NHTSA Complaint #10125983 — 1998 FORD EXPEDITION

I JUST STARTED EXPERIENCING ABOUT 2 YEARS AGO ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM DESCRIBED IN THE THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ARTICLE ON THE CNBC FINANCIAL WEB PAGE. DURING EXTREME PERIODS RAIN, DAMPNESS OR HIGH HUMIDITY, MY TRUCK WOULD NOT RUN CORRECTLY. IT STARTED OUT WITH THE SPEEDOMETER NOT WORKING (OR THE CRUISE CONTROL), BUT DROVE FINE DOWN THE ROAD. THEN AS TIME & MONTHS WENT ON THE SYMPTOMS SEEMED TO GET WORSE. BESIDES THE SPEEDOMETER NOT WORKING OR THE CRUISE CONTROL WHEN IT RAINED, THE TRANSMISSION STARTED NOT SHIFTING AT ITS NORMAL ''SHIFTING POINTS'' & THE OVERDRIVE LIGHT ON THE GEAR SHIFTER WOULD FLASH ON & OFF REPEATEDLY. WHEN IT WAS DRY OUT OR IF I USED THE FLOOR HEATER WHEN IT RAIN, IT WOULD RUN OK. THEN ONE DAY IN THE RAIN ALL THE ''IDIOT CLUSTER LIGHTS'' IN THE DASH WOULD ALL START FLASHING ON & OFF WITH A ''CLICKING OR SWITCHING'' SOUND FROM UNDER THE DASH. IT GOT TO A POINT DURING A HEAVY RAIN THAT ALL OF THE ABOVE WOULD HAPPEN AT THE SAME TIME OVER A 40 MILE DRIVE, & THE REAR WINDOW WIPER WOULD STOP WORKING IN MID-WIPE & THE VEHICLE WOULD START LOOSING POWER. AT THIS POINT I TOOK IT TO MY LOCAL FORD DEALER & TOLD THEM THE SAME THINGS. FINALLY AFTER THE 2 VISITS & ANOTHER HOUR TO HOUR & A HALF TO DIAGNOSE & TROUBLESHOOT THE PROBLEM THEY TOLD ME THAT MY WINDSHIELD WAS LEAKING SOMEWHERE & WAS CAUSING THE PROBLEM. THEY SAID FORD HAD A ''TSB'' TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN OUT. THEY FOUND BOTH THE ''GEM & CJB'' MODULES (PART #''S F852-14B205-KA & F752-14AD68-BA) UNDER THE DASH ALL ''WET & CORRODED'' & NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $589.94 JUST FOR THE PARTS PLUS $74.95 HR. LABOR & A $7.50 HAZARDOUS WASTE FOR A REPAIR ORDER CHARGE. I TOOK MY TRUCK TO A LOCAL GLASS SHOP TO FIND THE LEAK & REPLACE THE SEAL. THEY DISCOVER THAT THE ''SEAL'' FOR THE WINDSHIELD WAS LEAKING AT THE TOP NEAR THE RAIN CUTTERS ON THE ROOF & RUNNING DOWN THE ''A'' PILLARS & WAS ALSO STARTING TO RUST THAT AREA NEAR THE SUPPORT STRUCTURE FOR THE GLASS.