NHTSA Complaint #10188078 — 1997 FORD EXPEDITION

IN 1998, MY 1997 FORD EXPEDITION BEGAN HAVING ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. WINDOW LOCKS GOING UP AND DOWN ON THEIR OWN, RADIO PLAYING WHEN NO ONE WAS IN THE CAR, CLICKING FROM UNDER THE DASH, SEATBELT LIGHTS COMING ON WHEN SEATBELTS WERE BEING WORN, WIPERS WORKING ON THEIR OWN. I HAD THIS VEHICLE IN THE SHOP MULTIPLE TIMES FOR THESE ISSUES. AFTER HAVING HIS VEHICLE IN THE SHOP NUMEROUS TIMES TO NO AVAIL, I THREATENED A LAW SUIT IF SOMETHING WASN'T DONE. THE DEALERSHIP CALLED IN A CREW THAT THEY REFERRED TO AS THE RAIN DOCTORS. COME TO FIND OUT, THE WINDSHIELD WAS LEAKING ON THE GEM MODULE AND SHORTING OUT THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY AT THAT TIME. NOW, IN 2007, I AM STILL DRIVING THE SAME 1997 EXPED. IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS, ALL THESE PROBLEMS HAVE STARTED ALL OVER AGAIN. THIS TIME, THE 4X4 CLUSTER LIGHTS COMING ON AND GOING OFF, CLICKING UNDER THE DASH AGAIN, HEATER COMING ON BY ITSELF WHEN CAR ISN'T RUNNING AND RUNNING THE BATTERY DOWN, BEEPING UNDER THE DASH ON PASSENGER SIDE, RADIO PLAYING ON ITS OWN. THE WHOLE SCENARIO HAPPENING ALL OVER AGAIN. I AM CURRENTLY PARKING THE VEHICLE 100 YARDS FROM MY HOUSE FOR FEAR IT MAY CATCH ON FIRE BY ITSELF AS I HAVE READ MANY, MANY INSTANCES IN WHICH THE 1997 EXPED. CAUGHT FIRE WHILE PARKED. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL BY NOW. SEVERAL RECALLS ON THIS VEHICLE BUT ALL THESE WERE CHECKED OUT. HOWEVER, I CANNOT FOR THE LIFE OF ME UNDERSTAND WHY THIS LEAKY WINDSHIELD PROBLEM IS NOT BEING RECALLED. NOW TEN YEARS LATER, WHEN THIS PROBLEM IS DISCUSSED AT GARAGES AND PARTS STORE IN MY COMMUNITY, THE TECHNICIANS IMMEDIATELY ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE PROBLEM. AGAIN, I CANNOT IMAGINE WHY THIS HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL ISSUE. THE FIRST TIME I WENT THROUGH THIS NIGHTMARE, IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY. THIS TIME, I GUESS IT IS COMPLETELY UP TO ME TO REPAIR THIS FAULTY WINDSHIELD PROBLEM. I SINCERELY HOPE NO ONE DIES OR HAS DIED DUE TO ONE OF THESE EXPEDITIONS CATCHING FIRE. RECALL WHERE ARE YOU???!!!!! *JB