST $362.01. *NM
DESIGN OF THE HINGES ON THE BACK DOOR CUT OFF THE TIP OF CHILD'S FINGER WHEN CHILD PLACED HIS HAND ON THE DOOR, WHILE THE DOOR WAS BEING OPENED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
THE FAULTY AIR SHOCKS CAUSED THE REAR HATCH TO FALL AND INJURE THE DRIVER. YH
THE WELDS THAT CONNECT THE HOOD TO THER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE HAVE CRACKED. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR DOES NOT OPEN FROM INSIDE DUE TO CHILD SAFETY ACTIVATION. YH
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