My wife driving the vehicle a 98 Ford Expedition on U.S highway 27 about 5 miles East of clewiston and the car started to smoke, she stopped it, got off and then the car caught on fire.

- Clewiston, FL, USA

My 98 Expedition was parked in my garage when my son came home and opened the garage a saw smoke coming out. I had been home about 80 mins. The smoke was coming from under the hood of my exp. I quickly started the vehicle to get it out of the garage area, but it would not go into reverse - the brake pressure fuse had blown due to the wire fire, so the car was stuck in park. Luckily the fire went out on it's own. Problem was the cruise control deactivation switch sparked (somehow) and started a small wire fire under the hood - near the brake fluid reservior. This could have burned my car and my house down !! North central Ford (richardson tx) would not fix the problem at no charge, because "only the 2000 models had a recall" !! they did acknowledge that the 1997 to 2001 models are currently being "investigated" by Ford engineers and the NHTSA for the same fire problem that I had. My mechanic (not a Ford dealer) disconnected the wire harness so now the fuse won't blow and I can drive the vehicle. I will have my mechanic fix the problem tomorrow.

- Allen, TX, USA

1998 Ford Expedition. On July 1, 2005 cruise control deactivation switch burned and melted rendering vehicle inoperable (temporarily). Three children needed to be "evacuated" in tears as smoke billowed from under the hood. Altough a known issue to Ford, because their current recall is 2000 year only they offered no (yes no) assistance for repair (only asking that the defective part(s) be replaced - not any other subsequent damages. There were none other than the smoke). Thought you may like to here about it. Thanks, david

- Palm Beach Gardens, FL, USA

Consumer's 1998 Ford Expedition burst into flames. While consumer was in vehicle, with the vehicle off, she noticed white smoke coming from under the hood. When the consumer got out of the vehicle the smoke turned to black. When the consumer walked away she looked back towards the vehicle and the vehicle burst into flames.

- Portland, OR, USA

The contact owns a 1998 Ford Expedition. He states that while he was in a store and came outside and vehicle was on fire while it was parked and the engine was off. The fire department was dispatched. Something exploded towards the right side of the hood and shot up in the air.

- St. Petersburg, FL, USA

While driving 25 mph consumer hear a popping noise from the engine. Vehicle caught on fire under the hood. Pulled over, put out the fire, and had the vehicle towed. Dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. Nm corrected 6/16/05 - incident date wrong and 0 injuries not 2 spoke with owner - passenger (uncle) is devastated and driver (owner) still hears ringing in his ears - they both feared dying because of vehicle exploding while driving

- Buffalo, NY, USA

I have a 1998 Ford Expedition, and the cruise control stopped working, the anti-lock brakes stopped working, the brake lights stopped working, and I could not put the car in gear. I looked at the fuse box and found a fuse blown. When I replaced the fuse, the engine compartment in the car started smoking profusely. I pulled the fuse out right away, and had someone watch as I put it back in. The smoking started again, and it was coming from some type of brake switch on the front of the master cylinder. I took the car to airport Ford in florence, ky, and they said it was the same problem that the 2000 Ford were being recalled for. I asked them if it was covered under the re-call, and they said it was not the right year or VIN. They said they didn't know why because it was the exact same switch causing the exact same fire that others are experiencing. I had to pay $158.14 plus $15 "shop supplies" plus $10.39 in taxes, totaling $183.53 for a design and safety flaw - the same one that they say only affects the 2000 models. Ford is trying to keep from taking care of the problem for other models even though even their own dealership technicians say is the same exact problem.

- Burlington, KY, USA

On May 24, 2003, I (melody) backed in my 1998 eddie bauer Ford Expedition into my garage around 8:15 pm for the night. Around 8:30 pm, my son and I left with a neighbor to a housewarming party 2 blocks away while my husband was asleep in the house. We returned to our home around 10 pm and did eveything as usual (shower, bed). My son and I fell asleep in the living room area watching television around 11 pm. Around 1:15pm I heard the garage door sound like it was opened and I proceeded out the front door as my husband was right behind me; he had heard the sound also in the bedroom. As I crept down a few steps, we had seen smoke coming from the garage area and I yelled "the house is on fire, run!" we both ran back into the house, I grabbed my son sleeping by the windows and my husband grabbed the keys to his truck and his cell phone. My son and I ran to neighbors houses to call the fire dept. And my husband opened the front side entrance into the garage and moved his truck that was pulled into the driveway of the house. We stood across the street watching our house burn while the fire dept. Extinguished the flames. As my husband and I sat outside our burned home that early morning, we contacted state farm to make a claim and find out what to do. On June 9, 2003, insurance investigators and a representative from Ford Motor Co. Cam to the house to investigate the cause of the fire which originated in the engine compartment of the vehicle. Later, my husband and I were informed that quite possibly the brake pressure switch or cruise control switch may have been the cause.

- Galveston, TX, USA

While the vehicle was parked smoke was coming from underneath the hood. Consumer opened the hood, and vehicle caught on fire. Consumer was able to extinguish the fire with a fire extinguisher. Then, vehicle was towed to the dealer for inspection.

- West Columbia, SC, USA

1998 Expedition. Fire concentrated in left rear corner of engine compartment in vicinity of cruise control deactivation switch. The 15 amp fuse for that circuit was blown. Xrays of the switch head showed total destruction of the brass contacts inside even though the outer shell was still relatively in tact.

- Humble, TX, USA

While vehicle was parked a fire started under the hood. Dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem.

- Saint Marys, GA, USA

On 16 May 2001 while traveling South on Colorado interstate 25 in denver, our Ford Expedition started to chug and sputter. Thinking it was bad gas from filling the tank up around 9:00am earlier that same day, we tried to change lanes to get to the shoulder of the road. The Expedition then stalled as we coasted to a halt on the shoulder of the road at the under pass of I-25 and us 285. We then turned on the emergency flashers. Smoke was coming from under the hood. Thinking it was overheated, we opened the hood to cool the engine down. As soon as the hood pooped up flames were visible and we proceeded to exit the Expedition. The denver fire department was called around 8:55pm and pumper truck no. 22 arrived to scene. When the fire department arrived, the Expedition was fully engulfed in flames. After the fire was extinguished, the captain showed me where the fire started. On the drivers side, a fuel line was determined to be faulty next to the fender due to deterioration from the fuel and the cause of the fire. This is reflective in his report #01-23023. He also told me that I was lucky that the tank was full of fuel otherwise the Expedition would have exploded. The vehicle has been serviced by Ford under their extended service and maintenance plan. We utilized the plan until it expired at 36,000 miles. After we no longer were under a maintenance plan, we had our Expedition service by Goodyear and oil changed at approximately every 3000 to 4000 miles. The last time maintenance was completed under the hood was in March 2001. No other maintenance was done under the hood.

- Littleton, CO, USA

While on vacation at sons home in troy Michigan vehicle was parked at about 9pm and when my wife went to get the car in the morning she found it missing. She was told by a neighbor that the vehicle had started on fire around 2am in the morning with what appeared to be an engine fire. The trot Michigan police and fire departments were dispatched and the fire was extinguished and the vehicle towed to the pound. My wife contacted the police and found that the whole front end of the vehicle had burned to the point that the vehicle is considered a total loss. Had the vehicle been parked in our garage in Texas our house would have also been a total loss with the possible loss of life. The incident was reported to nationwide insurance and Ford Motor Company customer service hot line. The insurance company expects to try and determine the cause of the fire later today 5-24-2000. As of now it appears to be a defect. The vehicle was in excellent condition with alll appropriate maintenance current and exhibited no problems prior to the spontanious fire. The vehicle is still in the possession of the troy Michigan impound lot. My wife is stranded in Michigan and can be reached at 248 952 0802.

- Dallas, TX, USA