1997 FORD EXPEDITION Complaints

VEHICLE WAS PARKED INSIDE OF THE DRIVEWAY AND HORN WAS BLOWING. THEN THERE WERE FLAMES COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE, AND WAS TOTALED. *AK FLAMES WERE COMING FROM THE HOOD BEFORE THE HORN STARTED TO BLOW. THERE WAS NO WARNING OF ANY PROBLEM BEFORE FIRE. TRUCK HAD NOT BEEN DRIVEN FOR HOURS PRIOR TO FIRE. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE FIRE WAS DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL SHORT NEAR THE POWER DISTRIBUTION BOX. *TT

THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO START THE VEHICLE. THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED THE DASH BOARD AND FLASHED VERY FAST. IT MADE A CLICKING NOISE IN THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHO REPLACED THE KEYS AND, THE PCM, THE PCM BURNED OUT AGAIN, AND THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD SOME WIRES WERE PULLING FROM THE FRONT TO THE TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF SERVICE AGAIN WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.

WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED A FIRE STARTED UNDER THE HOOD. THE FIRE WAS PUT OUT. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT HE DID NOT KNOW IF THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS OPERATING PROPERLY BECAUSE HE RARELY USES IT. *TC

THE SPARE TIRE OF MY 1997 FORD EXPEDITION (TRUCK) IS NORMALLY THREADED WITH A WIRE ROPE AND WINCHED UP INTO PLACE BENEATH THE BACK OF THE EXPEDITION. IT WORKS WELL AND IS EASIER TO USE THAN THE TRADITIONAL BOLT/PLATE. HOWEVER, IN JANUARY 2005,MY WIFE WAS DRIVING ON GRANT ROAD A MAJOR STREET IN TUCSON ARIZONA AND THE WIRE ROPE BROKE AND THE TIRE FLEW OFF FROM BENEATH OUR EXPEDITION AND BOUNCED WILDLY DOWN THE ROAD. FORTUNATELY NOTHING AND NO ONE HIT THE TIRE; BUT THERE WAS POTENTIAL FOR A VERY SERIOUS ACCIDENT IF IT HAD BEEN HIT BY ONE OR MORE CARS. TRAFFIC STOPPED AND MY WIFE WENT BACK AND RETRIEVED THE ERRANT TIRE FROM THE MIDDLE OF THREE LANES. I DO NOT KNOW IF THE CABLE WAS CORRODED; BUT LIVING IN A DRY CLIMATE OF THE ARIZONA DESERT I DO NOT BELIEVE THIS WAS THE CASE. THERE WAS NO RUST OF ANY KIND I COULD SEE. I BELIEVE FORD MOTOR COMPANY SHOULD NOTIFY TRUCK OWNERS TO INSPECT THE CABLE FOR DEFECTS. WE WERE VERY LUCKY THAT A LOT OF DAMAGE WASN'T DONE TO OTHER VEHICLES OR HUMANS. *JB

THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN IT CAUGHT FIRE ON ITS OWN. RESULTS SHOWED THAT THE THERE WAS A SHORTAGE WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN INFORMED BY CONSUMER.

THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH AND AT THAT SPEED THE ENGINE BEGAN TO EJECT THE SPARK PLUGS OUT OF THE SEVENTH CYLINDER. THE IGNITION COIL SITS UNDER THE FUEL RAIL. THE CONSUMER FEELS, " THIS COULD IGNITE AND CAUSE A BIG FIRE TO THE ENGINE." PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.

WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE DRIVER NOTICED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS WERE INOPERATIVE. THIS CAUSED THE DRIVER POOR VISIBILITY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A BODY SHOP FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *NM COMBO SWITCH WAS REPLACED. CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED THAT THE DEACTIVATION SWITCH, WHICH WAS KNOWN TO CAUSE FIRES, WAS NOT RECALLED FOR HER VEHICLE. *TT

ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. VEHICLE HAD BEEN PARKED 30 MINUTES. ALTERNATOR REPLACED 1 MONTH AGO. CRUISE CONTROL USED SOMETIMES. LAST USED 1 MONTH AGO AND IT WORKED. NO AFTER MARKET EQUIPMENT. BRUCE YORK WENT TO SEE VEHICLE AND TOOK PICTURES.*AK

PARKED THE VEHICLE EARLY IN THE DAY AT AROUND 11:00 AM AND NOTIFIED OF FIRE IN BUILDING. NO WITNESS TO FIRE UNTIL FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED. CRUISE CONTROL WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. IT WAS INTERMITTENT. ALSO, TRANSMISSION WAS HAVING TROUBLE. NO AFTER MARKET EQUIPMENT. THE FIRE SPREAD TO THE BUILDING WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. WILL E-MAIL PICTURES AND VIN TO BRUCE YORK.*AK

ABS BRAKING SYSTEM INTERMITTENTLY ENGAGES WHILE DRIVING, RESULTING IN VEHICLE NOT BEING ABLE TO STOP. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. NO RESULTS, DEALER COULDN'T FIND ANY PROBLEM, REPLACED WHEEL SENSOR, NO RESULT AS WELL. IT HAPPENS WHILE LOE SPEED DRIVING ONLY.THIS IS A DAILY ROUTINE. *AK