NHTSA Complaint #10145885 — 1998 FORD F-150

ON MONDAY DEC 19 2005 WHILE DRIVING WITH MY WIFE AND GRANDDAUGHTER, AN EXPLOSION OCCURRED UNDER THE HOOD OF MY 1998 FORD F150 VIN: [XXX]. SMOKE CAME OUT THE HOOD AND THROUGH THE AIR VENTS INTO THE CAB. THE FORD DEALER SAID THE PLASTIC PLENUM IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED ALLOWING RAW GASOLINE TO ENTER WHERE IT SHOULD NOT HAVE AND EXPLODED. THEY REPLACED THE MANIFOLD ASSEMBLY WITH THE NEW STYLE ALUMINUM MANIFOLD AND PLENUM. THIS COST ALMOST $1,100.00. I HAVE SINCE FOUND THAT FORD SETTLED A LAWSUIT 12/16/2005 IN WHICH THE PLASTIC PLENUMS CRACKED. BUT THIS ONLY COVERS A SMALL NUMBER OF FORD CARS AND NOT TRUCKS. THE DEALER SERVICE MGR TOLD ME THAT FORD HAS DEVELOPED A NEW ALUMINUM PLENUM THAT REPLACES THE OLD PLASTIC ONE AND I SHOULD HAVE NO MORE TROUBLE. MY QUESTION IS WHY I CANNOT BE REIMBURSED FOR A PLASTIC PLENUM THAT CRACKED, THEY OBVIOUSLY KNOW THEY ARE BAD, AND WE COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY HURT. *NM UPDATED 07/17/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)