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.
During labor day Sept 2004, my wife and I were vactioning in northern Wisconsin. We had just returned from a short errand and was sitting at our picnic table, our truck was parked and turned off, my wife noticed smoke boiling from under the hood. I removed the wired running to the cruise control switch and it stopped the switch from smoking. The unit was melted beyond repair and rendered the truck unable to be moved from the parked position. I was able to get the truck going again but it has not run correctly since. Had we not been sitting right there next to the truck it would have started a fire. Does Ford have any intentions of recalling this problem. I have watched a few news reports on it and see that it is not a fluke or isolated incident.
The caller said vehicle that vehicle should be recalled concerning the cruise control switch. The caller has not had any previous problems with the cruise control switch. The dealer and manufacturer have not been contacted.
Truck = 1995 Ford F-150 with 302 cu. In. cruise control stopped working on truck brake light fuse blew replaced 15 amp fuse with 20 amp fuse, within seconds cruise-control deactivation switch started to smoke and melt from within. Removed fuse immediately.
I parked and secured my 1995 Ford F-150 and went to work. Approximately 15 minutes later a fire started in the engine compartment on the driver's side. The security and fire department of my place of employment responded quickly (fifteen minutes or less) and extinguished the fire. They broke the driver side window in an effort to gain access but the hood latch cable had already been disabled by the fire so access was gained by prying open the hood. Everything on the driver's side of the engine compartment was ruined. The fireman at the scene pointed out the cruise control deactivation switch as the probable cause of the fire. My insurance agent (usaa) has not as of yet gotten back with me as to the estimated extent of the damages but considering the extensive electrical and other damage it is my prediction that the truck will be considered as a total loss. Ford knows of this potential problem and has not in my opinion taken appropriate action through recalls.
- Williamsburg, VA, USA
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The fire stsrted in the Ford F150 after we had gone to bed and about 3 hours after parking the truck, in the drive in front of a garage door. The fire totaled my "baby". after seeing the nbc story on Ford I tried to contact Ford Motor Co. Vai E mail. O date no response.
Caller said he has a vehicle that may catch on fire because of the cruise control switch. Caller says there is a recall on this in other vehicles. Recall # 05V017000. Caller is concerned about the switch on his truck. Manufacturer said they are investigating the problem and there is nothing they can do about it right now.
Vehicle caught on fire. The consumer's husband put out the fire before the fire department arrived. He burned his hand in the process. The consumer still has the vehicle and pictures of it. The consumer only had liability insurance on the vehicle because it was paid off. The vehicle had been sitting for about 6 hours when it caught on fire. The fire department claimed it was electrical wiring, it melted everything, it was mostly on the driver's side of the vehicle. Consumer contacted Ford and they said they would send someone and never did. When first bought the vehicle they fixed the cruise control then two days before the fire, the cruise control stopped working.
Consumer had a 1995 Ford F-150 super crew cab that caught on fire while parked in front of her house on 7-6-05. The engine was completely burned up. She did not receive a recall notice. She bought the vehicle in February 2005. She has not talked to the dealership. The truck had 140, 000 miles on it and is no longer drivable.
Consumer stated his 1995 Ford F-150 truck was totally turned off when white smoke started coming form the fender well on the driver's side. This happened over one year ago. The garage owner disconnected the battery terminal and the fire went out. He says the sensor for the cruise control and the wire caught on fire; like roadside flare; throwing off of white smoke; it burned the side of the master cylinder. It melted the connector that plugs into the sensor, and it melted the top of the sensor. The dealer said that vehicle was probably not covered. The consumer says anyone is welcome to look at the vehicle if needed to help determine the problems with the cars.
Cruise control switch burnt up and melted the brake fluid reservoir, destroying the switch, and melting the wiring coming from the switch and going to the switch.
My truck that had been just sitting in my driveway for a couple of days just caught on fire. We thought it might have been a rodent knawing on the electrical wires, so we never contacted anyone. But lately we have been seeing how other people have had the same experience, but Ford has recalled their truck.
I parked my 1995 Ford F150 pickup and after approximately 30 minutes, my daughter noticed smoke coming from under the hood. I opened the hood and discovered a fire consuming an electronic sensor mounted to the front of my master brake cylinder. I put the fire out and was unable to take the vehicle out of park without removing the fuse which controlled power to the ABS system. I have learned this is something reported on a national news service as causing house fires and other problems.
Contact states 1995, Ford, F150, caught on fire. The fire was underneath the hood, and the fire marshal stated the fire was caused by the cruise control.
Cruise control that has been causing fires is doing the same thing to my 1995 F-150. I was having the sensor replaced when the wiring harness for the cruise control smoked and burned up. It had brake fluid in it just like the sensor did. It blew a fuse and also smoked from the cruise control and the also near the intake. The sensor that is attached to the master cylinder had failed, brake fluid was insde it and cause the connector that leads to the fuse box to catch on fire, we were replacing that when the connector from the master cylinder to the cruise control unit smoked, but did not catch on fire. The sensor on the master cylinder caught on fire on 05-27-05.
Consumer states her the cruise control deactivation switch shorted out, and caused the wires to melt inside the vehicle. A local service dealer stated it was inside the cruise control deactivation switch. There has been a recall on 2000 Ford F150's, but this vehicle is a 1995 model experiencing the same problem as the 2000 models.
Owner was sitting inside of the truck. While parked the consumer noticed smoke was coming from the hood. Cruise control was hooked to the master cylinder and some plastic parts melted along with the top which contained the fire. Flame began shooting upward. Owner put the fire out with a fire extinguisher. Consumer would like to E-mail picture to NHTSA/ODI. Consumer had problems before with the truck locking.
1995 Ford F150 caught on fire while parked in garage. The consumer's vehicle caught on fire three years ago. The consumer read an article about 1995-1999 Ford F150 which have caught on fire due to faulty switches.
Complaint regarding the recall of cruise control release switches on the braking system for various 2000-2004 Ford model vehicles. During vehicle inspection the technician and the consumer noticed that the brake fluid reservoir was low and the cruise control release switch was covered with fluid. A recall was issued but the consumer was told that his vehicle was not covered under the current recall. The consumer believes the recall should be expanded.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Lakeside Park, KY, USA