NHTSA Complaint #10220517 — 2000 FORD EXPLORER

IN JANUARY 2008 I TOOK MY 2000 FORD EXPLORER TO COURTESY FORD, IN ALTOONA, PA TO HAVE THE RECALL SERVICE PERFORMED. THEY DID NOT HAVE THE NECESSARY PARTS, SO THEY ORDERED THEM AND DISCONNECTED MY CRUISE CONTROL TO MAKE THE CAR SAFE TO DRIVE. ON FEBRUARY 26, I CALLED AND WAS TOLD MY PART HAD ARRIVED. WHEN I TOOK IT IN, THEY DISCOVERED THAT ONLY ONE OF TWO REQUIRED PARTS HAD ARRIVED, AND THEY COULD NOT REPAIR MY CRUISE CONTROL. I LEFT ON A BUSINESS TRIP THE FOLLOWING DAY. I WAS TO RETURN ON MARCH 7, 2008 AND MY GIRLFRIEND AND THREE DAUGHTERS WERE DRIVING TO THE AIRPORT TO PICK ME UP. ABOUT 40 OR 50 MILES INTO THE TRIP SHE NOTICED THE CAR WAS LOSING POWER BECAUSE IT WAS NOT PULLING UP A HILL WELL AND THE ENGINE BEGAN RUNNING ROUGHLY. SHE PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. AT THIS POINT, THE EXPLORER HAD A LITTLE BIT OF SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. SHE TURNED THE CAR OFF AND WAITED A MOMENT, THEN SAW THE SMOKE GETTING WORSE. SHE AND MY DAUGHTERS GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND SHE CALLED 911 FOR HELP. OTHER DRIVERS STOPPED TO ASSIST, BUT WHILE SHE WAS ON THE PHONE THE EXPLORER BROKE INTO FLAMES, STARTING FROM UNDER THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THE EXPLORER AND MY BELONGINGS WERE DESTROYED, BUT LUCKILY EVERYONE GOT OUT SAFELY. MY DAUGHTERS SAID THAT THEY COULD SEE FLAMING LIQUID (MELTED PLASTIC OR BRAKE FLUID) DRIPPING ONTO THE GROUND UNDER THE CAR WHILE IT WAS BURNING. *TR