1999 Ford Explorer Air Bags Problems
Owners have filed 97 complaints with NHTSA about air bags problems on the 1999 Ford Explorer, 7% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 70,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “air bag” (46% of reports).
- 97air bags complaints
- 70,000median miles at failure
- 31mention a crash
- 17mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $640typical repair cost reported by owners
- 27%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Air bag: mentioned in 45 of 97 complaints (46%)
- Bags deploy: mentioned in 11 of 97 complaints (11%)
- Upon impact: mentioned in 8 of 97 complaints (8%)
- Wiring harness: mentioned in 6 of 97 complaints (6%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical air bags repair on the 1999 Ford Explorer at $640, and half of them between $520 and $840.
Based on 8 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2002–2006), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do air bags problems happen?
Based on 29 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 97 complaints, 31 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 17 an injury.
Ford Explorer air bags complaints by model year
| Model year | Air Bags complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Explorer | 1 | 2% | — |
| 2025 Explorer | 5 | 5% | 23,977 |
| 2024 Explorer | 2 | 10% | 40,000 |
| 2023 Explorer | 4 | 4% | 43,000 |
| 2022 Explorer | 7 | 3% | 36,000 |
| 2021 Explorer | 6 | 1% | 6,500 |
| 2020 Explorer | 5 | 0% | — |
| 2019 Explorer | 2 | 1% | — |
| 2018 Explorer | 11 | 2% | 1,200 |
| 2017 Explorer | 34 | 2% | 45,000 |
| 2016 Explorer | 99 | 4% | 51,500 |
| 2015 Explorer | 84 | 5% | 65,000 |
| 2014 Explorer | 47 | 3% | 65,000 |
| 2013 Explorer | 18 | 1% | 46,000 |
| 2012 Explorer | 27 | 3% | 60,000 |
| 2011 Explorer | 44 | 4% | 66,500 |
| 2010 Explorer | 6 | 5% | 32,800 |
| 2009 Explorer | 2 | 6% | 50,000 |
| 2008 Explorer | 4 | 3% | 118,000 |
| 2007 Explorer | 12 | 6% | 81,000 |
| 2006 Explorer | 8 | 1% | 101,500 |
| 2005 Explorer | 15 | 3% | 63,500 |
| 2004 Explorer | 39 | 3% | 109,000 |
| 2003 Explorer | 50 | 4% | 102,517 |
| 2002 Explorer | 162 | 5% | 73,650 |
| 2001 Explorer | 28 | 7% | 58,740 |
| 2000 Explorer | 62 | 7% | 58,000 |
| 1999 Explorer | 97 | 7% | 70,000 |
| 1998 Explorer | 40 | 2% | 87,087 |
| 1997 Explorer | 27 | 2% | 105,000 |
| 1996 Explorer | 41 | 3% | 139,928 |
| 1995 Explorer | 27 | 3% | 115,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists air bags for the 1999 Ford Explorer. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
I was in a really had car accident n,my air bags did not deploy n
While driving along a main street i was struck by another vehicle in the front right portion of the vehicle i was driving. My airbag did not deploy upon impact therefore, my face hit the steering wheel and as a result my face hit the steering wheel which cause a broken jaw and cracked teeth vehicle…
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 ford explorer. While the vehicle was parked, the driver side seat air bag deployed without warning or impact. The contact sustained various injuries to the left side of the body. Medical attention was required. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 1999 Ford Explorers have air bags problems?
No. NHTSA has 97 owner complaints about air bags for the 1999 Ford Explorer (7% of the 1,348 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 1999 Ford Explorer air bags?
No recall currently lists air bags for this vehicle.
At what mileage do air bags problems start?
The median reported mileage is 70,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix air bags problems on the 1999 Ford Explorer?
Owners report a typical cost of $640 (half paid between $520 and $840), from 8 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about air bags problems on the 1999 Ford Explorer?
The most frequent phrase is “air bag”, in 45 of 97 complaints, followed by “bags deploy” (11).
Other 1999 Ford Explorer problems
- Tires problems (370)
- Visibility problems (216)
- Vehicle Speed Control problems (148)
- Power Train problems (115)
- Engine and Engine Cooling problems (100)
- Electrical System problems (92)
- Seats problems (68)
- Suspension problems (65)
See all 1999 Ford Explorer problems or air bags problems across all Explorer years.