NHTSA Complaint #10143745 — 2000 FORD EXPEDITION

ON AUGUST 7, 2005, MY WIFE, 3 YEAR OLD SON AND I DROVE OUR 2000 FORD EXPEDITION UP TO WISCONSIN TO MY UNCLE'S LAKE COTTAGE. THE TRIP WAS AROUND 120 MILES ONE WAY. WE DROVE HOME, ANOTHER 120 MILES, AND PARKED THE EXPEDITION IN OUR GARAGE ABOUT 7:30 PM. IT HAD RUN FLAWLESSLY, AND THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS EVIDENT WITH THE VEHICLE. AT ABOUT 2:30 AM ON AUGUST 8, MY WIFE AND I AWOKE TO THE SOUND OF OUR SMOKE DETECTORS IN OUR HOUSE, AND THE HOUSE WAS FILLED WITH SMOKE. MY WIFE RAN AHEAD OF ME OUT OF THE HOUSE, AND I CRAWLED INTO OUR SON'S ROOM DOWN THE HALL. HE WAS STILL ASLEEP, AND I REACHED UP, FELT HIS BODY, GRABBED HIM AND TORE DOWN THE STAIRS OUT THE FRONT DOOR. OUR NEIGHBORS WERE ALREADY OUTSIDE AS THEY HAD HEARD CRACKLING AND BANGING FROM THE GARAGE- IT WAS TOTALLY SWALLOWED BY FLAMES. I HAD A '98 F-150 4X4 THAT WAS PARKED OUTSIDE THE GARAGE, AND WHEN THE GARAGE DOOR FELL AND THE WHOLE HOUSE WENT UP IN FLAMES, IT CAUGHT ON FIRE TOO AND WAS TOTALED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENTS FROM 5 TOWNS ALL SHOWED UP AND PUT THE FIRE OUT. BY THE TIME THEY ARRIVED, OUR HOUSE AND BOTH VEHICLES WERE COMPLETELY DESTROYED, AND THE EAST SIDE OF OUR NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE HAD THE SIDING, WINDOWS AND ROOFING BURNED OFF.....THAT HOUSE IS OVER 75 FEET AWAY FROM OURS. MY WIFE, MY SON, OUR DOG, AND I ALL GOT OUT SAFE - WE LOST OUR FAMILY CAT. WE LOST NEARLY EVERY SINGLE MATERIAL POSSESSION WE OWN IN THIS FIRE....AND FURTHER INVESTIGATION BY OUR INSURANCE COMPANIES AND FORD HAVE DEEMED IT WAS INDEED THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH THAT STARTED THE FIRE. WE NOW ARE LIVING IN A RENTAL HOUSE WAITING FOR OUR BURNED HOUSE TO BE REBUILT....IT HAS BEEN NEARLY 4 MONTHS AND NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE DUE TO PERMIT COMPLICATIONS. *JB