NHTSA Complaint #10116119 — 1997 FORD F-150

ON 03/09/2005 AT APPROXIMATELY 6:50 P.M. (TX TIME) MY NEIGHBOR INFORMED ME THAT MY VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE AND SHE HAD NOTIFIED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS A 1997 FORD F150 QUAD CAB (I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE ON 08/12/2001 FROM A USED CAR LOT. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN PARK FOR ONLY ABOUT 20 MINUTES, AS I HAD JUST COME HOME FROM WORK. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORTS INDICATED THAT THE FIRE STARTED IN THE ENGINE DEPARTMENT. I DID NOT HAVE ANY WARNING LIGHTS PRIOR THE THE INCIDENT; THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN OPERATING NORMALLY ALL THAT DAY. I PUT GAS IN THE VEHICLE AROUND 11 A.M. ON THIS DATE AND CHECKED THE OIL AS WELL, TIRES, ETC.; AS FAR AS I COULD TELL EVERYTHING WAS OK. ON 03/24/2005 THE NBC NEWS AIRED A STORY CONCERNING THE FORD F150, INVESTIGATING A RECALL ON THE CRUISE CONTROL EMISSION WHICH COULD RESULT IN THE VEHICLE INAVERTANTLY CATCHING ON FIRE. MY VEHICLE WAS CONSIDERED TOTALED (AND I DO HAVE PICTURES). MY CONCERN NOW IS THAT THE FINANCE COMPANY (UNITED AUTO CREDIT) IS EXPECTING TO RECEIVE CAR PAYMENTS AND ARE HARASSING ME AND MY HUSBAND DAILY. THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY WAS CALLED ON 03/10/2005, I CONTRACTED CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE AND INFORMED THEM OF THE SITUATION AS WELL, I WAS TOLD BY THE FORD COMPANY THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS IN MY VEHICLE AT ALL (WHICH ACCORDING TO YOUR REPORTS IS NOT TRUE). *AK *NM