FordE-2501999Overview/ford/e-250/1999/base/
250 platform

1999 Ford E-250

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1999 E-250.

The 1999 Ford E‑250 is a mid‑size commercial van built on the 250 platform, designed for reliable freight transport with a standard 6.0‑quart oil capacity and a 5W‑20 API‑rated oil to match its diesel powertrain. Its 1999 incarnation ranks with 80 owner complaints—primarily tires—and has been subject to only two recalls, indicating a relatively clean safety record for that model year. Compared with the broader 1990‑2023 complaint data, the E‑250’s 1999 complaints sit below the 1998 peak of 28 and well above the 1990 low of one, suggesting a moderate but stable reliability profile within its lineage.

Model year201120102009200820072006200520041999

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity6.0 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-20 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque140 ft-lbsOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 65 - AUXILARY · 625 - AUXILARY CCA battery. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 65 - AUXILARY · 625 - AUXILARY CCAOEM · verified
Tire sizeLT245-75R16EOEM · verified
Wheel / rim7-K inOEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length211.8 in
Overall width79.5 in
Overall height81.1 in
Wheelbase138.2 in
Curb weight5033 lb
Track (front / rear)70.1 / 66.5 in

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 6.0 qt of 5W-20 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 140 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine Oil5W-20 · API
Engine Oil Capacity6.0 qt
Engine Oil5W-20 · API
Engine Oil Capacity6.0 qt
Power Steering FluidATF

Engine torques

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs6-9 ft-lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts118 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts55-64 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts55-64 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts54-64 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts15-22 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine BoltsLower: 1.5 ft-lbs; Upper: 15-
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts17-20 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Leaf Spring to Axle (U-bolts)110.0-150.0 ft-lbs
Leaf Spring to Chassis Bracket240.0-289.0 ft-lbs
Leaf Spring Rear Shackle to Chassis Bracket57.0-76.0 ft-lbs
Lug Nuts140 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-4-2-5-3-6
Cylinder Firing Order1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)755 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)75 rpm
Spark Plug ManufacturerMotorcraft
Spark Plug Gap0.052-0.056 in
Spark Plug Torque11.0 ft-lbs
Spark Plug ManufacturerMotorcraft

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant CapacityFront A/C only, 2.75; front and rear A/C, 4.00 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type68
Oil CapacityFront A/C only, 9.00; front and rear A/C, 13.00 oz
Standard BCI Group Number65 - AUXILARY
Standard BCI Cranking Performance625 - AUXILARY cca
Optional BCI Group Number65

Service checks

Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)30-45
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)30-45
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)80-120 CNG
Injector Primary Resistance11-18 na ohms
Injector Primary Resistance11-18 na ohms
Engine Oil Pressure40-125 psi
Engine Oil Pressure RPM2500 rpm
Engine Oil Pressure20-45 psi

Brakes

Torque to Knuckle141-191 ft-lbs
Torque Caliper to Bracket16-30 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.030; Rear: 0.030 in
Drum Nominal Diameter12 in
Drum Maximum Machining12.06 in
Drum Discard at-or-over12.09
Rotor Max Parallel Variation0.0005 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.003 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
115-18 ft. lbs., Step 2: 30 ft. lbs., Step 3: 90-12015–18 ft. lbs
Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
133 ft. lbs., Step 2: 90 degrees, Step 3: 12033 ft. lbs
Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
118 ft. lbs., Step 2: 30 ft. lbs., Step 3: 9018 ft. lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
166 ft. lbs., step 2: Loosen one turn., step 3: 37 ft. lbs., step 4: 9066 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 3 stages
1all bolts15 ft. lbs
2all bolts30 ft. lbs
3all bolts37 ft. lbs
1loosen 2-3 turn
2if long bolt33 ft. lbs
3180 degrees; Proceed to next bolt in sequence180 degrees
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 3 stages
130 ft. lbs.30 ft. lbs
290 degrees90 degrees
390
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 3 stages
130 ft. lbs.30 ft. lbs
290 degrees90 degrees
390
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 3 stages
130 ft. lbs.30 ft. lbs
290 degrees90 degrees
390
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
14 ft. lbs., step 2: 6-84 ft. lbs
Main Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
137 ft. lbs., Step 2: 115-12537 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 5,000 mi; spark plugs every 100,000 mi; coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 3,000 miDrive Axle Assembly (drain & refill)
Every 5,000 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 miBrake System (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Engine Coolant System (leak inspection) · Fuel Filter (replace) · Steering Linkage (inspect) · Suspension Ball Joint (inspect)
Every 30,000 miDriveshaft Slip Yoke (lubricate) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Exhaust System Heat Shield (inspect) · Parking Brake System (inspect) · Transmission Assembly (drain & refill)
At 45,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 60,000 miWheel Bearing (inspect)
Every 100,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · PCV Valve (replace) · Spark Plugs (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 1999 model year sits between the 1998 baseline of 28 total complaints and the intense recall activity that begins in 2005, with its complaint profile dominated by 39 tire-related and 20 hydraulic brake service reports that significantly exceed the prior year’s total volume. While the federal record does not specify recall counts for 1999 specifically, the year’s concentration of complaints in tires and brakes—coupled with three fire incidents and zero crash reports—suggests elevated consumer-reported mechanical issues without the systemic safety campaigns that characterize 2005-2008, when recalls reached 10 to 30 annually. This positions 1999 early in the generation’s reliability arc, after the low-incidence early 1990s but before the peak correction period, though the data does not specify root causes for the tire and brake patterns. For a prospective buyer, this represents a mixed proposition: the model avoids the most heavily recalled later years yet demands rigorous pre-purchase inspection of tire and brake systems given the high volume of complaints in those specific areas.

2
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
21
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
3
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
80
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 3 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 80 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Tires39
Service Brakes, Hydraulic20
Power Train7
Wheels3
Engine2
Vehicle Speed Control2
Engine & Engine Cooling1
Air Bags1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 2 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

06V286000Vehicle Speed ControlReported 01/08/2006

ON CERTAIN TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH SPEED CONTROL, GASOLINE OR NATURAL GAS ENGINES, THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH MAY OVERHEAT. Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A FUSED WIRING HARNESS INTO THE SPEED CONTROL SYSTEM FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 7, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-866-436-7332. (NOTE…

09V399000Vehicle Speed ControlReported 13/10/2009

FORD IS RECALLING MODEL YEARS 1995-2003 WINDSTAR, 2000-2003 EXCURSION DIESEL, 1993-1997 AND 1999-2003 F-250 SD THROUGH F-550 SD DIESEL, 1992-2003 E-150 THROUGH E-550, 1995-2002 EXPLORER, 1997 AND 2002 MERCURY… Remedy: FORD WILL NOTIFY OWNERS THAT DEALERS WILL INSTALL A FUSED WIRING HARNESS IN LINE WITH THE SCDS. ON 1999-2003 WINDSTAR VEHICLES WITH A LEAKING SCDS, DEALERS WILL ALSO INSPECT THE…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 21 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
05112005-11-14StructureCRACKS IN THE LEFT OR RIGHT SPRING TOWER FLANGE. *TT SPRING TOWER WELD REPAIR AND…
183822005-01-01Power TrainFLUID LEAKING FROM THE VENT ON THE TRANSMISSION MOUNTED PARKING BRAKE ASSEMBLY. *TT
052482005-01-01SuspensionVIBRATION/HARSHNESS ABOVE 45 MPH (72 KM/H) AFTER TIRE BALANCE. *TT
175202004-01-01SuspensionCLUNK FROM FRONT SUSPENSION. *TT
155912002-01-01SuspensionSOME VEHICLES WITHOUT FRONT BRAKE DUST SHIELDS MAY EXHIBIT PREMATURE WEAR OF THE FRONT…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific E-250. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1999 E-250 take?

6.0 qt of 5W-20 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1999 E-250 have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.