FORD F53 · model year

1999 FORD F53

18 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1999FORDF53 carries 18 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1999 F53 is engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline with 3 filings, followed by power train:driveline:differential unit (2) and fuel system, gasoline:carburetor system (2). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.

NHTSA currently has 177 investigation files overlapping the 1999 F53, and 8 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

18
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

18 filings

Crashes Reported

0 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE3
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT2
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM2
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE2
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS1
SUSPENSION:REAR1
WHEELS:RIM1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM1
SUSPENSION:FRONT1
SUSPENSION:FRONT:SHOCK ABSORBER1
UNKNOWN OR OTHER1
SUSPENSION:FRONT:HUB1
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL1

Recent Complaints

20080226VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD F53. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 07V336000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). THE PART FOR THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THERE HAD BEEN NO FAILURE TO DATE. THE ENGINE SIZE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 58,200. UPDATED 3/11/08 UPDATED 03/11/08 *TR

20070723SUSPENSION:FRONT:HUB

I CONTINUE TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE WHEELS ON MY FORD F53 CHASSIS MOTORHOME. FORD WILL NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM WHAT SO EVER EVEN WHEN THEY HAVE A TSB OUT ON THE PROBLEM! MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE CENTER HOLE IN THE WHEEL WHICH IS USED TO CENTER THE WHEEL ON THE HUB IS TOO LARGE AND THE WHEEL CAN NOT BE PROPERLY CENTERED ON HUB. FORD SHOULD REPLACE THE WHEELS. HTTP://WWW.FORD-TRUCKS.COM/TSB/FULLTEXT/SHOW_ARTICLE.PHP?TSB=00-21-9 I CALLED FORD CUSTOMER RELATIONS,THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY SUGGESTED I HAVE A "HAWEKA ADAPTOR KIT" INSTALLED ON MY WHEELS. IN CALLING TOMMY AT HAWEKA HE SAID THAT THIS WAS A MAJOR PROBLEM FORD HAD FROM 1999-2002 ON THEIR WHEEL HUBS AND NOT THE WHEEL ITSELF. HE SAID THAT THE WHEEL IS "IMPOSSIBLE" TO CENTER ON THE HUB WITHOUT THIS KIT AND THEN IT HAD TO BE BALANCED USING A DSP HUNTING 9000 WITH "SILVER STAR,4 FINGER CENTERING STICKS AND A BACKING DISC". MY PROBLEM NOW IS THAT FORD WILL NO LONGER WILL SUPPORT THIS REPAIR METHOD AND WILL DO NO

Mileage: 1,400

20051208ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

FORD 1999 F-53 MOTORHOME CHASSIS -LOSS OF POWER IN A DRIVING RAINSTORM. WATER FOUND IN AIR INTAKE - LOWER BOWL. *JB

Mileage: 30,140

20050705ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE

DT: CALLER SAID THERE WAS A RECALL ON V8 ENGINES, NOT ON V10. CALLER WAS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH HIS VEHICLE'S EXHAUST MANIFOLD AND STUDS. CALLER SAID STUDS BROKE AND EXHAUST WAS LEAKING INTO THE CAB OF VEHICLE. CALLER THOUGHT THE STUDS RUSTED. DEALER SAID THEY COULD NOT HELP HIM UNLESS CONSUMER PAID FOR IT. MANUFACTURER SAID CONSUMER WAS NOT HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THE V10 ENGINES. *AK

Mileage: 19,000

20031219UNKNOWN OR OTHER

WHATS THE USE OF HAVING TSB'S WITH NO INFORMATION? JUST WANT TO MAKE A DIME MORE? THIS SITE IS USELESS. WHAT DO YOU THINK PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR WHEN THEY SEARCH TSB'S? ANSWERS! YOU HAVE NONE! QUIT WASTING PEOPLES TIME AND MONEY.*AK

20020715SUSPENSION:FRONT:SHOCK ABSORBER

WHILE DRIVING TRUCK SHAKES.*AK

20010118SUSPENSION:FRONT

WHEELS CANNOT BE BALANCED TO PREVENT VIBRATION OF VEHICLE. DIFFERENTIAL WAS DEFECTIVE FROM FORD AND WAS REPLACED AFTER TWO ATTEMPTS TO FIX SAME. CHASSIS IS STILL VIBRATING AND UNUSABLE AS ONE REPAIR ATTEMPT WRAPPED THE GENERATER GAS LINE AROUND THE GENERATOR EXHAUST PIPE ( THIS REPAIR ATTEMPT WAS BY FLEETWOOD MOTORHOMES IN DECATUR, IND. ON A SECOND TRY TO FIX THE MOTORHOME).

20010118POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT

WHEELS CANNOT BE BALANCED TO PREVENT VIBRATION OF VEHICLE. DIFFERENTIAL WAS DEFECTIVE FROM FORD AND WAS REPLACED AFTER TWO ATTEMPTS TO FIX SAME. CHASSIS IS STILL VIBRATING AND UNUSABLE AS ONE REPAIR ATTEMPT WRAPPED THE GENERATER GAS LINE AROUND THE GENERATOR EXHAUST PIPE ( THIS REPAIR ATTEMPT WAS BY FLEETWOOD MOTORHOMES IN DECATUR, IND. ON A SECOND TRY TO FIX THE MOTORHOME).

20010118ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE

WHEELS CANNOT BE BALANCED TO PREVENT VIBRATION OF VEHICLE. DIFFERENTIAL WAS DEFECTIVE FROM FORD AND WAS REPLACED AFTER TWO ATTEMPTS TO FIX SAME. CHASSIS IS STILL VIBRATING AND UNUSABLE AS ONE REPAIR ATTEMPT WRAPPED THE GENERATER GAS LINE AROUND THE GENERATOR EXHAUST PIPE ( THIS REPAIR ATTEMPT WAS BY FLEETWOOD MOTORHOMES IN DECATUR, IND. ON A SECOND TRY TO FIX THE MOTORHOME).

20000718ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

WHENEVER IT RAINS WATER GETS INSIDE OF ENGINE AIR FILTER ON THE MOTORHOME CHASSIS. THIS CAUSES ENGINE TO SHUTDOWN. WOULD STALL OUT WHEN STARTING. TSB #13079 ON CHASSIS. DEALER COULD NOT REPAIR PROBLEM AND GET WATER OUT OF ENGINE. *AK *ML

20000706ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM

WINNABAGO ADVENTURER ON FORD CHASSIS: DEFECTIVE AIR FILTER BECOMES TO PICK MOSITURE WHICH CAUSES THE SENSOR TO MALFUNCTION, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO HESITATE AND STALL WHICH MAY CAUSE A CRASH. FORD IS PUTTING OUT A TSB, BUT NOT A RECALL. FORD STILL DOES NOT HAVE PARTS FOR THE FIX. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

20000703FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM

AIR FILTER SUCKS IN WATER WHEN IT RAINS, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO STALL. FORD HAS ISSUED A TSB ON THE VEHICLE; HOWEVER THERE IS NO SOLUTION. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

20000508ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

ENGINE STALLED WHILE DRIVING IN THE RAIN DUE TO RAIN INTERING THE AIR FILTER. YH

20000306FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM

WHEN RAINING, WATER SEEPS INTO AIR INTAKE AND CAUSES CAR TO STALL. *AK *ML

19990830WHEELS:RIM

ACURIDE RIMS DEFECTIVE HINDERING STEERING AND CAUSING VIBRATION. NLM

19990526SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS

BRAKE PEDAL REQUIRED MULTIPLE APPLICATIONS TO GET ANY BRAKING ACTION. REPORTED TO DEALER. DISCOVERED AIR IN THE BRAKE LINES. COULD RESULT IN CONDENSATION IN BRAKE LINES AND SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF BRAKING CAPABILITY IF OPERATING BELOW FREEZING TEMPERATURES.*AK

19990526SUSPENSION:REAR

REAR DIFFERENTIAL RING AND PINION GEAR FAILED. MANUFACTURER PROVIDED INTERIM REPAIR UNTIL COMPONENT MANUFACTURER (DANA) CAN PROVIDE A PERMENENT COMPNENT(S) REPLACEMENT. REAR END STILL MAKES DRIVELINE VIBRATION/NOISE AT 60 MPH UNDER LOAD. FAILURE OF THIS COMPONENT COULD RENDER VEHICLE UNABLE TO MOVE UNDER IT'S OWN POWER OR BE TOWED TO A REPAIR FACILITY LEAVING THE MOTORIST STRANDED.

19990526POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT

REAR DIFFERENTIAL RING AND PINION GEAR FAILED. MANUFACTURER PROVIDED INTERIM REPAIR UNTIL COMPONENT MANUFACTURER (DANA) CAN PROVIDE A PERMENENT COMPNENT(S) REPLACEMENT. REAR END STILL MAKES DRIVELINE VIBRATION/NOISE AT 60 MPH UNDER LOAD. FAILURE OF THIS COMPONENT COULD RENDER VEHICLE UNABLE TO MOVE UNDER IT'S OWN POWER OR BE TOWED TO A REPAIR FACILITY LEAVING THE MOTORIST STRANDED.

Compare 1999FORDF53 to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 8 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1999 FORD F53 have?
The 1999 FORD F53 has 18 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1999 FORD F53?
The most-complained component for the 1999 FORD F53 is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT and FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM.
Is the 1999 FORD F53 safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.