NHTSA Complaint #10254679 — 1996 FORD F-150

A FIRE OCCURRED UNDER THE HOOD OF OUR 1996 FORD F-150, DESTROYING THE WHOLE FRONT END AND INTO THE CAB. TRUCK IS A TOTAL LOSS. NO ONE WAS HURT, AND IT WAS PARKED ON MY JOB PARKING LOT, AWAY FROM ANY CLOSE VEHICLES. I HAD JUST DRIVEN TO WORK. I ARRIVED TO WORK AS A SECURITY OFFICER AT 11:20P.M. AND AT 12:50A.M. THE TRUCK WAS IN FLAMES. WE BOUGHT IT USED IN MARCH 2008 AND HAD NEVER HEARD OF ANY RECALLS OR ANY DEFECTS. IT WAS A VERY CLEAN, WELL KEPT TRUCK. WE RECEIVED ONE RECALL NOTICE IN LATE NOVEMBER EARLY DECEMBER 2008(DURING HOLIDAYS) ABOUT A SPEED CONTROL SWITCH. THE LETTER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE COULD IGNITE AT ANY TIME. IT GAVE NO WARNING SIGNS TO LOOK FOR AND STATED IF WE COULD NOT GET IT IN RIGHT AWAY TO PARK IT AWAY FROM ANY DWELLINGS. MY HUSBAND IS DISABLED, HE COULDN'T JUST RUN DOWN THERE, AND IT WAS THE HOLIDAYS AS WELL. I LOOKED UP THE RECALL ONLINE AFTER THE FIRE, AND IT STATED THE POTENTIAL FOR A FIRE WAS SMALL, AND IT GAVE WARNING SIGNS TO LOOK FOR ON THE VEHICLE. WHY WEREN'T THOSE WARNINGS EXPLAINED IN THE RECALL NOTICE?? TO OUR KNOWLEDGE, THE TRUCK WAS 12 YEARS OLD AND RAN LIKE A NEW ONE. HOW COULD IT HAVE BEEN OVER-LOOKED ALL THOSE YEARS? THIS WAS DEVASTATING TO US, IT COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE AND KILLED SOMEONE. THE TRUCK WAS 3/4 FULL OF FUEL. *TR