NHTSA Complaint #10227169 — 2002 FORD EXPEDITION

WHILE DRIVING TO WORK, HEARD "POP" UNDER DASHBOARD (FUSE PANEL) AND RADIO WENT OFF. REPLACEMENT FUSE BLEW IMMEDIATELY UPON REPLACEMENT. REMOVED RADIO AND REPLACEMENT FUSE IMMEDIATELY BLEW AGAIN. SUSPECTED GROUND IN POWER CIRCUIT TO FACTORY STEREO, VERIFIED WITH TEST LIGHT. SHORTED CIRCUIT, 797 IN THIS VEHICLE, IS HOT AT ALL TIMES (NOT SWITCHED THROUGH IGNITION). SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION BY OWNER SHOWS THAT MAIN WIRING HARNESS BEHIND DASHBOARD WAS NOT CORRECTLY INSTALLED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS ASSEMBLED AT FACTORY. THE MOUNTING POINTS INSTALLED IN THE HARNESS WERE NEVER INSTALLED IN THE CORRESPONDING HOLES IN THE BODY, ALLOWING THE HARNESS TO SAG APPROXIMATELY 2 INCHES BELOW ITS CORRECT POSITION (AND PRESUMABLY RUB AGAINST METAL PARTS BEHIND THE DASHBOARD). DUE TO THE FAULTY FACTORY INSTALLATION, THE HARNESS CAN NOT BE RAISED FAR ENOUGH TO BE PROPERLY INSTALLED WITHOUT REMOVING AT LEAST PART OF THE DASHBOARD AND PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG (DEALER SAYS ENTIRE DASHBOARD MUST BE REMOVED, A SIGNIFICANT COST ITEM). DEALER MECHANIC HAS VIEWED HARNESS AND AGREES HARNESS WAS NOT CORRECTLY INSTALLED. SUBJECT HARNESS ALSO CONTAINS WIRING FOR AIRBAGS, INSTRUMENT PANEL, TRANSMISSION CONTROL, REAR LIGHTING, TRAILER CONTROLS; BASICALLY EVERY CIRCUIT IN THE VEHICLE WHICH IS CONTROLLED FROM OR HAS INDICATION IN THE DASHBOARD. OWNER IS STILL TROUBLESHOOTING AND ATTEMPTING TO REPAIR. *TR