NHTSA Complaint #10190279 — 1999 FORD EXPEDITION

ON 4/4/07, AT ABOUT 1:15 AM MY HUSBAND HAD JUST GOTTEN HOME FROM A LONG DAY AT WORK AND AT 1:30 AM 2 PASSENGERS BANGED ON DOOR TO INFORM US THAT 1999 FORD EXPEDITION WAS ON FIRE. THANKS TO THEM, WE WERE ABLE TO GET MY FAMILY, INCLUDING MY 3 KIDS, AND MY MOM AND DAD , WHO WAS ON OXYGEN 24 HOURS A DAY), OUT OF THE HOUSE. WE CALLED 911 TO INFORM THEM OF THE FIRE. THE POLICE CAME WITHIN MINUTES , AND THEN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED A FEW MINUTES AFTERWARDS TO PUT THE FIRE OUT. WE WATCHED FROM OUR NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE ACROSS THE STREET AS THE FIRE BURNED. WE WERE GRATEFUL THAT IT WASN'T ANY WORST. THE ENGINE IN THE TRUCK WAS ALL BURNT, THE HOOD WAS GONE, SOME OF THE PIECES EVEN BURNT ONTO THE PAVEMENT IN THE DRIVEWAY. THE WHOLE INSIDE OF THE TRUCK WAS BURNT, INCLUDING THE CAR SEATS FOR THE CHILDREN. MY DAUGHTER'S SOFTBALL EQUIPMENT, AND ANY OTHER ITEMS LEFT IN CAR. AS FOR THE HOUSE, LUCKILY, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT PUT THE FIRE OUT IN TIME AND THE WIND WAS BLOWING NORTH EAST. THE ONLY DAMAGE TO THE HOUSE WAS THE SIDING SINCE THE TRUCK WAS PARKED ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE HOUSE. WE WERE ABLE TO GET THE VALUE OF THE TRUCK IN FAIR CONDITION, ACCORDING TO THE INSURANCE COMPANY. ALSO, WE A HAD THE SIDING OF THE HOUSE FIXED. WE WERE STILL TRYING TO CLEAN UP THE PAVEMENT IN THE DRIVEWAY. LIKE I SAID, WE WERE GRATEFUL FOR WHAT DIDN'T HAPPEN, BUT I WAS VERY UNHAPPY WITH THE TRUCK. WE RECEIVED THE RECALL NOTICE IN 2005 AND DID MAKE THE APPOINTMENT TO FIX IT AS SOON AS WE KNEW ABOUT IT. WE EVEN PARKED THE TRUCK IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE UNTIL WE HAD IT FIXED BY FORD. IT IS 2007 AND FORD STILL DIDN'T GET THE PART IN TO FIX THE RECALL, AND THIS STILL HAPPENED. RECALLS LIKE THIS SHOULD BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY, AND VEHICLE SHOULD BE PULLED OFF THE STREET UNTIL THE PART CAME IN. FORD SHOULD HAVE DONE SOMETHING FURTHER TO AVOID THIS FROM HAPPENING 2 YEARS AFTER IT WAS TEMPORARILY FIXED.*AK