NHTSA Complaint #745777 — 2000 FORD EXPEDITION

AUXILIARY POWER POINT ON LOWER REAR OF CENTER CONSOLE BETWEEN FRONT SEATS HAS THE POWER POINT MOUNTED ON THE REAR OF THE CONSOLE ABOUT ONE INCH FROM THE FLOOR. WHEN THE SECOND ROW OF SEATS ARE FOLDED DOWN AS MANY PEOPLE DO WHEN TRAVELING, THE TOP OF THE SECOND SEAT BACKS BLOCKS ACCESS TO THE POWER POINT. TYPICALLY OWNERS PLUG IN A COOLER OR OTHER AUXILIARY ITEMS HERE. WHEN YOU TRY TO PLUG IN THE ITEM, YOU MUST FORCE THE TOP OF THE 2ND ROW SEAT BACK AWAY FROM THE REAR OF THE CENTER CONSOLE AND FORCE THE PLUG IN AT AN ACKWARD ANGLE AND ONCE PLUGGED IN, THE WIRES LEADING TO THE PLUG ARE SEVERLY BENT AT RIGHT ANGLES TO THE PLUG AND THEN THE 2ND SEAT BACK PRESSES DIRECTLY AGAINST THE WIRES WHERE THEY ENTER THE PLUG. THIS HAS CAUSED THE WIRE INSULATION TO BREAK AND PEEL OFF ALLOWING THE EXPOSED WIRES TO COME IN CONTACT WITH EACH OTHER AND /OR SHORT OUT THE POWER POINT. I FEEL THIS IS A DIRECT FIRE AND SAFETY HAZARD AND HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT IT TO THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND TO FORD IN THEIR QUALITY CONTROL SURVEYS THEY MAIL OUT AFTER PURCHASE. I HAVE NOT HAD ANY RESPONSE FROM FORD. THE OWNERS MANUAL SHOWS THE AUXILIARY POWER POINT ON THE SIDE OF THE CENTER CONSOLE AS IT WAS IN THE 1997 EXPEDITION I HAD PREVIOUSLY OWNED, BUT THE FACTS ARE IT ISD INSTALLED ON THE REAR OF THE CENTER CONSOLE. FORD SHOULD ACCEPT THIS AS A VAILD SAFETY PROBLEM (FIRE HAZARD) AND RECALL THE VEHICLES TO HAVE THE AUXILIARY POWER POINT MOVED TO THE SIDE OF THE CONSOLE.*AK