NHTSA Complaint #11265764 — 2014 FORD F-150

VEHICLE FIRE. I STARTED THE VEHICLE UP IN MY DRIVEWAY AND HEARD A SMALL POP/EXPLOSION AND SMOKE CAME OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I IMMEDIATELY SHUT OFF THE TRUCK, POPPED THE HOOD AND COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE SOURCE OF THE ISSUE. I STARTED THE TRUCK AGAIN AND NOTICED WHERE THE FIE/SMOKE WAS, SHUT OFF THE TRUCK, AND PROCEEDED TO RUSH INTO THE HOUSE TO GRAB THE KITCHEN FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND PUT THE FIRE OUT. THANKFULLY I WAS NOT DRIVING AND MY HOUSE DIDN'T CATCH FIRE. I CALLED MY MECHANIC AND HAD THE TOW TRUCK DELIVER THE VEHICLE TO HIM AND THEY CONFIRMED THAT IT WAS THE OEM ALTERNATOR THAT WAS THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE. I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP WANTING TO REPORT THE ISSUE AND THE DEALERSHIP IN THEIR WORDS SAID "NOT SURE WHAT YOU WANT US TO DO?" NOT ARE YOU OK, THIS IS SERIOUS LET US HELP, ETC. JUST A SIMPLE PASSING THE BUCK TO A 1800 NUMBER TO FORD. I FILED A CASE WITH FORD MOTOR COMPANY, BUT THAT TOO WAS A JOKE. THEY DIDN'T CARE EITHER. I WAS TOLD THEY'LL FILE IT AS NEGATIVE FEEDBACK AND SINCE I WAS SO UPSET, I WAS DIRECTED TO CREATE A COMPLAINT WITH NHTSA. I FOUND THIS VERY DISTURBING AS FORD APPEARS TO NOT HAVE CARED ONE BIT ABOUT THEIR MANUFACTURED VEHICLE CATCHING FIRE OR THE POSSIBILITY OF SOMEONE GETTING HURT OR KILLED. I HOPE THIS COMPLAINT FINDS THE RIGHT PEOPLE AND PREVENTS A REAL ACCIDENT OR TRAGEDY FROM HAPPENING. AT THIS TIME I DON'T HAVE THE REPAIR INVOICES AS THE FIRE DID A DECENT AMOUNT OF DAMAGE EVEN THOUGH I DID PUT IT OUT WITHIN 60 SECONDS OF IT STARTING. THE MECHANICS ARE STILL ASSESSING ALL THE DAMAGE DONE. SINCE THE FIRE WAS IN THE ENGINE BAY AREA ON THE BOTTOM, THERE ISN'T MUCH VISIBLE BURN DAMAGE (AND IT IS CURRENTLY COVERED IN DRY CHEM FROM THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER). I DID FILE A CASE WITH FORD AS MENTIONED AND IF YOU NEED THE CASE NUMBER I'D BE GLAD TO PROVIDE IT.