NHTSA Complaint #10083071 — 2000 FORD F-150

UPON RETURNING FROM LUNCH, I PARKED MY 2000 F-150 EXT CAB AND TURNED OFF THE MOTOR, PLACED MY KEYS IN MY POCKET AND RETRUNED TO MY DESK TO COMPLETE THE DAYS WORK. ABOUT TWO HOURS LATER, I RECEIVED A CALL FROM A CO-WORKER INFORMING ME THAT MY TRUCK WAS ON FIRE. I IMMEDIATELY WENT OUT TO WHERE I HAD PARKED AND A FIRE TRUCK WAS ALREADY ON THE SCENE GETTING READY TO PUT OUT THE FIRE. BY THIS TIME THE FLAMES WERE SHOOTING UP ABOUT 12 FEET HIGH, THE HOOD HAD ALREADY MELTED ALONG WITH ALL OTHER ALUMINUM ON THE ENGINE BLOCK, THE PLASTICS ON THE FRONT GRILL, THE WINDSHIELD HAD MELTED AND THE INTERIOR WAS SEVERLY DAMAGED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED ALONG WITH A CLAIM WITH MY INSURANCE COMPANY. *AK UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, AFTER THE FACT, I LATER LEARNED THAT THIS HAS BEEN A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH OTHER F-150 OWNERS WHERE THEIR PICKUPS ALSO HAD SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION RESULTING IN TOTAL DAMAGE THEIR VEHICLE AND IN SOME CASES, LOSS OF THEIR HOMES.