NHTSA Complaint #10181472 — 1999 FORD EXPEDITION

I SENT YOU AN E-MAIL ABOUT A WEEK AGO BRINGING TO YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS SAFETY ISSUE WITH FORD TRUCKS. WHAT HAPPENS IS IN A HARD RAIN WATER COMES INTO THE FUSE PANEL, IT SHORTS OUT, THE GEM SHORTS OUT, THE PCM SHORTS OUT, > > YOU SMELL AN ELECTRICAL BURNING SMELL, ALL GAUGES START GOING CRAZY AND TRUCK CUTS OUT INSTANTLY! THIS HAS HAPPENED TO OUR FAMILY -ONCE PULLING OUT INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC (DURING A HARD RAIN) THE TRUCK STOPPED RUNNING INSTANTLY. GOT SOMEONE TO JUMP START THE VEHICLE. THE SECOND TIME AT LEAST SIX MONTHS LATER, AGAIN IN HARD RAIN - SAME SITUATION THIS TIME MY HUSBAND WAS 170 MILES AWAY. THIS TIME HE SMELLED AN ELECTRICAL BURNING SMELL. AFTER SMELLING THIS HE GOT OUT OF THE TRUCK AND PULLED OUT THE BATTERY IN FEAR OF WHAT WAS NEXT. LATER PUT THE BATTERY BACK IN HOWEVER, THIS TIME A JUMP WOULDN'T WORK . HE GOT A "NEW" BATTERY AND THAT DIDN'T WORK EITHER. THE TRUCK HAS BEEN TOWED TO THE NEAREST FORD DEALER LAKE FORD IN LEWISTOWN, PA. HERE'S WHAT THEY SAY. THE FUSE PANEL HAS TO BE REPLACED IT WAS SHORTED OUT ALONG WITH THE GEM, AND THE PCM. WITH ALL THAT TOTALING OVER $800.00. AND JUST YESTERDAY I TALKED TO LAKE FORD AND THEY INFORMED ME THEIR GOING TO PUT IN A NEW ALTERNATOR AND IT ALSO NEEDS A NEW INSTRUMENT PANEL DUE TO IT WAS BURNED OUT ALSO. (APPROX $700.00) AND THEY TELL US THAT EVEN AFTER ALL OF THE ABOVE IS FIXED THE TRUCKS RADIO AND AIR BAGS! WILL NOT WORK THEY TOO WERE SHORTED INTERNALLY. SO WHEN WE GET OUR TRUCK BACK AND PAYING OVER $1,500 WE WILL HAVE NO AIRBAGS! ALL DUE TO A FORD MANUFACTURING ERROR.(WINDSHIELDS NOT SEALED PROPERLY). EVEN MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE DOLLARS WE WILL HAVE TO PAY. WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THE NEXT PERSON WILL THEY BE ABLE AS LUCKY AS US AND AVOID A SERIOUS ACCIDENT? I HAVE BROUGHT THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF THE FORD MOTOR VEHICLE COMPANY SEVERAL TIMES AND THEY ARE FAILING TO ADDRESS IT. THERE SHOULD BE A SAFETY RECALL PUT IN ON THESE FORD TRUCKS RIGHT AWAY. *JB