NHTSA Complaint #10186520 — 1998 FORD EXPLORER

ON MARCH 29, 2007, MY WIFE DROVE OUR 1998 FORD EXPLORER XLT TO A DOCTORS APPOINTMENT AT 9:00 A.M. AND THEN TO HER WORK LOCATION. AT 9:36 A.M., MY WIFE PARKED THE EXPLORER, TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AND WENT INTO WORK. AT 10:50 A.M, MY WIFE WAS NOTIFIED BY AN EMPLOYEE FROM ANOTHER BUSINESS THAT THE EXPLORER WAS SMOKING. AT THAT TIME, MY WIFE NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT STARTED BURNING ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THE FIREFIGHTERS WERE SUMMONED TO THE SCENE. UPON THEIR ARRIVAL, MY WIFE NOTICED THAT THE ENTIRE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS ON FIRE AND THERE WAS A CLOUD OF DARK HEAVY SMOKE. THE FIREFIGHTERS WERE ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE AND CONFINE THE FIRE DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE INTERIOR COMPARTMENT WAS SATURATED WITH SMOKE. THE COUNTY FIRE MARSHALL WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED US THAT SIMILAR SPONTANEOUS ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES IN FORD TRUCKS AND SUVS HAVE BEEN LINKED TO A DEFECTIVE CRUISE CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH AND THAT FORD IS CURRENTLY RECALLING VEHICLES WITH THOSE DEFECTIVE SWITCHES. THE FIRE MARSHALL INDICATED THAT THIS ENGINE FIRE MAY HAVE POTENTIALLY BEEN ATTRIBUTABLE TO A DEFECTIVE OR FAULTY CRUISE CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH. THE FIREFIGHTERS DOCUMENTED THE INCIDENT. UPON BEING APPRISED OF THE RECALL. WE RESEARCHED THE ISSUE AND CONFIRMED THAT FORD IS CONDUCTING A RECALL OF VEHICLES WITH DEFECTIVE AND FAULTY CRUISE CONTROL SWITCHES AND THAT THE VEHICLES BEING RECALLED INCLUDE THE 1998 FORD EXPLORERS. HOWEVER, WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY NOTIFICATION OF THE RECALL FROM FORD MOTOR COMPANY AND/OR ITS AFFILIATED DEALERSHIPS. WE CONTACTED FORD MOTOR COMPANY CUSTOMER RELATIONS TO REGISTER A COMPLAINT AND INFORM THEM OF THE ENGINE FIRE. WE ALSO CONTACTED OUR INSURANCE COMPANY TO FILE A CLAIM. TO CLARIFY THE QUESTIONS FOLLOWING THIS NARRATIVE, THE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE WAS CONTACTED THEY DID NOT NEED TO GENERATE A REPORT IN LIGHT OF THE FIREFIGHTERS INCIDENT REPORT. ADDITIONALLY, THE ONLY PROPERTY DAMAGE WAS TO THE VEHICLE ITSELF.