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1999 Ford Explorer

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

Body SUV

The 1999 Ford Explorer is a body-on-frame SUV that uses 5W-20 API oil and holds 5.0 quarts, a specification that reflects its era’s engine design. With 1,568 total owner complaints and 15 recalls, this model year sits between the nameplate’s lowest complaint count of 12 in 1990 and its highest of 3,620 in 2002, placing it in a period of escalating reliability challenges that would peak just three years later. The top complaint area—tires—underscores that while not the worst in the model’s history, the 1999 Explorer still faced notable issues that researchers should consider when evaluating its long-term dependability.

Model year202620252024202320212020201920181999

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity5.0 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-20 APIOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 65 · 650 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 · 650 CCAOEM · verified
Tire sizeP225-70R15SLOEM · verified
Wheel / rim6.5-,7-JJ inOEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length180.7 in
Overall width70.1 in
Overall height66.9 in
Wheelbase101.6 in
Curb weight3309 lb
Track (front / rear)58.7 / 58.7 in

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Explorer of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

8.4 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 8.40 sec — 1999 XLT
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
1999XLT 4.0L V68.40 sec16.60 sec210 hp4x4
2000Sport 2-door 4.0L V68.40 sec16.50 sec160 hp4x4
1997XLT 4.0L V68.50 sec16.50 sec160 hp4x4
2001Sport Trac 4.0L V68.50 sec16.60 sec210 hpRWD
1996XLT V8 5.0L V88.80 sec16.90 sec210 hpRWD
1996XLT V8 5.0L V88.90 sec16.80 sec210 hp4x4
1996XLT V8 5.0L V89.50 sec17.30 sec210 hp4x4
1995XLT 4.0L V610.70 sec17.90 sec160 hp4x4

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 5.0 qt of 5W-20 API engine oil, SYNTHETIC · 75W-140 · GL-5 in the differential, DOT 3 brake fluid. 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
Differential Gear OilSYNTHETIC · 75W-140 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity5.5 Pints (rear)
Engine Oil5W-20 · API
Engine Oil Capacity5.0 qt
Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity5.0 qt
Power Steering FluidATF

Engine torques

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs11-12 ft-lbs
Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings19-24 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts79-85 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine BoltsLower: 9-; Upper: 5 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts15-18 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine BoltsUpper: 15-
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts15-18 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine BoltsLower: 23-; Upper: 12-

Chassis torques

Leaf Spring to Axle (U-bolts)76.0 ft-lbs
Leaf Spring to Chassis Bracket66.0 ft-lbs
Leaf Spring to Rear Shackle85.0 ft-lbs
Leaf Spring Rear Shackle to Chassis Bracket85.0 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Fill Plug4WD: 18.0, With AWD: 13.0 ft-lbs
Transfer Case Drain Plug4WD: 18.0, With AWD: 13.0 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub184-250 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)790 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)40 rpm
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)725 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)25 rpm
Spark Plug ManufacturerMotorcraft
Spark Plug Gap0.052-0.056 in

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.88 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type68
Oil Capacity7.00 oz
Standard BCI Group Number65
Standard BCI Cranking Performance650 cca
Standard BCI Group Number65

Service checks

Pressure Test13-18 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief13-18 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature183-190 °F
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)30-45
Engine Oil Pressure40-60 psi
Engine Oil Pressure RPM2000 rpm
Intake Valve LashHydraulic in
Exhaust Valve LashHydraulic in

Brakes

Brake ApplicationWITH REAR DISC / WITH STANDARD
Torque Caliper to Bracket20 ft-lbs / 21-26 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle80 ft-lbs / 73-97 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.060; Rear: 0.030 in
Brake ApplicationWITH REAR DISC / WITH STANDARD
Rotor Max Parallel Variation0.0002 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.005 in
Rotor Discard at or Under0.433 in / 0.965 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
115 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9015 ft. lbs
Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
115 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9015 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 3 stages
126 ft. lbs.26 ft. lbs
290 degrees90 degrees
390 degrees90 degrees
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 3 stages
148 ft. lbs.48 ft. lbs
259-62 ft. lbs.59–62 ft. lbs
380-85
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 3 stages
125-35 ft. lbs.25–35 ft. lbs
245-55 ft. lbs.45–55 ft. lbs
385-95
Engine Flywheel Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
111 ft. lbs., Step 2: 5211 ft. lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
119-25 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9019–25 ft. lbs
Main Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
126 ft. lbs., Step 2: 67-7626 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 5,000 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 miBrake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (leak inspection) · 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) · Engine Coolant System Hoses (inspect) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Exhaust System Heat Shield (inspect)
At 45,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 60,000 miTransfer Case Assembly (drain & refill) · Wheel Bearing (inspect)
Every 100,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Drive Axle Assembly (drain & refill) · 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 Ford Explorer sits on the downward slope of a late-1990s complaint surge that crested in 1998 at 2,248 reports, with its 1,568 complaints falling well below the prior year yet still exceeding the 1,133 and 765 totals recorded for 2000 and 2001. Recalls held at 15, just one shy of 2000’s 16, and technical service bulletins reached 437—the highest level seen from 1996 through 2000—indicating sustained factory attention even as the complaint arc moderated. Investigations also declined to 6 from 1998’s 8, though the model still generated 123 crash complaints and 53 fire complaints; the data does not specify root causes. Against that record, 1999 is marginally more attractive than the 1998 peak but carries the heaviest TSB burden and near-peak recall exposure of its generation, so buyers should verify that all applicable recall work is complete before purchasing.

15
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
437
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
6
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
1,568
Owner complaints
123 involved a crash · 53 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent
’90’91’92’93’94’95’96’97’98’99’00’01’02’03’04’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 1,568 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Tires375
Visibility187
Vehicle Speed Control123
Power Train88
Air Bags84
Engine & Engine Cooling83
Seats75
Electrical System60

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 15 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

09E025000Exterior Lighting:HeadlightsReported 11/05/2009

DOPE, INC. IS RECALLING 42,540 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE… Remedy: DOPE, INC. WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 28, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DOPE, INC. AT…

06E056000Fuel System, GasolineReported 13/06/2006

CERTAIN AFTERMARKET FUEL FILTERS SOLD UNDER THE PUROLATOR BRAND NAME, P/N F65277, SHIPPED FROM JANUARY 16 THROUGH JUNE 2, 2006, FOR USE ON THE ABOVE LISTED PASSENGER VEHICLES. DUE TO INCORRECT DESIGN, THE QUICK… Remedy: UFI WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 4, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT UFI FILTERS USA AT 800-230-5876.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 437 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
CSP-08B012008-05-16Engine And Engine CoolingFORD: CERTAIN 1999-2001 MODEL YEAR VEHICLES UP TO 6000 LB GVWR REGISTERED IN NEW YORK AND…
SP-08B012008-05-01Engine And Engine CoolingFORD SERVICE CAMPAIGN: SEE DOCUMENT SEARCH BUTTON FOR OWNER LETTER. CSC LETTER WAS…
0305082005-04-01Power TrainFRONT AXLE LEAKS FLUID FROM VENT TUBE - VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 4X4 OR AWD. *TT
04712004-12-31Electrical SystemWARNING INDICATORS-PARKING AID-REVERSE SENSING SYSTEM (RSS) AND FORWARD SENSING SYSTEM…
0424192004-12-13SuspensionREVISED PROCEDURE FOR ADJUSTING ALIGNMENT ON ALL SUSPENSIONS - NEW RIGHT HAND UPPER…

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 Explorer. 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.

Group 65 batteryVehicles taking 5.0 qt

Reference guides

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

Vehicle recalls & TSBsOBD-II trouble codesTorque specificationsMaintenance schedulesFluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1999 Explorer take?

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

Does the 1999 Explorer have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 15 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.