NHTSA Complaint #10021494 — 1997 FORD F-150

MY 1997 FORD F150 SPONTANEOUSLY COMBUSTED IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE AFTER BEING PARKED FOR ABOUT 12 HOURS OVERNIGHT. THERE WAS A SHORT HORN BURST, FOLLOWED BY A POP, THEN A FIRE ERUPTED UNDER THE HOOD. THE INCIDENT OCCURRED ABOUT 6:30 AM, WHILE I WAS STILL IN BED, HALF-ASLEEP, AFTER MY CLOCK RADIO HAD JUST COME ON. A NEIGHBOR LOOKED OUT OF HER WINDOW AFTER HEARING THE HORN, BUT DIDN'T SEE ANYONE AROUND THE VEHICLE. SHE THEN HEARD THE POP, AND SAW THE FIRE START. SHE CALLED 911, THEN CALLED ME. BY THE TIME I GOT OUTSIDE, THE ENTIRE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS ENGULFED IN FLAME. I RAN BACK IN THE HOUSE TO GET A FIRE EXTINGUISHER, BUT BY THE TIME I GOT BACK OUTSIDE, THE ENTIRE CAB WAS ALSO ON FIRE. A STUNNED CROWD OF NEIGHBORS AND I WATCHED AS THE FIRE TRUCK ARRIVED AND PUT THE FIRE OUT. *JB