NHTSA Complaint #10053212 — 1997 FORD F-150

WHILE I WAS DRIVING MY F-150 TRUCK ON HIGHWAY S-22, WEST OF BORREGO SPRINGS, CALIFORNIA, THE TRUCK CAUGHT FIRE. I PULLED OVER TO THE EDGE OF THE ROAD AND GOT OUT. A TOW TRUCK DRIVER WHO WAS DRIVING BEHIND ME PUT OUT FLAMES IN THE CAB WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER. THEN THE CAB BURSED INTO FLAMES AND HE PULLED ME AWAY FROM THE TRUCK AND CALLED THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT ON HIS RADIO. THOUGH THE TRUCK WAS TURNED OFF THE FIRE CONTINUED AND ENVELOPED THE TRUCK IN FLAMES, DESPITE THE WATER PUMPED ONTO IT FROM THE FIRE TRUCK. I LEARNED THERE WAS A RECALL FOR F-150 TRUCKS FOR A DEFECTIVE FUEL LINE THAT COULD (NO DOUBT HAS) CAUSE FIRES. FORD MOTOR COMPANY CLAIMED THAT THE RECALL DID NOT INCLUDE MY TRUCK BECAUSE IT WAS MADE IN WAYNE AND ONLY F-150'S BUILT IN NORFOLK AND KANSAS CITY WERE INVOLVED. YET MY TRUCK BURNED TO A SHELL. IT SEEMS OBVIOUS THAT THE FIRE WAS SUCKING FUEL FROM THE TANK EVEN THOUGH I HAD SHUT OFF THE ENGINE, OBVIOUS THAT THE LEAKING FUEL HAD IGNITED UNDER THE HOOD AND THE FIRE GOT WELL-ADVANCED BEFORE I WAS EVEN AWARE OF IT AND WAS TOO BIG TO BE PUT OUT BY A HAND-HELD EXTINGUISHER. FORD HAS DENIED ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS DISASTER TO ME. THEY CLAME THE CASE IS CLOSED. I REOPENED MY CASE AGAINST FORD IN DECEMBER, 2003 BECAUSE I LEARNED OF COMPUTER WEBSITES DEDICATED TO ACCIDENTS CAUSED BY DEFECTS IN MANUFACTURE OF VEHICLES. *AK