NHTSA Complaint #745805 — 1998 FORD EXPEDITION

ON 16 MAY 2001 WHILE TRAVELING SOUTH ON COLORADO INTERSTATE 25 IN DENVER, OUR FORD EXPEDITION STARTED TO CHUG AND SPUTTER. THINKING IT WAS BAD GAS FROM FILLING THE TANK UP AROUND 9:00AM EARLIER THAT SAME DAY, WE TRIED TO CHANGE LANES TO GET TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. THE EXPEDITION THEN STALLED AS WE COASTED TO A HALT ON THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD AT THE UNDER PASS OF I-25 AND US 285. WE THEN TURNED ON THE EMERGENCY FLASHERS. SMOKE WAS COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THINKING IT WAS OVERHEATED, WE OPENED THE HOOD TO COOL THE ENGINE DOWN. AS SOON AS THE HOOD POOPED UP FLAMES WERE VISIBLE AND WE PROCEEDED TO EXIT THE EXPEDITION. THE DENVER FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED AROUND 8:55PM AND PUMPER TRUCK NO. 22 ARRIVED TO SCENE. WHEN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED, THE EXPEDITION WAS FULLY ENGULFED IN FLAMES. AFTER THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED, THE CAPTAIN SHOWED ME WHERE THE FIRE STARTED. ON THE DRIVERS SIDE, A FUEL LINE WAS DETERMINED TO BE FAULTY NEXT TO THE FENDER DUE TO DETERIORATION FROM THE FUEL AND THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE. THIS IS REFLECTIVE IN HIS REPORT #01-23023. HE ALSO TOLD ME THAT I WAS LUCKY THAT THE TANK WAS FULL OF FUEL OTHERWISE THE EXPEDITION WOULD HAVE EXPLODED. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED BY FORD UNDER THEIR EXTENDED SERVICE AND MAINTENANCE PLAN. WE UTILIZED THE PLAN UNTIL IT EXPIRED AT 36,000 MILES. AFTER WE NO LONGER WERE UNDER A MAINTENANCE PLAN, WE HAD OUR EXPEDITION SERVICE BY GOODYEAR AND OIL CHANGED AT APPROXIMATELY EVERY 3000 TO 4000 MILES. THE LAST TIME MAINTENANCE WAS COMPLETED UNDER THE HOOD WAS IN MARCH 2001. NO OTHER MAINTENANCE WAS DONE UNDER THE HOOD.