RoadVitals

1999 Ford F-150 Exterior lighting Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the exterior lighting system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Exterior lighting reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
14
Latest Sep 23, 2020
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
1%
of 1,044 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1999 Ford F-150 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 14 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.

Owner reports naming exterior lighting

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

EngineExterior lightingPowertrain (other)
Filed Sep 23, 2020

LOWER INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKETS KEEP BLOWING, AS WELL AS THE HEAD GASKETS I ONLY DRIVE FORD'S, SO FORD PLEASE FIX THIS FOR US LOYAL OWNERS PLEASE.

NHTSA ID
11360722
Incident
Aug 7, 2020
Mileage
120,000 mi
ElectricalExterior lightingSteering
Filed Oct 19, 2014

APPROXIMATELY TWO WEEKS AGO (10/2014) I NOTICED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS ON MY 1999 FORD F-150 WERE NOT WORKING. A FEW TIMES ONCE I RETURNED TO HOME I NOTICED THAT WHEN I SHIFTED THE TRUCK INTO PARK, THE HEADLIGHTS CAME ON. IT DID NOT APPEAR TO MATTER IF THE HIGH BEAM OR LOW BEAM LIGHTS WERE ACTIVATED. I STARTED TO INSPECT THE HEADLIGHT OPERATION AND NOTICED THAT WHEN I TILTED THE STEERING WHEEL TO IT'S LOWEST POSITION, TYPICALLY IT'S OPERATING POSITION, THE HEADLIGHTS TURNED OFF. WHEN I TILTED THE WHEEL UP SLIGHTLY TO THE NEXT POSITION, THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD COME ON. TODAY, 10/19/2014 I REMOVED THE TRIM AROUND THE STEERING COLUMN AND NOTICED THAT THERE ARE TWO WIRES THAT HAVE BROKEN AND SEPARATED FROM THE WIRING HARNESSES THAT ATTACH TO THE TURN SIGNAL ASSEMBLY AND SEVERAL CONTACTS THAT ARE LOOSE IN THE UPPER HARNESS. I HAVE TAKEN PHOTOS AND A VIDEO SHOWING THE PARTS THAT ARE LOOSE AND OR BROKEN. BECAUSE THESE BROKEN WIRES AND CONTACTS ARE LOOSE AND AFFECT THE OPERATION OF THE HEADLIGHTS, I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE RISK OF A SHORT OR SPARKS THAT THEY COULD CREATE AND WITHOUT FULLY OPERATIONAL HEADLIGHTS, THE VEHICLE IS NOT DRIVABLE. I AM THE SECOND OWNER OF THE TRUCK AND PURCHASED IT AT AROUND 11,000 MILES. THE STEERING COLUMN HAS NEVER BEEN TAKEN APART NOR HAS THE TRIM AROUND THE STEERING COLUMN BEEN REMOVED. THESE WIRES COULD BE SEEN MOVING AS THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TILTED UP AND DOWN PRIOR TO THE SIGNAL ASSEMBLY BEING REMOVED AS THE HEADLIGHTS TURNED ON AND OFF WITH THE LIGHT SWITCH LEFT IN THE ON POSITION. *TR

NHTSA ID
10648663
Incident
Oct 6, 2014
Mileage
105,000 mi
ElectricalExterior lightingSeat belts
Filed Feb 3, 2014

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

NHTSA ID
10562788
Incident
Nov 21, 2007
Mileage
142,963 mi
Interior & seatsExterior lighting
Filed Nov 3, 2013

INTERIOR LIGHTS AND BED LIGHT WILL NOT SHUT OFF. *TR

NHTSA ID
10550683
Incident
Nov 3, 2013
Mileage
156,000 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Dec 15, 2011
Fire reported

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 45 MPH WHEN THE DIMMER SWITCH CAUGHT ON FIRE AND MELTED THE WIRES. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS WERE INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 171,000.

NHTSA ID
10440099
Incident
Dec 15, 2011
Mileage
171,000 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Dec 6, 2011

JUST WONDERING IF MY TRUCK IS ON THOSE RECALLS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10438823
Incident
Dec 6, 2011
Exterior lightingVisibility
Filed Sep 28, 2005

DT: THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON WHILE THE SWITCH IS TURNED OFF. THE PROBLEM IS AN OFF AND ON ISSUE. THE PROBLEM STARTED ON JULY 20, 2005. SOMETIMES WHEN TURNING THE TURN SIGNAL LIGHT ON IT WILL HAPPEN, AND SOMETIMES WHEN TURNING LEFT THEY WILL COME ON. OVER THE PHONE A DEALERSHIP TOLD THE CONSUMER THAT THEY THOUGHT IT WAS DUE TO THE TURN SIGNAL. *AK

NHTSA ID
10138032
Incident
Jul 20, 2005
Mileage
50,000 mi
BrakesExterior lighting
Filed Jan 31, 2005

COMPLAINT RECEIVED VIA E-MAIL. THE TURN SIGNALS, EMERGENCY FLASHERS AND THE BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED TO FUNCTION. IT BEGAN AS AN INFREQUENT PROBLEM OCCURRING MORE AND MORE AND LASTING LONGER IN DURATION. I THOUGHT THE PROBLEM ONLY INVOLVED THE TURN SIGNALS AND EMERGENCY FLASHERS. I ONLY FOUND OUT ABOUT THE BRAKE LIGHT MALFUNCTIONED AFTER LOOKING OVER A WIRING DIAGRAM OF THE VEHICLE. THE REMEDY FOR THE PROBLEM, PER A CAR WEB SITE, IS ROUTED THE EMERGENCY SWITCH. DEPRESSING THE SWITCH NUMEROUS TIMES SEEMS TO CLEAN THE CONTACTS, SOLVING THE PROBLEM, AT LEAST SO FAR.*AK

NHTSA ID
10109220
Incident
Jan 21, 2005
Mileage
51,300 mi
BrakesExterior lightingVisibility
Filed Jun 26, 2003

HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE TURN SIGNALS, BRAKE LIGHTS, AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS ON MY 1999 FORD F-150. ON A RECENT TRIP TO INDIANA I NOTICED THAT WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TILTED DOWN SO THAT MY WIFE COULD DRIVE, THE TURN SIGNALS STOPPED WORKING. WHILE IN INDIANA A MAN WAS NICE ENOUGH TO FLAG ME DOWN TO LET ME KNOW THAT MY BREAK LIGHTS WERE NOT WORKING. I TOOK THE TRUCK TO EBY FORD SALES (JUNE 6, 2003) IN GOSHEN FOR REPAIR. THEY INDICATED THAT THE MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH DISCONNECTED WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TILTED DOWN. SO THEY LENGTHENED THE CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY WIRES AND THAT SEEMS TO HAVE SOLVED THE PROBLEM. ON DECEMBER 17, 2001, I TOOK MY TRUCK INTO PRINCE FORD IN DOUGLAS GEORGIA AND TOLD THEM THAT MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD JUST COME ON FOR NO REASON. THEY REPLACED THE MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH BUT DID NOT LENGTHEN THE WIRES.ACCORDING TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT EBBY FORD, THIS MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH CONTROLS SEVERAL VITAL FUNCTIONS ON THE TRUCK - BRAKE LIGHTS, TURN SIGNALS, WIPERS, ETC. *AK SEVERAL THINGS ARE WORTH NOTING HERE: FIRST, I CALLED AND TALKED WITH PRICE FORD IN GEORGIA AND ASKED WHY THE MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH WIRES WERE NOT LENGTHENED WHEN THE SWITCH WAS REPLACED BY THEM THE FIRST TIME (DECEMBER 17, 2001). THEY HAVEN'T EVEN CALLED ME BACK. SECOND, I CALLED FORD MOTOR COMPANY AND INFORMED THEM OF THE PROBLEM. THEY SAID THAT THEY WOULD NOTE THE PROBLEM BUT THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL AT THIS TIME. FINALLY, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR SERIOUS CRASHES RESULTING FROM THE FACT THAT THE SWITCH WIRES ON THE MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH ASSEMBLY IS NOT LONG ENOUGH AND THAT THE SWITCH DISCONNECTS WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL IS TILTED DOWN. IT WOULD BE A TRADGEDY IF JUST ONE PERSON LOST THEIR LIVES BECAUSE THE BREAK LIGHTS OR TURN SIGNALS FAILED DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. THANKS FOR LOOKING INTO THIS FOR ME.

NHTSA ID
10023805
Incident
Jun 6, 2003
Mileage
41,679 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed May 2, 2003

FOG LIGHT COVERS ARE DEFECTIVE. LAMP GETS TOO HOT AND COVERS CRACK AND BREAK OUTWARD. SOME DEALERS REFUSE TO FIX, OTHERS FIX UNDER WARRANTY. SUPPOSEDLY THERE IS A TSB ON FILE WITH FORD. *NLM

NHTSA ID
10016915
Incident
Apr 1, 2003
Mileage
8,000 mi
Exterior lightingVisibility
Filed Sep 18, 2002

WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING, CAUSING LOSS OF VISIBILITY. *AK CONSUMER STATES THE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH WAS REPLACED. *JG

NHTSA ID
8019009
Exterior lighting
Filed Aug 19, 2002

THE GOVT SHOULD OUT LAW HIGH INTENSITY DISCHARGE (HID) HEADLIGHTS ON ANY VEHICLE NEW OR USE.. THEY ARE TO BRIGHT.*AK

NHTSA ID
765889
BrakesHeating & air conditioningElectrical+9 more
Filed Jul 11, 2002

TRUCK WAS UNSTABLE WITH CAUSE UNKNOWN BY DEALERSHIP. OWNER HAS TAKEN VEHICLE IN FOR CORRECTIVE ACTION SEVERAL TIMES, HOWEVER NOTHING HAS CHANGED. VEHICLE VIBRATES EXCESSIVELY WHEN AT IDLE WITH RPM GAUGE FLUCTUATING UP/DOWN. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT THE ENGINE RUNS ROUGH, OIL LEVEL DROPPED AND THERE WAS A CLICKING NOISE IN WHICH THE DEALER REPLACED THE FAN BLADE AND FAN CLUTCH. REAR BRAKES EXPERIENCED GRINDING, DEALER APPLIED A SILENCER TO THE FRONT AND REAR BRAKE PADS. CONSUMER HAS EXPERIENCED SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH THE A/C AND HEATER, PROBLEMS STILL EXISTS. VEHICLE USES A LOT OF GAS, IDLES ROUGH AND EXPERIENCES SMALL HESITATION UPON ACCELERATION. VEHICLE KICKS INTO GEAR. VEHICLE DRIFTS TO THE RIGHT, WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHER SPEEDS, VEHICLE AND STEERING WHEEL VIBRATE. DRIVER SIDE REAR VIEW MIRROR RATTLES WHEN CLOSING DOOR, WHEN EVERYTHING IS CLOSED THERE IS AN OUTSIDE NOISE, DEALER RESEALED THE WINDSHIELD. WHEN TURNING ON THE LIGHTS, THE CLOCK AND A/C ARE DELAYED. THERE IS A WHINING NOISE WHEN TURNING STEERING WHEEL. WINDOW CONTROL BUTTONS STICK AT TIMES, DEALER REPLACED THE WINDOW SWITCH. *SLC

NHTSA ID
8013741
Incident
Sep 19, 1999
Exterior lighting
Filed Oct 3, 2000

WHEN MAKING A LEFT OR RIGHT TURN TURN SIGNAL INDICATOR WILL NOT REMAIN LATCHED WITHIN THE MECHANISM. *AK LEVER WILL LATCH IN IF VEHICLE IS MOVING STRAIGHT ON, BUT WILL NOT IF VEHICLE IS TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT. *YH

NHTSA ID
872091

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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Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .