This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
Vehicle was parked outside the home. When owner's spouse came home she noticed smoke and flames coming from underneath the vehicle. The fire department was notified.
On December 22, 2004, my 2000 Ford F150 truck caught on fire in my driveway. It had been parked with the engine off for 30 minutes. Luckily my wife had come home and noticed smoke coming from under the hood while the rest of the family was inside the house. By the time I was able to get to the truck and open the hood, flames were coming out of the drivers side engine compartment. I was able to put them out with a garden hose. The repair estamite was over $9,000. It could have been much worse. The truck was parked next to the house and another vehicle that were not damaged. I have been reading where there have been problems with the cruise control and heard of a recall today. I have pictures if needed.
I noticted that the cruise control did not work around may of 2004. We were taking a long trip and when I would push the button the cruise light would flash on and then go off. After several tries I gave up on it thinking I would take care of it later. On the morning of 9/17/04 my wife moved my truck onto the street so she could goto work. That was around 7am. At about 9am I went out to the truck to leave and saw smoke coming out from the wheel well. I pulled the hood release and opened the hood. The fire was coming from the plug at the rear of the master cylinder. I grabbed a handful of dirt and threw it on the fire causing the flame to go out but it tried to reignite. I then unplugged the wires and it stopped arching. I took my truck to the mechanic who works for the department and he explained to me that it was a sensor for the cruise control. We put on a new sensor due to the fact that it was leaking brake fluid and left the wiring harness unplugged. The damage was black soot marks on the inside of the hood and a burnt wiring harness. I have not replaced anything else except for the sensor in the master cylinder.
Truck sitting in driveway...had not been driven for about an hour...smelt smoke...found engine compartment on fire...drivers side...between radiator and firewall...extinguished fire with water hose...wiring harness melted, cruise control wiring and cable melted, master cylinder melted fluid reservoir melted, intake duct & filter housing burned, hood fire damaged, left fender fire damaged, left front tire destroyed...repaired by Lincoln dealer (baytown) ~$8K000 damage. Replaced wiring harness, intake duct, filter & housing, master cylinder, cruise control, various sensors, vacuum lines, hood, fender, tire, shock absorber. Original parts are not available
Truck parked after lunch - spontaneously ignited in parking lot - origin in left rear of engine compartment - cruise control deactivation switch recovered - switch head examined with X-rays - one contact in tact while the other is splattered and melted - indicates electrical arcing activity inside switch - fuse # 13 blown.
- Humble, TX, USA
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Husband parked truck about 12:00 am and at about 3:00 pm he saw white smoke coming from hood area on the driver's side. Then, vehicle burst into flames. Three days prior to the fire, cruise control stopped working. No other problems with the vehicle. Will send pictures to bruce york.
While vehicle was parked a fire started under the hood, and was put out. Dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. Cruise control failed approximately 3 weeks prior to fire.
The vehicle caught on fire while parked in the garage. The consumer was alerted to the fire by the child who heard the horn blowing. The fire department was immediately contacted and extinguished the fire. The fire originated from under the hood on the driver's side. The insurance company was going to inspect the vehicle to determine what caused the fire. A fire report was filed. It was determined per inspection that the fire originated from the cruise control.
Consumer drove to daughter's residence, and was there 35 to 45 minutes when his grandson noticed smoke coming from under the hood. When they approached the vehicle they found smoke and fire coming from underneath the driver's side front wheel well.
Consumer was notified that his vehicle was on fire. Consumer noticed flames coming from under the hood. Consumer tried to put the fire. Out, but couldn't do so. The fire department arrived and extinguished the fire. Vehicle was not towed.
At work consumer parked vehicle and one and a half hours later smoke was seen coming from under the hood. It looked like fire was coming from drivers side of the engine compartment. The cruise control stopped working about 3 months before the fire. Vehicle insured through allstate.
My 2000 F-150 caught on fire and burned after being parked for 7 hours. The fire started under the hood and appears to have started on or around the master cylinder. The truck was a total loss.
While vehicle was parked it caught on fire. The hood was opened, the brake deactivation switch was on fire. After opening the hood the flame grew. Vehicle was driven home and then to the dealer. The cylinder resevoir melted and the cruise control wire melted as a result of the fire.
Our 2000 Ford F-150 had not had any previous problems. One morning it was driven for about 40 minutes, then parked in a lot. While in the lot, it caught fire (with not even a key in the ignition). We think it had maybe been parked an hour before it caught fire, but nobody knows for sure because someone else spotted it burning. Fire inspectors determined that the fire started in the engine compartment, and that there was no foul play. The fire appeared to start towards the front, and on the battery side. By the time someone noticed it and called the fire department, most of the engine and hood area had pretty much been torched. It was put out by the fire department and we considered it a total loss. We contacted the Ford dealer where the car was purchased, and the Ford Motor Company. Both replied that they were not responsible and unwilling to help in any way. 8jb
Fire was minor and in left rear corner of engine compartment. The only item that actually burned was the cruise control deactivation switch (ccds). The 15 amp fuse for that circuit was blown. The switch head was photographed initially but was damaged and lost when someone vandalized the truck in storage. However, the connector for the ccds remained and one of the brass contacts was still inserted. It was melted off from electrical arcing activity.
2000 Ford F150 pickup truck with approx. 126,000 miles, caught fire in the engine compartment after being parked about 5 hours. Fire location was at the left side of the engine compartment. The cause of the fire is belived to be the scds (speed control disengagement switch). Fire damaged truck and edge of carport.
Underhood fire in the left rear engine compartment. Vehicle was parked several hours before failure in a parking lot. Others brought the fire to the owners attention who was at work. Not repairable.
Fire in 2000 Ford F-150 pickup truck. Parked vehicle in driveway. Five minutes later truck was seen on fire. Had 46000 miles on odometer. Fire origin at brake master cylinder. Speed control deactivation switch still in position but fire damaged. Xrays of plastic switch head show one contact totally destroyed by electrical arcing. Fuse for the scds was blown after the fire.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Harlingen, TX, USA