NHTSA Complaint #10178317 — 1999 FORD EXPLORER

ON JANUARY 31, 2006 AFTER ARRIVING HOME FROM WORK WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY 6 BLOCKS FROM MY HOME I NOTICED AN ELECTRICAL SMELL I THOUGHT THAT IT WAS POSSIBLY MY CHRISTMAS LIGHTS ON MY HOME THAT I HAD NOT TAKEN DOWN THEN I FELT THE SIDING AND INSULATION OF MY HOME TO MAKE SURE THAT AN OUTLET WASN'T OVERLOADED OR HOT I EVEN CAME IN AND MOVE MY FURNITURE TO CHECK THE OUTLET CLOSEST TO THE DRIVEWAY AND DIDN'T FIND ANY SOURCE OF THE SMELL. MY BOYFRIEND WENT OUT AND REMOVED THE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS AND SAID HE THOUGHT THE SMELL WAS COMING FROM THE VEHICLE, AT THAT TIME I JUST ASSUMED THAT POSSIBLY IT WAS A BRAKE PAD SMELL OR SOMETHING OF THAT NATURE. THIS VEHICLE CONTAINED NO AFTER MARKET STEREO EQUIPMENT IT ONLY HAD A PROFESSIONALLY INSTALLED ALARM SYSTEM. AFTER THAT INCIDENT THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN APPROXIMATELY 35 MILES ROUND TRIP TWICE TO A LOCAL TOWN WITH NO VEHICLE PROBLEMS OR SMELLS. ON THE MORNING OF JANUARY 1, 2007 I GOT IN THE VEHICLE AND DROVE APPROXIMATELY 6 BLOCKS TO WORK I TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE, GATHERED MY BELONGINGS EXITED THE VEHICLE, USED THE DOOR LOCKS TO SECURE THE VEHICLE CLOCKED IN AT 5:55 A.M. AND AT APPROXIMATELY 6:15 I WAS CALLED OUT OF MY WORK BY A CORRECTIONAL OFFICER TELLING ME THAT MY VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE, IT WAS NOTICED IN A SECURITY CAMERA BY DISPATCH, A FELLOW WORKER USED 3 FIRE EXTINGUISHERS ON THIS VEHICLE BEFORE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED ONCE THEY ARRIVED THEY HAD TO USE SEVERAL BURST OF WATER TO BRING THE FIRE UNDER CONTROL, THE HOOD LATCH FAILED TO WORK SO THEY HAD TO REMOVE THE HOOD WITH AN AXE BECAUSE THE TIRE WELL WAS STILL GLOWING FROM THE FIRE, THE FIRE WAS PUT OUT AND IT WAS A TOTAL LOSS. *JB