NHTSA Complaint #10114411 — 1997 FORD EXPEDITION

THE INTERIOR DASH LIGHTS OF MY 1997 EXPEDITION GO OUT EVERY TIME IT RAINS OR THE VEHICLE GETS WET. THE CAUSE OF THIS APPEARS TO BE IN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM CONNECT WITH THE DIMMRER SWITCH THAT CAUSE A SHORT THAT THEN BLOWS THE 5 AMP FUSE. I HAVE REPLACED THIS MULTIPLE TIMES AND IS FINE AS LONG AS IT IS DRY (OHIO ISN'T A VERY DRY CLIMATE). I HAVE GONE THROUGH MANY 5 AMP FUSES. I HAVE DELAYED GETTING ANYTHING DONE SINCE THE FIRST OCCURANCE BACK IN 2000 DUE THE COSTLY EXPENSE OF JUST TRYING TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. THIS SEEMS SIMILAR TO OTHER COMPLAINTS THAT I HAVE READ POSTED ON THIS WEB SITE DUE TO WATER LEAKING FROM WINDSHIELD. I HAVE EVEN HAD MY WINDSHIELD REPLACED AND STILL HAVE THIS PROBLEM TO DATE. I HAVE NOW STOPPED REPLACING THE FUSE AND LIVE WITH NO DASH LIGHTS AT NIGHT. VERY DANGEROUS WHEN YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT SPEED YOUR GOING. IN MY PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING OPINION THERE APPEARS TO BE A WATER LEAK ISSUE IN THE WINDSHIELD/FIREWALL AREA. THIS WATER LEAK ISSUE SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO AS THE ROOT CAUSE TO OTHER FAILURES THAT HAVE BEEN SEEN ON EXPEDITIONS AND F-150S IN REGARDS TO ELECTRICAL ISSUES AND FIRES.*AK