1997 FORD F-150 Electrical System Problems

PARKED TRUCK AT AROUND 11:00 PM AND AT AROUND 9:00 AM TWO DAYS LATER HEARD HONKING SOUND, TRUCK WAS IN FLAMES. THE FIRE WAS COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. DRIVER'S SIDE TIRES HAD BLOWN OUT. PRIOR TO FIRE THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS. VEHICLE HAD CRUISE CONTROL. SPEAKERS WERE AFTER MARKET, AND WERE INSTALLED YEARS BEFORE THE FIRE. THE FIRE SPREAD TO THE HOUSE ON THE ROOF. VEHICLE WAS INSURED BY FARMERS INSURANCE POLICY #1904033-16-53. FIRE INVESTIGATOR WAS JEFF ABRAMS 281-558-9396.*AK

I HAVE ONE OF THE F-150'S 1997 FORD TRUCK THAT CAUGHT ON FIRE WITH NO ONE IN THE TRUCK AND ENGINE OFF. TOTAL LOSS; CONTACTED FORD WITH NO SATISFACTION FROM THEM; THEY COULD HAVE CARED LESS. TRUCK IS IN MY BACK YARD AND CAN E-MAIL YOU PICTURES; IF YOU CAN PROVIDE ME WITH THE CORRECT ADDRESS. *JB

THE VEHICLE UNEXPECTEDLY CAUGHT ON FIRE ON ITS OWN WHILE IT WAS PARKED. MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED BY OWNER.*AK

ON NOVEMBER 23,2004 VEHICLE WAS PARKED INSIDE THE GARAGE. CONSUMER HEARD A HORN BLOWING, WENT OUT TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON, AND SAW VEHICLE BURNING. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THE CRUISE CONTROL FAILED. *TC

PARKED FORD F 150 (1997) IN DRIVEWAY AT ABOUT 9:30 P.M. NOTICED NOTHING UNUSUAL EXCEPT THAT THE BRAKE LIGHT HAD BEEN GLOWING AFTER THE BRAKE WAS RELEASED. APPROXIMATELY AT 11:30 P.M. WE WERE AWAKEN BY OUR DOG, AND FOUND THE F 150 ON FIRE. THE HOOD AREA WAS TOTALLY ENGULFED IN FLAME AND FLAMES WERE REACHING 20 FEET IN THE AIR. F 150 WAS TOO DAMAGED TO FIND CAUSE, PER INSURANCE COMPANY. INSURANCE CLAIM PAID $10,000.00. DAMAGE CAUSED TO HOUSE, PAINT BUBBLED EXTENSIVELY ON WOODWORK, RAIN WATER DRAIN ALONG ROOF MELTED. A NUMBER OF ITEMS WERE LOST IN THE FIRE THAT WERE IN THE CAB. EMOTIONAL TRAUMA OF EVENT IMPACTED WHOLE FAMILY.*AK

THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE PARKED IN THE GARAGE. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO PULL THE BURNING VEHICLE OUT OF THE GARAGE BEFORE THE HOUSE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS UNKNOWN. *AK *SC *JB

CONSUMER EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE. IT WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY WHEN SMOKE WAS SEEN COMING FROM IT. CONSUMER PUT THE FIRE OUT PRIOR TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVAL.*AK

WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH ON FREEWAY CONSUMER HEARD AN EXPLOSION FROM ENGINE. WHEN GETTING OUT OF THE CAR HE SAW THAT THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. THE CAUSE OF THIS WAS UNDETERMINED.*AK

I HAVE AN 1997 F150 FORD TRUCK. IT WAS PARKED AT 5:30 BETWEEN 9:30-10:00PM IT CAUGHT ON FIRE FOR NO REASON. IN THE INSURANCE INVESTIGATION IT WAS DETERMINED IT WAS CAUSED BY A SHORT IN THE WIRES THE HOT SPOT BEING IN THE STEERING COLUMN. PARKED AT 5:45. AT 10:00 PM HEARD A LOUD NOISE LIKE THUNDER. NEIGHBOR CALLED AND INFORMED OF TRUCK WAS ON FIRE. THE FIRE WAS COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE TIRE ON THE DRIVERS SIDE BURNED AND EXPLODED. THE FIRE SEEMED TO BE MORE INTENSE ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. THE FIRE DAMAGED THE CAR PORT. HAVE PHOTOS AND WILL E-MAIL TO BRUCE YORK. PRIOR TO THE FIRE A FUSE HAD BEEN CHANGED BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT COME OUT OF PARK. THE VEHICLE HAD CRUISE CONTROL BUT DO NOT KNOW IF IT WORKED THE MONTH BEFORE FIRE BECAUSE IT HAD NOT BEEN USED. VEHICLE WAS...

PARKED THE VEHICLE AT 7:30 PM AT 3:30 AM THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE. THE FIRE WAS COMING FROM THE DRIVERS SIDE WHEEL WELL. PRIOR TO THE FIRE THE FUSE IN THE SHIFT INTERLOCK CIRCUIT BLEW 2 TIMES KEEPING THE CONSUMER FROM GETTING THE VEHICLE OUT OF PARK. THE CONSUMER DID NOT USE THE CRUISE CONTROL THEREFORE DOES NOT KNOW IF IT WAS WORKING. NOT INSURED. WILL E-MAIL PHOTOS. *NM

VEHICLE HAD BEEN PARKED FOR ABOUT 2-2.5 HOURS WHEN OWNER HEARD LOUD NOISE OUTSIDE (PROBABLY LF TIRE BLOWING). WENT OUT AND FOUND TRUCK ON FIRE. THE WINDSHIELD WAS STILL INTACT AT THAT TIME. HE DIDN'T USE THE CRUISE CONTROL, SO DIDN'T KNOW IF IT QUIT WORKING OR NOT. #13 (SPEED CONTROL), #14, #24 AND #25 FUSES BLOWN. OWNER: KURT VANDERWEST (WHO OWNS A FIRE SPRINKLER COMPANY!), PHONE 714-521-5878 PHOTOS E-MAILED TO BRUCE YORK

TRUCK CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE DRIVING UP A HILL.*AK

THE FUSE WHICH CONTROLLED THE ABS SWITCH ON AND OFF BURNED. THE CONSUMER REPLACED THE FUSE AND 25 MINUTES LATER THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRED. THE CONSUMER OPENED THE HOOD AND SAW A LOT SMOKE COMING FROM THE ABS. *JB

MY 1997 F-150 THE DOME LIGHTS WONT GO OFF . I HAVE SEEN AT LEAST 3 OTHERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM

FIRE IN 1997 FORD F-150. WITNESS SAW INITIAL FIRE IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT ON DRIVERS SIDE NEAR BULKHEAD. RECOVERED HEXPORT BODY BUT SWITCH CONTACTS MISSING. *LA

MAY 27TH, 2004, I DROVE MY FORD F150 PICK UP FROM A WORK SITE TO MY HOME ARRIVING AT ABOUT 9:40 P.M. I NOTICED THE BRAKE LIGHT WAS ON, AND DOUBLE CHECKED TO MAKE SURE THE BRAKE WAS OFF. THE LIGHT REMAINED ON AND I THOUGHT I WOULD CHECK THAT OUT ON THE WEEKEND. THE TRUCK RAN NORMALLY ON THE RIDE HOME. I WENT TO SLEEP AND WAS AWAKENED BY OUR DOG'S BARKING AT 12:30 A.M. TO DISCOVER THAT THE FORD F150 PICK UP WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE FLAMES WERE COMING OUT OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND BEGINNING TO SPREAD TO THE CAB. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED AND THEY ARRIVED QUICKLY AND IT TOOK ABOUT FIVE MINUTES WITH THE HOSE FULLY ON THE FIRE TO PUT IT OUT. THERE WERE PERSONAL ITEMS LOST IN THE TRUCK, THERE WAS DAMAGE TO THE HOUSE, PAINT BUBBLED, PLANTS WERE KILLED, THE...

ELECTRICAL LIGHTS/WINDOWS, AND LOCKS WERE INOPERABLE. ALSO, WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED TO COME ON. CONSUMER WILL TAKE THE VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR INSPECTION THIS WEEK. *AK

CONSUMER CLAIMED THAT ELECTRICAL LIGHT,WINDOWS, AND LOCKS WERE INOPERABLE. ALSO, WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED. CONSUMER WILL TAKE THE VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR INSPECTION THIS WEEK. *AK THE A/C UNIT, DOME LIGHT, AND NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. *SC

JUST LIKE THE THREE OTHER PEOPLE I FOUND ON THIS SITE MY HUSBANDS F150 CAUGHT FIRE. WE HAD WENT TO THE DOCTORS OFFICE AND HAD BEEN PARK ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF WHEN THEY ANNOUCED THAT A TRUCK WAS ON FIRE! WE RAN OUT TO FIND IT WAS OURS. THE FIRE DEPT. SAID IT WAS AN ELECTICAL PROBLEM THAT STARTED THE FIRE. M.V. IN LA. *AK

LIKE JB, WHO FILED AN EARLIER COMPLAINT MY 1997 FORD F-150 ALSO SPONTANEOUSLY BURST INTO FLAMES FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AFTER HAVING BEEN PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY FOR ABOUT 10 HOURS OVER NIGHT. THE ENGINE HAD NOT BEEN RUN, WAS NOT HOT, AND HAD NO MALFUNCTIONING PARTS TO MY KNOWLEDGE. I WAS AWAKENED BY THE SOUND OF MY TRUCK'S HORN. THE FIRE BURNED THE ENGINE COMPLETELY, DESTROYED THE HOOD, CAB, AND THE ENTIRE OF THE FRONT END OF THE TRUCK BEFORE IT COULD BE PUT OUT BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. THE FIRE MARSHAL INDICATED THAT THERE WAS NO SIGN OF MALICIOUS INTENT OR VANDALISM. ACCORDING TO THE FIRE MARSHAL, THE FIRE ORIGINATED IN THE ELECTRICAL RELAY JUNCTION BOX LOCATED OVER THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT TIRE. *AK

MY 1997 FORD F150 SPONTANEOUSLY COMBUSTED IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE AFTER BEING PARKED FOR ABOUT 12 HOURS OVERNIGHT. THERE WAS A SHORT HORN BURST, FOLLOWED BY A POP, THEN A FIRE ERUPTED UNDER THE HOOD. THE INCIDENT OCCURRED ABOUT 6:30 AM, WHILE I WAS STILL IN BED, HALF-ASLEEP, AFTER MY CLOCK RADIO HAD JUST COME ON. A NEIGHBOR LOOKED OUT OF HER WINDOW AFTER HEARING THE HORN, BUT DIDN'T SEE ANYONE AROUND THE VEHICLE. SHE THEN HEARD THE POP, AND SAW THE FIRE START. SHE CALLED 911, THEN CALLED ME. BY THE TIME I GOT OUTSIDE, THE ENTIRE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS ENGULFED IN FLAME. I RAN BACK IN THE HOUSE TO GET A FIRE EXTINGUISHER, BUT BY THE TIME I GOT BACK OUTSIDE, THE ENTIRE CAB WAS ALSO ON FIRE. A STUNNED CROWD OF NEIGHBORS AND I WATCHED AS THE FIRE TRUCK ARRIVED AND PUT THE FIRE OUT. *JB

A TIE ROD FELL OFF WHILE DRIVING. THE FRONT ENGINE SEAL AND INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET FAILED RESULTING IN AND ANTIFREEZE LEAK. SOME OF THE VEHICLES LIGHTS (DOME LIGHT AND DASH LIGHT) STAYED ON ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF. *AK *NLM

BOTH WINDOWS STOPPED WORKING EVERY OTHER DAY. UNABLE TO ROLL THEM UP OR DOWN. *AK CONSUMER ALSO STATES THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING IN THE RAIN, (REPETITIVE)-REPLACE RELAYS. THE PROBLEM IS ON GOING, THE PCM CHIP HAS BEEN UPDATED, FUSES CHECKED, THE MOTOR FOR THE WINDOW HAS BEEN REPLACED AND NOW BEING CHECKED FOR A WIRING SHORT. PROBLEM MAY BE IN THE STEERING COLUMN WHERE THEY REPLACED A RECALL PART IN THE IGNITION. CONSUMER STATES, SEE REFERENCE NUMBER 8011065. *SCC

DEFECTIVE ELECTRICAL AND ENGINE SYSTEM

CONSUMER RECEIVED AN ELECTRICAL SHOCK WHEN HE OPENED VEHICLE. THIS ALSO HAPPENED WHEN HE WAS GETTING OUT OF TRUCK.*AK

THIS VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED NEW IN JUNE, 1997. BEGINNING IN NOVEMBER, 2000 I HAVE EXPERIENCED NUMEROUS PROBLEMS, MAINLY WITH THE ENGINE AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN OUT OF MY POSSESSION FOR ALMOST 3 MONTHS NOW AND I AM OUT OF POCKET OVER $3,000 IN REPAIR WORK. I HAVE CONTACTED FORD MOTOR CO. BOTH IN WRITING AND CALLING THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT, AND THEY HAVE OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE AND BASICALLY HAVE TOLD ME THE PROBLEMS ARE NOT THEIR CONCERN. I HAVE HAD A FRONT TIMING COVER GASKET REPLACED, MAJOR ENGINE REPAIR WORK, SPARK PLUGS CHANGED, ELECTRICAL WIRES REPLACED, AND NOW A "COMPUTER BRAIN" WAS BAD IN THE VEHICLE. THE TRUCK'S CHECK ENGINE LIGHT REMAINS ON AND THE TRUCK STILL HESITATES, STALLS AND LURCHES WHILE DRIVING, WHICH IS NOT SAFE. I HAVE NO WHERE TO TURN AND OBVIOUSLY NO MONEY LEFT TO PUT IN TO THIS VEHICLE. I DON'T UNDERSTAND...

WHILE DRIVING DOWN FREEWAY WITH A/C ON AND BLOWER MOTOR STOPPED WORKING, CABIN WAS FILLED WITH SMOKE FROM DASHBOARD. CONSUMER HIT BRAKES AND FRONT TIRE TREAD CAME OFF.CONSUMER SPUN OUT ON FREEWAY, TOOK TO DEALER, AND THATS WERE IT IS NOW. CONTINENTAL GENERAL AMER 550 RADIAL, SIZE 23570R6 TIRES. *AK

THE GENERIC ELECTRONIC MODULE WILL CAUSE THE POWER WINDOWS/INTERIOR LIGHTS, AND THE ENTIE WINSHIELD WIPER SYSTEM TO FAIL. THE WEBB FORD DEALERSHIP WAS CONTACTED, AND WOULD NOT REPLACE THIS MODULE FREE OF CHARGE BECAUSE THE TRUCK WAS A FEW THOUSAND MILES OVER WARRANTY, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS ONLY 2 AND A HALF YEARS OLD. I FEEL THAT THIS IS NOT A WEAR AND TEAR ITEM AND SHOULD BE REPLACED AS A MATTER OF SAFETY . AS A MATTER OF FACT, THEY CHARGED AND EXTRA HOUR (2 TOTAL) OF DIAGNOSTIC LABOR THAN OTHER DEALERSHIPS THAT WERE CONTACTED. THE CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE HOTLINE WAS CONTACTED, AND THEY DID NOT KNOW OF ANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS MODULE. HOWEVER, I DID FIND OUT FROM THE NHTSTA THAT THERE WAS A SERVICE BULLETIN. I FEEL THAT THERE SHOULD BE SOME RESPONSIBILITY ACCEPTED BY EITHER THE DEALERSHIP OR THE MANUFACTURER, FORD.

WATER IS LEAKING INTO THE DASHBOARD, CAUSING WINDSHIELD WIPERS/INTERIOR LIGHTS, AND ELECTRICAL WINDOWS NOT TO WORK. ALSO, AIR BAG LIGHT REMAINS ILLUMINATED AND OTHER MALFUNCTIONS OCCUR. THE POINT FROM WHERE THE WATER IS LEAKING HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED. *AK

CAME IN FROM THE PASTURE AROUND 7-8:00 P.M. PARKED TRUCK UNDER CARPORT. WOKE UP AROUND 5:00 A. M. AND FIRE WAS COMING OUT FROM UNDER BOTH FRONT FENDER WELLS AND THE CAB WAS FULL OF SMOKE AND FIRE. BY THE TIME THE FIRE DEPARTMENT GOT TO THE HOUSE, IT WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES WHICH RESUTLED IN TOTAL LOSS OF HOME AND TRUCK. A FIRE INVESTIGATOR FEELS THE CAUSE OF THE VEHICLE FIRE WAS CAUSED BY A SHORT IN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. *SLC

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM CONTINUES TO EXPERIENCE FAILURES.