NHTSA Complaint #10255794 — 1999 FORD F-250 SD

I HAVE A 1999 F250 SUPER DUTY PICKUP 7.3 DIESEL. AS I WAS DRIVING IT ONE EVENING I SMELLED SMOKE AND SAW SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE DASH AND UP IN THE DEFROSTER AREA AT THE WINDSHIELD. IT THEN BEGAN TO FLAME UP FROM THOSE AREAS AND I SLOWED THE VEHICLE DOWN AND JUMPED OUT,FEARING I WAS GOING TO GET BURNED. IT WAS LATE AT NIGHT ON A COUNTRY ROAD AT 2 AM. AND THE TRUCK BURNED FOR ALMOST A HALF HOUR BEFORE ANYONE DROVE BY ME TO CALL 911. BY THE TIME THE F.D. GOT THERE THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED DESTROYED AND TOTALED ENGULFED IN FLAMES. I HAD A SMALL ONE GALLON GAS/OIL MIXTURE CONTAINER( FOR MY CHAIN SAW ON THE FLOOR OF THE VEHICLE) WHICH HAD LESS THAN HALF A GALLON IN IT. I TOLD MY INSURANCE CO. OF THAT FACT. THE INSURANCE CO. NOW WANTS ME TO BE DEPOSED UNDER OATH. I HAVE NOTHING TO HIDE AND WILL ALLOW THAT. HOWEVER I RECEIVED INFORMATION FROM AN ANONYMOUS SOURCE THAT THE INSURANCE CO IS TRYING TO DENY MY CLAIM AND EVEN POSSIBLY TRY TO CHARGE ME WITH ARSON AND FRAUD. THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS MELTED AND THE ENTIRE TRUCK HAD BURNED TO BARE METAL. I HAD SMELLED THE ODOR OF BURNING ELECTRICAL WIRES ON SEVERAL PRIOR OCCASIONS BUT I NEVER DID FIND THE SOURCE OF THE ODOR. I EVEN HAD A FORD MECHANIC CHECK IT AND HE DIDN'T FIND WHAT THE SMELL WAS FROM. I BELIEVE THE CULPRIT WAS THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH AS I HAVE RESEARCHED THE INTERNET AND SAW SEVERAL RECALLS FOR SUCH IMMINENT FIRES FROM A FAULTY DEVICE. PLEASE ADVISE IF MY VEH. HAD THAT CONTROL THAT IS SUSPECT ON THESE LATEST RECALLS. *TR