NHTSA Complaint #10153997 — 1995 FORD TAURUS

I AM THE OWNER OF A 1995 FORD TAURUS WITH AROUND 64000 MILES. I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON THE DATE OF 11/27/05 WHEN BLACK SMOKE STARTED COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD, I WAS ONE LIGHT FROM THE WESTBROOK FIRE DEPARTMENT SO MANAGED TO GET TO THE FIREHOUSE AND OFF THE ROAD TO PREVENT ANY OTHER DAMAGE TO OTHERS AROUND ME. I ENDED UP LOSING MY BRAKES FROM THE FIRE AND EVERY WIRE AND ANYTHING PLASTIC UNDER THE HOOD HAD BEEN DESTROYED. THE VEHICLE IS A TOTAL LOSE. IT SEEMS THE FIRE HAD BEEN CAUSED BY AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM AND STARTED TOWARDS THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. I CHECKED ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND THAT FORD HAD ISSUED A RECALL FOR A PROBLEM WITH THE COOLING FAN CAUSING AN UNDER-HOOD FIRE. I CONTACTED FORD ON 11/28/05 TO VERIFY IF MY VEHICLE WAS AFFECTED BY THIS RECALL AND WAS TOLD YES, BUT I HAD NEVER BEEN NOTIFIED. AFTER THIS I WAS TOLD BY FORD THAT I WOULD BE CONTACTED IN SEVERAL WORKING DAYS WITH FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS. I WAS CONTACTED BY FORD ON 12/13/05 AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO UNTIL A FORD DEALER CHECKED THE CAR TO SEE IF THE FIRE WAS CAUSED BY THE COOLING FAN. ON THE DATE OF 12/14/05 I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO HAMMONASSET FORD LINCOLN IN MADISON CT TO LOOK AT THE VEHICLE. THEY LOOKED AT THE VEHICLE AND SAID THERE WAS SO MUCH DAMAGE UNDER THE HOOD, THAT EVERY WIRE HAD MELTED THEY COULD NOT TELL EXACTLY WHERE THE FIRE STARTED. I HAD THE CAR TOWED BACK HOME AND ON 12/20/05 I WAS CONTACTED BY FORD VIA U.S. MAIL AND WAS TOLD DUE TO THE EXTENSIVE AMOUNT OF DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE THEY WERE UNABLE TO VERIFY A MANUFACTURER''S DEFECT THAT THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY IS UNABLE TO OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE AT THIS TIME. EVERY WIRE UNDER THE HOOD IS STRIPPED OF ITS PLASTIC COATING. AND THE PAINT ON THE HOOD IS BURNED OFF RIGHT OVER THE FAN. THIS SHOULD HAVE NEVER HAPPENED TO A CAR WITH ONLY 64000 MILES . *JB