Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1999 Ford Expedition submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 38 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 38, in the owner's own words
THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN IN NORMAL OPERATION WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THE BRAKE SYSTEM BECAME INEFFECTIVE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A BRAKE SHOP WHERE THE BRAKE LINE ON THE FRAME ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE NEAR THE DOOR WAS FOUND TO BE CORRODED THROUGH AND LEAKING. THE BRAKE SHOP FOUND ALL METAL BRAKE LINES CORRODED AND RECOMMENDED REPLACEMENT. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD EXPEDITION. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, HE ENGAGED THE BRAKE PEDAL; HOWEVER, IT EXTENDED TO THE FLOOR TAKING MUCH LONGER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. HE RESEARCHED THIS PROBLEM AND FOUND THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 98V296000, COMPONENT: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:PEDALS AND LINKAGES IS RELATED TO THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURED STATED THAT HIS VIN DID NOT APPLY TO THE RECALL. THE CONTACT IS AWARE OF THE SAFETY RISK. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 275,950 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 276,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD EXPEDITION. AFTER DRIVING THE VEHICLE FOR APPROXIMATELY THREE MINUTES AND THEN PARKING, THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. SHE LIFTED THE HOOD AND NOTICED FLAMES COMING FROM THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE ORIGINATED AT THE MASTER CYLINDER. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 130,000.
FAILURE OF REAR BRAKE SUPPLY LINE RUBBING AGAINST STEERING COUPLER, CAUSING REPLACEMENT OF BRAKE LINE. I HAVE SENT A CERTIFIED LETTER TO FORD MOTOR COMPANY ADVISING THEM OF THIS MALFUNCTION, AND HAVE NEVER RECEIVED A REPLY FROM THEM.*AK I CAN FURNISHED A COPY OF THIS LETTER WITH THE PROBLEM OUTLINED IF NEEDED.
I HAVE A 1999 EXPEDITION WITH 90,000 MILES. IN EARLY DECEMBER OF 2006, IN HEAVY EVENING TRAFFIC, A CAR SUDDENLY PULLED IN FRONT OF ME AND CAME TO A QUICK STOP. I APPLIED THE BRAKES VERY HARD AND THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. I MANAGED TO AVOID HITTING THE CAR THAT STOPPED IN FRONT OF ME, BUT MY BRAKES WERE GONE AND I HAD TO LIMP TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. UPON INSPECTION, I FOUND THAT MY BRAKE LINE TO THE LEFT REAR BRAKE HAD CORRODED AND FAILED. I GOT THE VEHICLE HOME AND ON A NEIGHBORS LIFT AND FOUND THAT ALL MY BRAKE LINES HAD CORRODED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKE LINES ON MY 1993 ECONOLINE THAT ALSO CORRODED AT ABOUT 90000 MILES. IT APPEARS TO ME THAT THE BRAKE LINES IN THESE VEHICLES WERE MADE FROM CHEAP METAL AND THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD LOOK INTO THIS PROBLEM AS IT APPEARS TO BE QUITE A COMMON OCCURRENCE. I REPLACED ALL BRAKE LINES, INCLUDING THE LINES FROM THE MASTER CYLINDER AND TO THE POWER ASSIST UNIT. THE OLD PARTS WERE THROWN AWAY. *NM
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE APPLYING BRAKE PRESSURE AT 25 MPH ON A CITY STREET, THERE WAS A LOSS OF BRAKING POWER, AND AN INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCE. ALTHOUGH NO CRASH OCCURRED, THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, WHO DETERMINED THE STEEL PIPE FITTINGS,HOSES, AND CONNECTIONS OF THE BRAKES WERE CORROSIVE, AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ADDITIONALLY, IT WAS DETERMINED THE CORROSION WAS DUE TO USE OF INFERIOR METALS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED.
LOST BRAKE PRESSURE. FOUND LEAK COMING FROM FRT LH BRAKE LINE. FITTING BETWEEN METAL AND RUBBER BRAKE LINES HAD RUSTED AND FATIGUED TO THE POINT OF FAILURE. LOST ALL BRAKE FLUID AND RUINED FRT LH RIM DUE TO CORROSIVE PROPERTY OF BRAKE FLUID. PURCHASED REPLACEMENT PART AT LOCAL DEALER. N/G BRAKE LINE AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW. *NM
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE ABS ACTIVATED WITHOUT EFFORT CREATING AN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. THE BRAKES WERE HYDRAULIC AND THE ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON OCCASION. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO A BRAKE SHOP BUT NOT TO A DEALER.
LAST THURSDAY MY BRAKES FAILED DUE TO A RUPTURE IN THE HYDRAULIC FLUID STEEL TUBING. THE VEHICLE IS A HEAVY SUV, AND BEING AN ACTIVE SAILOR, I USE THE VEHICLE TO TOW BOAT TRAILERS. WE HAD JUST HOOKED UP A LOADED BOAT TRAILER, AND AS I GOT BACK INTO THE CAR, I NOTED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. WE PROCEEDED ABOUT 300 YARDS ON A LEVEL SIDE ROAD AND TESTED THE BRAKES WITH THE SAME RESULT. WE NOTED A LOT OF BRAKE FLUID UNDER THE CAR. WE HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO NEWPORT FORD IN MIDDLETOWN, RHODE ISLAND. THEY SHOWED ME THE RUPTURE SITE, AND THE RUST OVER THE ENTIRE SYSTEM OF STEEL TUBING. THEY INDICATED THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE TUBING TO ALL FOUR (4)WHEELS, FOR A COST OF OVER $700. THEY ALSO INDICATED TO ME THAT THIS TYPE OF FAILURE IS QUITE COMMON. THE DEALERSHIP HANDLES ABOUT 2-3 INCIDENTS PER MONTH. I ASKED WHY THE TUBING WAS NOT COPPER, AND THEY INDICATED THAT MANY AMERICAN CAR MANUFACTURERS HAVE SWITCHED FROM COPPER TO STEEL. WE WERE VERY FORTUNATE THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE TRIP, FOR IF IT HAD HAPPEN GOING DOWN A MAJOR HILL IN THE CENTER OF NEWPORT, THERE COULD HAVE BEEN GRAVE CONSEQUENCES. I HAVE TWO COMMENTS. ONE IS THAT IF THIS FAILURE IS AS COMMON AS I WAS TOLD, I WOULD HOPE THERE WOULD BE A MAJOR POLICY CHANGE AND A RECALL. CARS OFTEN RECALLED, FOR RATHER MINOR ISSUES, AND I THINK THIS IS MUCH MORE SERIOUS. *JB
I HAVE A 1999 MODEL FORD EXPEDITION. I HAD HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES. THE PEDAL EFFORT TO STOP WAS SOMETIMES VERY HIGH TO MAKE EVEN A GENTLE STOP. THE PROBLEM WAS INTERMITTENT. I AM CAPABLE OF ENOUGH FORCE ON THE BRAKE PEDAL TO ALWAYS STOP SAFELY BUT THE CHANGES IN EFFORT REQUIRED WERE SURPRISING. THE FRONT PADS AND ROTORS WERE CHANGED LAST YEAR. THE REAR BRAKES WERE ALSO CHECKED. THE BRAKE SYSTEM SEEMED TO ACT LIKE THE ENGINE WAS NOT RUNNING TO PROVIDE THE VACUUM FOR THE BRAKE BOOSTER. AFTER SOME CLOSE CALLS ON THE WORK COMMUTE, I DECIDED TO CHECK THE VACUUM HOSES BETWEEN THE ENGINE AND THE BRAKE BOOSTER. THIS VEHICLE HAS THE BRAKE BOOSTER VACUUM LINE RUNNING ACROSS THE FIREWALL BEHIND THE ENGINE, CONNECTING TO A 'Y' TO INCLUDE THE PCV VALVE AND THEN ONWARD TO WHERE IT CONNECTS TO THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. ON MY EXPEDITION THE HOSES NEAR THE 'Y' FOR THE PCV VALVE AND THE HOSE ON THE MANIFOLD WERE SOFT AND APPEARED COLLAPSED WHEN THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING. THE HOSES WERE NOT REINFORCED LIKE BRAKE BOOSTER VACUUM SOURCE HOSES ON OTHER SYSTEMS I HAVE SEEN. THESE LOOKED LIKE BIGGER DIAMETER VERSIONS OF THE COMMON ALL RUBBER VACUUM HOSE. I REPLACED THE SOFT, COLLAPSED HOSES WITH BRAID REINFORCED 3/8 FUEL LINE HOSE AND NOW I HAVE POWER BRAKES EVERY TIME. A SMALL PERSON COULD NOT STOP AN EXPEDITION SAFELY WITHOUT POWER BRAKES. THE INTERMITTENT LOSS OF VACUUM BOOST WAS SURPRISING AND FRIGHTENING. I STILL HAVE THE HOSES I TOOK OFF. *NM
MAJOR ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS: AIR SUSPENSION STOP WORKING; INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR LAMPS CONTINUALLY CLICK ON AND OFF; REAR WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOP WORKING. ABS WARNING CLICKS ON AN OFF, WHEN OFF BRAKES TEND TO LOCK DURING BRAKING. *JB
EMERGENCY BRAKE CABLE SNAPPED. *NM
DT: THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE BRAKES FAILED AND THE VEHICLE LOST ALL BRAKING POWER AND THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC, AND HE STATED THAT BRAKE LINES CORRODED. THEY CORRODED IN THE BOX FRAME UNDER THE DRIVER'S DOOR AND THE BRAKLINE BROKE ALLOWING ALL OF THE BRAKING FLUID RUN OUT. THIS HAPPENED ON JUNE 19, 2005. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND NO CRASH. THIS WAS DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS ON A LEVEL ROAD AND ONLY GOING 25 MPH. *AK *SC
1999 FORD EXPEDITION EDDIE BAUER 4X4 THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS REMOVED BY THE DEALER WHEN THEY SOLD IT TO ME AND NEVER PUT ONE ON IT, ALSO THE /C BLOWS OUT HOT AIR UP FRONT AND COLD IN THE BACK, AND THE ODOMITTER DOES NOT WORK, IT GOES IN AND OUT AND THE DEALER REFUSES TO FIX IT. SEVERAL OF MY FRIENDS HAVE THE SAME TRUCK AND THEY HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM
I HAVE A 1999 FORD EXPEDITION EDDIE BAUER, ON MONDAY, DECEMBER 13,2004 I WAS HAVING BRAKES AND ROTORS REPLACED ON MY TRUCK. THE MECHANIC NOTIFIED ME THAT THERE WAS A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THE TIE ROD END. HE SAID THAT THE BOLTS WERE BROKEN ON ONE SIDE AND MISSING ON THE OTHER. HE ALSO STATED THAT HE WAS SURPRISED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS STILL UPRIGHT AND THAT I HAD NOT BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT. MY VEHICLE HAS NOW BEEN IN THE SHOP FOR 3 DAYS DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. THE MECHANIC WHO IS FIXING THE PROBLEM STATED THAT I NEEDED TO FIND OUT IF THERE ARE ANY RECALLS ON THIS VEHICLE FOR THE TIE ROD END.*AK
FRANKLY, I NEED YOUR ADVICE ON A MATTER OF GREAT CONCERN I BOUGHT A 1999 FORD EXPEDITION FROM WALDORF FORD IN OCT 2002. RECENTLY I HAD A BREAK DOWN; I HAD THREE SPARK PLUGS BLOW-OUT, YESTERDAY I WAS TOLD THAT THREE CYLINDERS ARE GONE DUE FROM THE DAMAGE OF THE SPARK PLUGS. THE ASSISTANT TEAM MGR SAID IT WOULD COST $6000.00 TO GET A NEW ENGINE OR GET A NEW VEHICLE; I COULDN'T BELIEVE MY EARS. THESE TRUCKS ARE LEMONS AND I BELIEVE ITS TIME THAT FORD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR ACTIONS AND RECALLS THESE ENGINE. I GUESS THEY ARE WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO GET KILLED. MY TRUCK LOST POWER IN THE MIDDLE OF RUSH HOUR AND I WAS NEARLY REAR ENDED. OTHER NOTED PROBLEMS: THE EMERGENCY BRAKE CABLE STAYS ON, THE ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON WHILE DRIVING AND THE BRAKES PADS AND SHOES ARE WORN OUT AT A HIGHER RATE. *JB *BF *NM
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE AFTER BEING PARKED 5 MINUTES. FIRE CENTERED IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT ON DRIVER'S SIDE TOWARDS THE REAR OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. BRAKE SWITCH AT PEDAL HAD BEEN REPLACED 4 MONTHS BEFORE FIRE.*AK
WHEN BRAKING BRAKE PEDAL WOULD GO TO THE FLOOR AND WOULD MAKE A LOUD NOISE. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED BRAKE LIGHTS WERE OPERABLE. WHEN DRIVER SHIFTED THE VEHICLE FROM PARK TO DRIVE OR REVERSE BRAKE LIGHT FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. CONSUMER DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK
ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE WHEN BRAKING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *T B *CB *NLM
IN NINE MONTHS OF OWNERSHIP THE CONSUMER HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE HIGH TENSIONER, THE OUTER STEERING TIE ROD ENDS, WHICH HAD FELL APART WHILE DRIVING, THE BRAKE SYSTEM, AND THE INNER TIE ROD ENDS. SCC *JB
THE REAR BRAKES SEIZED, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE NOT MOVE.*JB
NO SUMMARY. DT
BRAKE ROTORS WARPING ON INSIDE OF VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK
EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE CABLE AT LEFT REAR TIRE BROKE, CAUSING THE EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE TO BECOME INOPERABLE. *AK DEALER COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. *SLC
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
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