NHTSA Complaint #10371883 — 1999 FORD E-350

1999 FORD E350 CAUGHT FIRE AND BURNED TO A TOTAL LOSS WHILE SITTING COLD IN MY DRIVEWAY. I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE USED ON NOV 8, 2010. DEC 12, 2010 I DROVE ABOUT 3 MILES TO THE GROCERY AROUND 20:30; I RETURNED HOME AND PARKED THE VEHICLE IN MY DRIVEWAY ABOUT 20:45. ABOUT 22:15 A PASSING CAR OBSERVED FLAMES COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE AND FLARING TO CONTACT MY HOUSE. THE WITNESS ALERTED ME AT MY DOOR. I IMMEDIATELY GRABBED THE GARDEN HOSE AND ATTEMPTED TO SPRAY WATER INTO THE FRONT GRILL, LEFT SIDE TO PUT OUT THE FIRE. I COULD NOT SEE WHERE THE ACTUAL FIRE WAS AS THE HOOD WAS CLOSED, I SPRAYED WHERE THE FLAMES EXITED THE GRILL. THE WIND WAS BLOWING ABOUT 20 MPH AND I COULD NOT EXTINGUISH THE FLAMES. THE VEHICLE WAS FACING NORTH, THE WIND BLOWING FROM WEST TO EAST. THE FLAMES BEGAN TO SHOOT OUT FROM THE PASSENGER WHEEL WELL IN A HORIZONTAL STREAK AS THE WIND STOKED THE FIRE. NEIGHBORS CALLED 911 WHILE I DIVERTED THE WATER SPRAY FROM THE VEHICLE TO THE HOUSE AND GARAGE SINCE THE VAN WAS PARKED WITHIN 2 FEET OF THE GARAGE DOOR AND THE WIND NOW HAD FLAMES SHOOTING 8-12' HIGH AND BRUSHING THE WOOD GARAGE DOOR. THE FIREMEN ARRIVED, KNOCKED THE VEHICLE HOOD OFF WITH A TOOL AND SPRAYED THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. DUE TO THE WIND, THE VAN WAS COMPLETELY FIRE GUTTED AND A TOTAL LOSS. THE FIRE INSPECTOR ADVISED ME OF THE FORD CRUISE CONTROL RECALL AND SAID HE COULD FIND NO OTHER POSSIBLE CAUSE FOR THE FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AS THERE WERE NO LEAKS OF ANY KIND AND NO RECENT REPAIRS IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. LOCAL FORD DEALERS HAVE DECLINED TO TELL ME IF MY VIN HAD WARRANTY WORK TO REPAIR THE SWITCH. *TR