NHTSA Complaint #10360850 — 1998 FORD F-150

MY 1998 FORD F-150 STARTED ACTING UP WHEN THE CRUISE CONTROL BUTTONS WERE SET ON. THE CAR WOULD HESITATE AND NOT WANT TO PULL. ONCE WE GOT HOME WE TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF AND DID NOT THINK ANYTHING MORE ABOUT IT. THE FOLLOWING DAY WE WENT FOR A DRIVE AND NOTICED WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS STEAM COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. I PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER AND LIFTED THE HOOD TO INSPECT IT. WHEN I LIFTED THE HOOD I WAS ENGULFED IN FLASH FLAMES. I IMMEDIATELY DROPPED TO THE GROUND TO PUT OUT THE FLAMES. WHEN MY FRIEND HELPED ME OFF THE GROUND THE TRUCK WAS ON FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. WE IMMEDIATELY CALLED FOR MEDICAL ASSISTANCE AND WAS TRANSPORTED TO HOSPITAL VIA LIFE STAR HELICOPTER. I SUFFERED 1ST AND 2ND DEGREE BURNS ON MY FACE AND FOREARMS AND HANDS. I SUFFERED 3RD DEGREE BURNS ON MY RIGHT ARM AND HAD TO HAVE SURGERY TO REMOVE THE DEAD TISSUE AND THEN HAD TO HAVE SKIN GRAFTS TO FIX MY ARM. I WAS TRANSPORTED TO UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE HOSPITAL AND THE SENT IMMEDIATELY TO VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL BURN CENTER. I WAS IN VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL BURN CENTER FOR 7 DAYS. *TR