2000 FORD EXPEDITION Complaints

FORD HAS RECOGNIZED A LOSS-OF-POWER PROBLEM WITH ITS EXPEDITION AND F-150 MODELS IN THE 2000-02 MODEL YEARS WITH THE 5.4 L. ENGINE. SIMPLY PUT, IN AMBIENT TEMPERATURES OVER 100 DEGREES F, THE ENGINE COMPUTER WILL ALTER TIMING (IN A MISGUIDED ATTEMPT TO REDUCE ENGINE TEMPERATURE) WHICH RADICALLY REDUCES ENGINE POWER. FORD HAS A PURPORTED "FIX" UNDER ITS TECH BULLETIN NO. 02-12-3, DATED 06/24/02, AUTHORIZING REPROGRAMMING OF THE COMPUTER AND INSTALLATION OF SOME BODY PLUGS. PROBLEM IS THAT THE PROBLEM REMAINS AFTER THE TECH BULLETIN WORK IS PERFORMED. ON MY 2000 EXPEDITION, I CONTINUE TO EXPERIENCE POWER LOSS OF ROUGHLY 30% IN STOP/GO DRIVING AND THE HOT SUMMER TEMPERATURES IN THE PHOENIX AREA. THIS POSES AN EXTREME RISK IN CITY TRAFFIC, SUCH AS WHEN YOU ATTEMPT TO CLEAR AN INTERSECTION OR AVOID AN ACCIDENT. I'VE HAD SEVERAL CLOSE CALLS THIS SUMMER, "POST-FIX", WHEN TEMPERATURES HOVER AROUND 100 DEGREES--I HIT THE GAS, AND BARELY MOVE. *NM

DT: THE CONSUMER HAS FORD EXPEDITION 2000. VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN GARAGE AT APPROXIMATELY 10:00 AM ON AUGUST 2, 2005. VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF AND GARAGE WAS CLOSED, AND AT APPROXIMATELY 1:00 PM, AFTER SMELLING SMOKE THEY DISCOVERED AN INTENSE FIRE UNDER THE HOOD THAT AGGRESSIVELY GREW AND WITHIN A COUPLE OF MINUTES AND CONSUMED THE ENTIRE GARAGE.HOME AND BUSINESS. THEIR HOME IS OVER 80 PERCENT BURNED, THEY LOST BOTH VEHICLES IN FIRE. THE PEOPLE ESCAPED THE FIRE. *AK *NM

DT: TRUCK STARTED SMOKING AND CAUGHT ON FIRE IN PARKING LOT. THE FIRE OCCURED PRIOR TO THE CONSUMER RECEIVING THE RECALL NOTICE FOR THE FAULTY CRUISE CONTROL WHICH CAUSED THE FIRE. THE TRUCK WAS TOTALED. *AK *NM

WATER HAS LEAKED THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD WIPER AREA CAUSING THE GEM MODULE TO FAIL. THIS CAUSES MANY ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS TO FAIL AS WELL, (I.E. POWER DOOR LOCKS, POWER WINDOWS, ETC..). *NM

2000 FORD EXPEDITION JACK EQUIPMENT CONFORMS TO A SEDAN RATHER THAN A SUV.***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***.*MR WHEN THE JACK WAS FULLY EXTENDED, IT DIDN'T LIFT THE TIRE OFF THE GROUND. THE JACK WAS HIGHLY UNSTABLE AND WHEN VEHICLE DROVE BY, THE VEHICLE ROCKED DANGEROUSLY BECAUSE A WOOD 4 X 4 HAD TO BE USED JUST TO REACH THE POINT WHERE THE SUV COULD EVEN GET OFF THE GROUND. *JB

2000 FORD EXPEDITION CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE PARKED IN THE GARAGE.*MR THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE CONSUMER'S GARAGE FOR ABOUT 3 1/2 HOURS WHEN IT SUDDENLY CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE CONSUMER'S WIFE WAS TREATED FOR SMOKE INHALATION. *NM

THE PASSENGER SIDE TIE ROD BROKE AT 65 MPH, CAUSING CONSUMER TO STRIKE A BRIDGE. CONSUMER SUSTAINED INJURIES. *AK THE INSURANCE COMPANY INVESTIGATION FOUND THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIE ROD WAS SEPARATED. FORD SENT OUT LETTERS TO OWNERS OF THESE TYPE VEHICLES TELLING THEM IT IS ESSENTIAL TO HAVE THE STEERING AND FRONT SUSPENSION INCLUDING THE TIE RODS INSPECTED EVERY 15,000 MILES. PRIOR TO ACCIDENT BRAKES WERE REPLACED WITH NEW COMPONENTS AND A FULL SAFETY INSPECTION WAS PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE. *TT

TRAVELING @ 65 MPH ON I-580 IN RICHMOND, CALIFORNIA, MY SPARE TIRE FELL FROM ITS CABLE HELD BRACKET BELOW THE FRAME WHERE IT IS SECURED ON THE VEHICLE, BOUNCED ON THE GROUND, THEN STRUCK THE BOTTOM OF THE REAR BUMPER, WHICH WEDGED THE TIRE BETWEEN THE BUMPER AND GROUND, CAUSING THE REAR OF THE SUV TO CATAPULT OFF THE GROUND. THE FORCE AND PRESSURE ON THE TIRE BEING WEDGED BETWEEN THE VEHICLE AND THE GROUND CAUSED THE TIRE TO POP FROM BEHIND THE VEHICLE AND PROCEED ACROSS THREE LANES OF TRAFFIC AT A HIGH SPEED, EVENTUALLY ENDING UP IN THE CENTER DIVIDER OF THE FREEWAY. I WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL, BUT BARELY. THERE IS DAMAGE TO THE UNDERCARRIAGE OF THE TRUCK AT THE REAR BUMPER, PLUS THE STRESS AND DIFFICULTY OF KEEPING THE TRUCK IN A STRAIGHT LINE WHILE TRYING TO COME TO A STOP AFTER THE REAR TIRES WERE LIFTED OFF THE GROUND APPROX. 6-8". THE PRESS FITTTING ON THE CABLE THAT HOLDS THE SPARE TIRE IN PLACE SEPARATED CLEANLY FROM THE CABLE. THE CABLE DID NOT BREAK OR FRAY, JUST THE PRESS- FITTED COUPLING CAME LOOSE AND SEPARATED FROM THE CABLE, ALLOWING THE SPARE TIRE TO FALL TO THE GROUND. THIS SPARE TIRE HAS NEVER BEEN REMOVED FROM THE SPARE POSITION SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NEW, AND OF COURSE,IS THE ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT SPARE TIRE THAT COMES FROM THE FACTORY, AND THE VEHICLE IS MAINTAINED TO FACTORY SPECS, NO MODIFICATIONS, NO ALTERATIONS, ALL ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT. I SECURED THE PARTS THAT I COULD FIND FROM THE HIGHWAY. I CONTACTED THE LOCAL FORD DEALER, MICHAEL STEAD FORD, OF SAN RAFAEL, ON JULY 13TH AND ORDERED A REPLACEMENT SPARE TIRE WINCH AND CABLE SET FOR THE EXPEDITION. THE PART ARRIVED YESTERDAY AND WAS INSTALLED. I DO HAVE THE OLD WINCH, CABLE, AND CLAMP THAT HOLDS THE SPARE TIRE IN PLACE. CERTAINLY THERE MUST BE A BETTER AND MORE SECURE WAY TO SECURE THE CABLE TO THE FITTING THAT SUPPROTS THE SPARE TIRE UNDER THE CAR THEN THIS SMALL FITTED UNIT THAT IN MY CASE CAME LOOSE.

LAST MONTH, MY 2000 FORD EXPEDITION CAUGHT ON FIRE IN MY DRIVEWAY AFTER SITTING FOR ABOUT 3 HOURS. THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT BURST INTO FLAMES AND MELTED EVERY PLASTIC AND RUBBER COMPONENT INSIDE, INCLUDING THE DRIVER-SIDE FRONT TIRE. WITH THE HELP OF THE ROUND ROCK FIRE DEPT., THE FIRE WAS PUT OUT BEFORE IT CONSUMED THE ENTIRE VEHICLE. A FIRE INVESTIGATION REPORT WAS TAKEN AND CONCLUDED IT STARTED IN THE FUSE BOX AREA DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL SHORT.

IN SPRING OF 2004 THE OWNER OF A 2000 FORD EXPEDITION VIN. NO. [XXX]. UPON OPENING THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE, THE COMPONENTS SURROUNDING THE CRUISE CONTROL COMPONENT AND SEVERAL OTHER COMPONENTS INCLUDING THE ABS MODULE WERE SO HOT THAT THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE RECEIVED MINOR BURNS DISCONNECTING THE RUPTURED PART OF THE ABS SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN IDLE AND TURNED OFF FOR APPROXIMATELY ONE (1) HOUR WHEN THE EVENT OCCURRED. UPON THE VEHICLE BEING STARTED THE NEXT DAY, THE HORN WOULD NOT WORK, THE ABS SYSTEM LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED AND THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT ENGAGE. IN APRIL 2004, THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH WAS REPLACED. IN LATE MAY, THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH WAS STILL INOPERATIVE AFTER REPLACEMENT. ON JUNE 14,2005 THE COMPLAINTS CALLED FORD WITH THE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THAT THE VEHICLE WAS CONTINUING TO SHORT OUT IN VARIOUS WAYS INCLUDING PLACING THE VEHICLE IN THE DRIVE POSITION AND A NEW PROBLEM OF THE RADIO SYSTEM WOULD MALFUNCTION. WHEN PLACED BACK IN PARK,THE RADIO WAS RE-ACTIVATE. VEHICLE WAS EXAMINED BY PARKER FORD AND THEY ADVISED THE HORN CIRCUIT HAD BEEN OVERLOADED AND A FUSE BLOWN IN THE HORN MODULE. THEY ALSO ADVISED THE ABS MODULE AND PUMP WERE IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT. THE COMPLAINANT BELIEVES THIS VEHICLE REPRESENTS A CONTINUING FIRE HAZARD AND THAT THE DAMAGED COMPONENT FAILURES, ALL OF WHICH OCCURRED AT THE SAME TIME WERE DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE DEFECTIVE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH. COMPLAINANT BELIEVES THAT ADDITIONAL VEHICLES MAY BE AT RISK DUE TO SIMILAR OVERLOADS ON THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS. VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN WRECKED, SUBMERGED IN WATER OR ALTERED IN ANYWAY FROM THE ORIGINAL FACTORY DESIGN.COMPLAINANT HAS 24 YEARS PRIOR LAW ENFORCEMENT EXPERIENCE. VEHICLE HISTORY IS ALSO WELL KNOWN TO CURRENT KENTUCKY STATE TROOPER. REQUEST NHTSA IN DEPTH REVIEW OF POTENTIAL FOR CONTINUING PROBLEMS AND COLLATERAL FAILURES OF OTHER COMPONENTS ASSOCIATED WITH SPEED CONTROL SWITCH. *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)