NHTSA Complaint #10135977 — 2001 FORD EXCURSION

CONCERNING MY 2001 FORD EXCURSION - VIN NUMBER [XXX], (NOT PART OF RECENT RECALLS BY FORD!). AFTER SHORT TRIP, (25 MILES) DROVE TO LATE EVENING OF THE 16TH OF JULY. PARKED MY 2001 FORD EXCURSION DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF HOME IN CENTER OF THE CIRCULAR DRIVE APPROX 4 FT FROM FRONT DOOR. TURNED OFF VEHICLE & WENT INSIDE HOUSE TO BED. AFTER ABOUT 50 MINS, (12:15 AM JULY 17TH) STARTLED BY LOUD SOUND OUTSIDE. I OPENED THE FRONT DOOR OF HOME AND SAW EXCURSION ABLAZE ON DRIVEWAY WHERE I HAD PARKED IT. I WOKE UP FAMILY, (WIFE AND 3 YOUNG CHILDREN) SENT THEM NEXT DOOR, CALLED 911. QUICKLY RAN OUTSIDE DROVE MY CADILLAC AWAY FROM THE EXCURSION. FLAMES LEAPT 16 TO 20 FEET IN AIR. NEIGHBOR AND I GRABBED WATER HOSES AND ABLE TO CONTAIN TILL THE FIRE DEPT ARRIVED 15 MINUTES LATER. MY FAMILY TRAUMATIZED! THANK GOODNESS WAS NOT PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY. THE FIRE ALSO CAUSED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO MY DRIVEWAY. THERE IS NOW A LARGE BLACK AREA OF MELTED MATERIAL FUSED INTO THE CEMENT. OUTSIDE OF HOME LOOKS OKAY..NOT SURE IF ANY INTERNAL STRUCTURES DAMAGED FROM HEAT OF FIRE OR SMOKE. ALSO DAMAGED AND DESTROYED SURROUNDING PLANTS AND SHRUBS. THIS WAS A REAL STRUGGLE TO KEEP FIRE CONTAINED. SOME SMOKE INHALATION AND CONTINUED COUGH SINCE INCIDENT. NATIONWIDE INSURANCE SAID CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH!!. AN INDEPENDENT FORENSIC FIRE INVESTIGATOR FROM ADVANCED INVESTIGATIVE CONCEPTS, (AIC-FIRE ) INVESTIGATED CAUSE OF FIRE EXAMINING EVIDENCE ON JULY 19, 2005. DETERMINED ORIGIN AND CAUSE. FROM THEIR REPORT THEY STATED THAT, "THE FIRE ORIGINATED AT THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER LOCATED IN THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE PORTION OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE FIRE WAS CAUSED BY A DEFECTIVE CRUISE CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH." I AM VERY CONCERNED THIS COULD HAPPEN TO SOMEBODY ELSE ESPECIALLY GIVEN THAT I HAVE NOT SEEN ANYTHING RELEASED BY FORD CONCERNING A RECALL FOR THE EXCURSION. PLEASE DILIGENTLY PURSUE FORD TO RECALL THE EXCURSIONS TO GET THIS RECTIFIED. *NM *NM INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5