NHTSA Complaint #10129605 — 2000 FORD EXCURSION

VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN MY GARAGE. I WAS IN THE GARAGE AT THE TIME. BEGAN SMELLING BURNING ELECTRICAL SMELL. FOUND WHITE SMOKE COMING OUT OF ENGINE COMPARTMENT, INCREASING DRAMATICALLY IN VOLUME. IN JUST A FEW MOMENTS, THE SMOKE WAS A SOLID CURTAIN COMING FROM THE GAP BETWEEN THE HOOD AND DRIVER SIDE FRONT FENDER. OPENED HOOD AND FOUND AN ELECTRICAL SWITCH ON THE BRAKE SYSTEM MASTER CYLINDER CREATING THE SMOKE. USING A RAG I PULLED THE SWITCH AWAY FROM THE CYLINDER AND IT WAS MELTED IN HALF. THE PART OF THE SWITCH CONNECTED TO THE ELECTRICAL WIRE CONTINUED TO SMOKE. I DISCONNECTED THE REMAINING PIECE OF THE SWITCH FROM THE WIRE AND IT STOPPED SMOKING BUT EVERYTHING WAS HOT.