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1999 FORD EXPEDITION — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD

fire · 545852 · 2005-07-25

Vehicle

Make
FORD
Model
EXPEDITION
Year
1999
Manufacturer
Ford Motor Company
Component
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
Miles at failure
120,000

Severity

Deaths
0
Injured
0
Fire
Yes
Crash
No
Police report
No
Medical attention
No
Vehicle towed
No

Narrative

I HAVE A '99 FORD EXPEDITION AND I DEVELOPED A PROBLEM WHERE I LOST THE BRAKE AND TURN SIGNAL LIGHTS IN MY CAR. I REPLACED THE FUSED AND IT IMMEDIATELY POPPED AGAIN. SO I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC, AND HE LOOKED AT IT. THERE WAS BRAKE FLUID UP IN THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH, ALL THE WAY UP IN THE CABLE HARNESS (IN THE WIRES), AND IN THE CONNECTOR AT THE JUNCTION/FUSE BOX. WHEN HE REMOVED THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH, HE DISCOVERED THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH WAS THE NEW SWITCH AND IT SPARKED AND IT CAUGHT FIRE. LUCKILY THE FLAME WAS CONTAINED TO JUST THE SWITCH AND THE MECHANIC WAS ABLE TO CUT THE SWITCH OUT OF THE CAR AND BLOW IT OUT BEFORE THE FIRE SPREAD. HE TOLD ME THE CAR HAD TO GO TO FORD AND HE SUGGESTED THAT I NOT DRIVE IT, AS IT WAS A FIRE HAZARD. SO IT WAS TOWED. THE FORD DEALERSHIP GOT IN AND INVESTIGATED AND THEY DETERMINED THAT I NEEDED A WHOLE NEW CABLING HARNESS BECAUSE OF MELTED WIRES AND BRAKE FLUID CONTAMINATION AND THAT THE PRICE WAS GOING TO BE $500 AND A NEW CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH AND FUSES. I INSTRUCTED FORD TO GO AHEAD WITH THE REPAIRS AND TO SAVE ALL OF THE OLD PARTS. FORD SAID THAT BECAUSE THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH HAD ALREADY BEEN REPLACED, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT SUBJECT TO THE RECALL DESPITE THE ENTIRE LIST OF OTHER COINCIDENTAL FAILURES THAT COULD HAVE LED TO A FIRE AND POSSIBLE LOSS OF LIFE. I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT HAD THE OLD SWITCH STILL BEEN IN PLACE, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A FIRE ALREADY. AS THINGS WERE, MY MECHANIC JOE TAYLOR, AT TAYLOR'S A

Source

Authoritative
NHTSA ODI Flat-File Downloads
ODI Number
10129970
Machine
JSON-LD · Markdown