2001 FORD EXPEDITION Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD EXPEDITION. THE CRUISE CONTROL ON THE VEHICLE WAS INOPERATIVE. A FUSE AND THE BRAKE LIGHTS ON THE VEHICLE WERE REPLACED. TWO WEEKS AFTER THE REPAIR, AND WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR FIFTEEN MINUTES, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE SPREAD QUICKLY AND CAUSED A NEARBY VEHICLE TO ALSO CATCH ON FIRE. BOTH VEHICLES WERE DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, AND SHE WAS ADVISED THAT THERE WAS AN OPEN RECALL ON THE VEHICLE (SEE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 05V388000). THEY STATED THAT THEY WOULD FURTHER INVESTIGATE THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 175,000. UPDATED 01/08/10 *BF UPDATED 01/12/10.*JB

THE WIFE WAS LEAVING FOR WORK ON SUNDAY NOV. 22ND. SHE RETURNED A FEW MINUTES LATER AND THE VEHICLE WAS REALLY LOUD. THE PROBLEM WAS THAT A SPARK PLUG HAD BLOWN OUT OF THE MOTOR. THE VEHICLE IS STILL IN THE DRIVEWAY YET TO BE REPAIRED. 2001 FORD EXPEDITION 4.6L V8. *TR

MY 2001 FORD EXPEDITION RECENTLY SUFFERED A TOTAL LOSS ENGINE FIRE -- ACCORDING TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S INVESTIGATION, IT WAS LIKELY CAUSED BY A CRUISE CONTROL PROBLEM/MALFUNCTION THAT WAS DUE TO FAULTY MANUFACTURING BY THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY. THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED-OFF AND PARKED IN THE PARKING LOT AT MY OFFICE AT EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, FLORIDA WHEN THE FIRE STARTED. AFTER THE FIRE, I LEARNED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR MY FORD TRUCK BECAUSE OF THIS EXACT PROBLEM -- AS A 20-YEAR ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY VETERAN, I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED BY FORD ABOUT THIS POTENTIAL HAZARD. I THANK GOD THAT THIS DIDN'T OCCUR IN MY GARAGE WHERE THE TRUCK WAS ALWAYS PARKED -- MY GARAGE SITS DIRECTLY BELOW THE BEDROOM WHERE MY TWO YOUNG BOYS SLEEP. MY EXPEDITION, WHICH I BOUGHT NEW IN 2001, WAS A TOTAL LOSS. IT WAS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION UNTIL THE DAY OF THE FIRE -- I REPORTED THE FIRE TO MY INSURANCE COMPANY, USAA. UNFORTUNATELY, FORD HAS NOT PROVIDED ANY ASSISTANCE OR SUPPORT AFTER THIS HORRIBLE AND LIFE-THREATENING INCIDENT. *TR

SPARK PLUG WAS BLOWN OUT ON MY 2001 FORD EXPEDITION (5.4 L). THIS POSES A CONCERN OVER THE RISK OF A FIRE. *TR

I PARKED MY 2001 FORD EXPEDITION XLT SUV IN MY PARKING STALL ON THE AFTERNOON OF NOVEMBER 2, 2009 AT APPROXIMATELY 1600HRS. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED UNTIL TIME OF THE FIRE WHICH OCCURRED BETWEEN 1600HRS AND 2325HRS. THE ENTIRE ENGINE COMPARTMENT BURNED THE FIRE WAS SO INTENSE THAT THE HOOD OF THE CAR COMPLETELY MELTED AWAY. THE FIRE BURNED AND MELTED THROUGH EVERY PART OF THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE FRONT WINDSHIELD BUSTED OUT AS WELL AS 4 PASSENGER WINDOWS. I HAVE PICTURES AND VIDEO OF THE AFTERMATH OF THIS FIRE. NO ONE WAS INJURED AND NO OTHER VEHICLE OR PROPERTY WAS DAMAGED. NOTHING UNUSUAL WAS NOTICED UP TO THE DAY THE VEHICLE FIRE. *TR

WITH ALL THE TALK ABOUT THE TOYOTA ACCELERATION PROBLEM, IT MADE ME RECALL TWO TIMES WHEN MY FORD EXPEDITION DID THE SAME THING. IT WAS ONLY MOMENTARILY THOUGH AND DID NOT SURGE UP TO HIGH SPEEDS. IT WAS JUST A SURGE OF POWER AND MY FOOT WAS NOT ON THE ACCELERATOR ...IT ONLY HAPPENED TWICE SO I NEVER THOUGHT MUCH ABOUT IT.. *TR

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WITH MY 4 CHILDREN INSIDE WHEN WE HEARD A LOUD EXPLOSION, MY FORD EXPEDITION ENGINE SOUNDED LIKE THERE WAS SOMETHING VERY WRONG. WE PULLED INTO A GAS STATION, LIFTED THE HOOD AND YOU COULD SMELL THE GAS AND FEEL AIR BLOWING OUTSIDE OF WEAR THE SPARK PLUG USED TO BE. WE TOWED IT TO A MECHANIC, WE WERE TOLD THAT OUR SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT TAKING THE COIL PACK WITH IT. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE HAVE HAD A SPARK PLUG BLOW OUT BUT WE HAVE HAD TO REPLACE 4 OTHER SPARK PLUGS AND COIL PACKS BECAUSE THEY KEEP WORKING THEIR WAY OUT CAUSING THE ENGINE TO RUN ROUGH AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO COME ON. WE HAVE THREE MORE PLUGS AND COILS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN REPLACED. I AM SCARED THAT AT ANY TIME WE COULD BLOW ANOTHER SPARK PLUG AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THERE ISN'T ANY THING I CAN DO TO PREVENT THIS PROBLEM FROM HAPPENING AGAIN. THE MECHANIC SAID IT IS VERY LIKELY THAT THE OTHER PLUGS WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED IN THE FUTURE BUT CURRENTLY THE ARE WORKING. THE SPARK PLUG THAT BLEW OUT IS ALONG THE ROAD SOMEWHERE BUT I STILL HAVE THE SPARK PLUGS THAT HAVEN'T BEEN REPLACED. THE SPARK PLUGS ARE HAVING TO BE REPLACED EVERY MONTH OR SO, ONE AT A TIME. MY ENGINE STILL HAS THREE MORE SPARK PLUGS THAT COULD BLOW OUT. LUCKILY,WHEN THIS HAPPENED THERE WASN'T A FIRE. YOU CAN SMELL THE GAS FUMES WHEN THIS HAPPENS. WE HAVE ALWAYS MAINTAINED OUR VEHICLE BY A MECHANIC, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE HAVE EVER HAD A RECURRING PROBLEM. THE MECHANIC STATED THIS IS NOT A COMMON PROBLEM AND IT IS A DESIGN FLAW, AND FORD IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM. *TR

MY FORD EXPEDITION 2001 IS STUCK IN PARK POSITION AND THE INTERIOR ROOF LIGHTS ARE DEAD ALONG WITH EVERYTHING ELSE RIDING ON THAT CIRCUIT. I CALLED THE DEALER AND THEY ADVISE IT'S A DEFECTIVE BRAKE RELEASE SWITCH. I REPLACED THE SWITCH AND THAT DID NOT RESOLVE MY PROBLEM AS THE 5A FUSE KEEPS POPPING. ACCORDING TO INTERNET SOURCES, OTHER CUSTOMERS HAD THIS PROBLEM AND IT'S AFFILIATED WITH A FORD RECALL # 05V380000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER THIS MORNING THEY REPLACE THE FAULTY COMPONENT AS INSTRUCTED BY THE RECALL NOTICE; HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM STILL EXIST. FURTHER INVESTIGATION POINTED OUT THAT NOW, THE CRUISE CONTROL SERVO AND PLUG IS WHAT IS CAUSING THE SHORT IN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. WHEN I RECEIVED THE RECALL NOTICE A FEW YEARS AGO THE DEALER THE DEALERS RESOLUTION WAS TO DISCONNECT THE WORKING CRUISE CONTROL AND NOW IT BECOME PROBLEMATIC PERHAPS FROM HAVING AN EXPOSED PLUG CREATING A FIRE HAZARD. FORD MOTOR COMPANY REFUSES TO PAY FOR THE RELATED DAMAGES RESULTING IN A SHORT IN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM THUS RESULTING IN A POTENTIAL CREATING A FIRE HAZARD. THE TECHNICIAN MENTIONED THE SWITCH WAS LEAKING AND IT APPEARS MY VEHICLE WAS ABOUT TO CATCH ON FIRE. NOW THEY INSIST I SHOULD COME OUT OF POCKET TO PAY OVER $850 TO CLEAN UP THE MESS RESULTING FROM THEIR DESIGN FLAW AND CURRENT RECALL. I CALLED FORD'S CONSUMER RELATION & CUSTOMER SERVICE LINE 800-392-3673, NOTE REFERENCE # 0342422649 AND SPOKE WITH REPRESENTATIVES EMILY, ANDREA AND TWO SUPERVISORS BARBARA AND JOEL. THE DEALER IN THIS CASE MULLINAX FORD ALSO CALLED TO INFORM THEM OF THE RELATIVE CONCERNS TO SEEK AUTHORIZATION FOR REPAIR AND WE WERE BOTH DECLINED. THIS IS HIGHLY DISAPPOINTING AND UNFAIR TO THE CONSUMER, MY CHECK WAS GOOD WHEN I PURCHASE THE VEHICLE AND ALL I ASK IS THAT THEY STAND BEHIND THE PRODUCT AND ACCEPT OWNERSHIP. MY WIFE AND TWO SMALL CHILDREN RIDE IN THIS VEHICLE DAILY IT JUST DISGUST ME HOW THEY CAN HIDE BEHIND THE PHONE AND CLAIM NO OWNERSHIP. *TR

FORD EXPEDITION 2001 TRITON V8. TWO BLOWN SPARK PLUG ENGINE FAILURES WITHIN THE LAST 6 WEEKS. FIRST WAS ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT FAILURE, #7 WAS FIXED, THOROUGH AND CAREFUL REPLACEMENT OF ALL SPARK PLUGS. JUST EXPERIENCED A SECOND AND VIOLENT BLOWOUT DURING LABOR DAY HOLIDAY TRAFFIC. *TR

I WAS DRIVING AT ABOUT 45 MPH WHEN THE SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT. PULLED VEHICLE OFF THE ROAD AND IT TOWED TO A MECHANIC. THE WHOLE MOTOR HAD TO BE TAKEN OUT TO FIX THE PROBLEM. *TR