NHTSA complaint: 2001 FORD LARIAT — ENGINE
MY 2001 FORD F-150 PICKUP TRUCK CAUGHT FIRE LAST NIGHT AT 5PM ON SUNDAY, AUGUST 10TH, 2014. WE HAD ONLY DRIVEN IT ONE MILE THAT DAY TO OUR CHURCH, HAD PARKED IT AT ABOUT 4:45PM AND WENT INTO CHURCH. BEFORE 5PM WE WERE NOTIFIED TO COME OUTSIDE. I WENT OUT TO DISCOVER THAT MY TRUCK WAS ON FIRE. A POLICEWOMAN WAS THERE BEFORE ME, PROBABLY FROM THE DETAIL THAT DIRECTS CHURCH TRAFFIC. SHE PREVENTED ME (ANYONE) FROM APPROACHING THE VEHICLE. SHE TOLD ME SHE HAD ALERTED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THERE WERE EXPLOSIONS WHEN THE TIRES POPPED AND, I ASSUME, THE WHEN AIR CONDITIONER VENTED ITS GAS. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, A FIRE TRUCK ARRIVED AND THE FIREMEN ROLLED OUT A HOSE AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE, BUT NOT BEFORE MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE HAD OCCURRED. THE HOOD APPARENTLY MELTED AWAY GIVING THEM ACCESS TO SPRAY THE ENTIRE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE RADIATOR HAD ALSO BEEN MELTED AWAY. THEY ALSO OPENED THE CABIN AREA WITH MY KEY AND SPRAYED IT TO PUT OUT ANY POSSIBLE FIRE THERE. A WHILE LATER A FIRE INVESTIGATOR ARRIVED AND HE LOOKED OVER THE RESULT. HE TOOK OUR INFORMATION AND SAID HIS REPORT WHO BE COMPLETED WITHIN 7-10 DAYS. ONE OF THE FIREMEN REPORTED HE HAD WORKED AT FORD DEALER SERVICE DEPT. IN THE PAST AND SAID THEY REPLACED A LARGE NUMBER OF CRUISE CONTROL SWITCHES MOUNTED ON THE BRAKE CYLINDER BECAUSE OF A RECALL TO RECTIFY A DEFECT CAUSING SPONTANEOUS FIRES. MAYBE THIS WAS THE CAUSE. I PURCHASED THE TRUCK, USED, 1 YEAR AGO AND IT PASSED VEHICLE INSPECTION THE DAY BEFORE THIS HAPPENED.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation