1997 FORD F-150 Electrical Systemwiringfront Underhood Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WIRING HARNESS CAUGHT FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. FORD STATED THAT HE WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS. HE BEGAN RECEIVING RECALL LETTERS REGARDING THE WIRING HARNESS IN 2004. THE CONTACT HAS BEEN IN TOUCH WITH FORD CONCERNING REPAIRS AND/OR REIMBURSEMENT. THE RECALL NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 52,660. UPDATED 12/12/2007 *BF

A 1997 FORD F150 PICK UP TRUCK OWNED BY STEVEN QUAGLIATO CAUGHT FIRE WHILE PARKED AND DAMAGED MY VEHICLE CAUSING APPROX $650 WORTH OF DAMAGED TO THE TAILLIGHT ASSEMBLY AND BUMPER.

TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE 1997 FORD F-150 WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THE FIRE DAMAGED THE ENGINE, ELECTRICAL WIRING, PIPING ,AND ANYTHING THAT WAS MADE OF PLASTIC MELTED IN THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT COULD PROVIDE PICTURES OF DAMAGED VEHICLE, AND A FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORT.*AK UPDATED 02/28/07. *JB

1997 MODEL YEAR FORD F-150 ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE WHILE PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY OF MY RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE IS A V-8, AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, EQUIPPED WITH CRUISE CONTROL AND JUST OVER 85,000 MILES. IT IS A WORK TRUCK DRIVEN DAILY, ABOUT 200 MILES PER WEEK. THERE WERE NO PREVIOUS PROBLEMS WITH EITHER THE CRUISE CONTROL OR ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. AT ABOUT 8:15 ON THE EVENING OF AUG. 25TH I RETURNED HOME AND PARKED IN MY DRIVE WAY ABOUT SIX FEET FROM THE GARAGE DOOR. I WENT TO BED AT 10:30 P.M. MY NEIGHBOR RETURNED TO HIS HOME AT 12:05 A.M. HE NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER MY HOOD AND WITNESSED THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT IGNITE INTO A BALL OF FLAMES. HE IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND USED MY GARDEN HOSE TO WET DOWN MY GARAGE DOOR THEREBY PREVENTING MY HOUSE FROM CATCHING FIRE. I WAS FINALLY AWAKEN AROUND 12:30A.M. BY THE FIRE...

DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F150. ON JULY 27, 2005 THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE AND BURNED TO THE GROUND. THE FIRE STARTED ON DRIVER'S SIDE UNDER THE HOOD. THE FIRE CHIEF HAD NOT COME UP WITH A REPORT, BUT HE ASSUMED IT WAS ELECTRICAL. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN SITTING FOR A TOTAL OF THREE HOURS BEFORE THE FIRE BROKE OUT. . THE VEHICLE OPERATED NORMAL BEFORE THIS HAPPENED. *AK

1997 FORD F-150 TRUCK WITH APPROXIMATELY 122,000 MILES, HAD A FUSE FAILURE THAT WOULD NOT ALLOW THE VEHICLE TO BE REMOVED FROM THE PARK POSITION WHEN DEPRESSING THE BRAKE. FUSE WAS REPLACED AND 4 DAYS LATER THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, CAUSING A NEARLY TOTAL DESTRICTION OF THE VEHICLE AND THE CAR PORT IT WAS SITTING IN. FIRE OCCURRED ABOUT 2 HOURS AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS LAST DRIVEN. THIS FIRE MAY BE RELATED TO THE RECALL OF THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH (SCDS) ON THE 2000 F-150 TRUCKS.

I HAD BEEN HAVING ISSUES WITH MY TRUCK, CRUISE CONTROL QUIT WORKING, HAD SOME FUSES BLOWN UNDER HOOD THAT WERE REPAIRED, THEN CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAD COME ON FOR ABOUT A WEEK. THEN MY 1997 F-150 XLT SPONTANEOUSLY COMBUSTS IN DRIVEWAY. HAD BEEN PARKED FOR OVER AN HOUR. PERSONS DRIVING BY ALERTED ME TO THE FIRE, WHEN I WENT OUTSIDE, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE ON AND FLAMES WERE SHOOTING OUT OF HOOD NEARLY 10' IN AIR. THEN THE CAR ALARM WENT OFF AND AT SOME POINT THE DOORS UNLOCKED THEMSELVES. POLICE AND I EXTINGUISHED FIRE, BUT THERE IS EXTENSIVE DAMAGE.

DT: THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE INSIDE OF THE GARAGE. THE CONSUMER SAW FLAMES COMING FROM THE ENGINE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE AND SPREAD QUICKLY. FLAMES WERE COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE INSURANCE COMPANY WAS IN THE PROCESS OF INSPECTING THE TRUCK, AND THERE WAS AN INVESTIGATOR FROM FORD CHECKING THE VEHICLE. *AK *JB

DT: A 1997 FORD F150 PICKUP. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED 3 TO 4 HOURS WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS AT WORK WHEN IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE ENGULFED TWO OTHER VEHICLE AS WELL. FIRE INVESTIGATOR STATED THAT THE FIRE ORIGINATED NEAR THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT TIRE. THE INSURANCE ADJUSTER DID NOT INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS STILL UNCERTAIN. *AK

DT: CONSUMER STATES THAT AT 4 PM TPARKED THE VEHICLE AND THE NEXT DAY AT 1 AM THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. IT BURNED THE HOOD, WINDSHIELD, WIRING AND EVERYTHING UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT STATED THAT IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. THERE WAS A FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORT.*AK

AT 3:15 AM ON JUNE 1, MY 1997 FORD F-150 CAUGHT FIRE AND BURNED. HORN HONKING WOKE MY DAUGHTER WHO FIRST OBSERVED A FIRE FROM A BEDROOM WINDOW. SHE WOKE MY WIFE AND I UP THINKING MY DETACHED SHOP WAS ON FIRE. WE RAN OUTSIDE AND FOUND THE FIRE TO BE A TRUCK ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE. THE TRUCK WAS DRIVEN LAST AT 7:30 PM AND PARKED ON MY DRIVEWAY NEXT TO A HORSE TRAILER. I CALLED 911 AND BEGAN SPRAYING WATER ON THE TRUCK AND TRAILER. I COULD NOT CONTROL THE FIRE AND FOCUSED ON KEEPING THE TRAILER COOL. WHEN THE FIRE TRUCK FINALLY ARRIVED IT TOOK ABOUT 30 MINUTES TO PUT THE FIRE TOTALLY OUT. AT THAT POINT THE FIRE HAD BURNED THROUGH THE CAB TO REAR SEATS. BASED ON HOW THE TRUCK BURNED, I BELIEVE IT WAS ATTRIBUTED TO A CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH FIRE.

DT: WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE FELT TEMPERATURE IN CABIN GO UP, PULLED OFF ROAD, OPENED HOOD TO FIND LARGE FIRE. *AK

DT: WITHOUT WARNING CONSUMER SAW A SPARK AND SOME SMOKE AND WHILE CONSUMER WAS AFTER A FIRE EXTINGUISHER THE TRUCK BURST INTO FLAMES AND EXPLODED AND WAS TOTALED. DEALER GAVE CONSUMER A NUMBER TO CONTACT MANUFACTURER. MANUFACTURER SAID THEY WILL GET BACK WITH CONSUMER THROUGH A REPRESENTATIVE. *TT

OUR 1997 FORD F-150 PICKUP WAS SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY. IT HAD BEEN PARKED THERE SINCE YESTERDAY EVENING, ABOUT 6:30 P.M. AT APPROXIMATELY 3:30 P.M. THE NEXT DAY, OUR DOORBELL RANG, IT WAS THE MAIL LADY. MY HUSBAND ANSWERED THE DOOR,AND SHE ASKED HIM IF HE KNEW HIS TRUCK WAS ON FIRE? IT TOOK A COUPLE OF SECONDS FOR IT TO REGISTER, AND HE SAID WHAT? SHE REPEATED IT. MY HUSBAND HOLLERED AT ME TO CALL THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, THE TRUCK'S ON FIRE. I GRABBED THE CORDLESS AND HEADED TOWARDS THE FRONT DOOR. JUST AS I WAS COMING OUT THE FRONT DOOR, MY HUSBAND SAID TURN THE WATER ON. HE ALREADY HAD THE GARDEN HOSE IN HIS HAND, PULLING IT TOWARDS THE TRUCK. HE WAS ABLE TO PUT THE FIRE OUT BEFORE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT GOT THERE, BY SPRAYING ON TOP OF THE HOOD, UNDER THE HOOD, UNDER THE FRONT...

UNDER HOOD FIRE ON A 1997 FORD F150 PICKUP. THE FIRE OCCURED ON MARCH 29, 2005 AT APPROXIMATELY 6:30AM WHEN A NEIGHBOR CAME TO OUR HOUSE TO REPORT THAT OUR TRUCK WAS ON FIRE AND THEY HAD CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. FLAMES WERE ALREADY THROUGH THE HOOD ON THE DRIVERS SIDE AND COMING OUT THE FRONT LEFT WHEEL WELL. MR. CARNES WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE BEFORE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED HOWEVER, THE BULK OF THE DAMAGE HAD ALREADY BEEN DONE. MR. CARNES SIMPLY PREVENTED ANY FURTHER PROPERTY DAMAGE TO ANYTHING NEARBY. OUR INSURANCE COMPANY HAS TOTALED THE VEHICLE. THEIR FIRE IINVESTIGATOR HAS DETERMINED THAT THE FIRE WAS CAUSED BY THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH. WE CONTACTED FORD THE SAME DAY AND WERE TOLD THAT THEIR LEGAL DEPARTMENT WOULD CONTACT US IN 2 BUSINESS DAYS. TODAY IS 5/5/05 AND WE HAVE STILL NOT HEARD FROM FORD. WE DON'T KNOW...

UNDER HOOD FIRE ON A 1997 FORD F150 PICKUP. THE FIRE OCCURED ON APRIL 29, 2005 AT APPROXIMATELY 6:30AM WHEN A NEIGHBOR CAME TO OUR HOUSE TO REPORT THAT OUR TRUCK WAS ON FIRE AND THEY HAD CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. FLAMES WERE ALREADY THROUGH THE HOOD ON THE DRIVERS SIDE AND COMING OUT THE FRONT LEFT WHEEL WELL. MR. CARNES WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE BEFORE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED HOWEVER, THE BULK OF THE DAMAGE HAD ALREADY BEEN DONE. MR. CARNES SIMPLY PREVENTED ANY FURTHER PROPERTY DAMAGE TO ANYTHING NEARBY. OUR INSURANCE COMPANY HAS TOTALED THE VEHICLE. THEIR FIRE IINVESTIGATOR HAS DETERMINED THAT THE FIRE WAS CAUSED BY THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH. WE CONTACTED FORD THE SAME DAY AND WERE TOLD THAT THEIR LEGAL DEPARTMENT WOULD CONTACT US IN 2 BUSINESS DAYS. TODAY IS 5/5/05 AND WE HAVE STILL NOT HEARD FROM FORD. WE DON'T KNOW...

CONTACT STATES: SPARK PLUG POPPED OUT OF HEAD WHILE DRIVING, WAS GOING SLOW BUT CAUSED A JERKING OF THE VEHICLE-NO ACCIDENT. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THIS HAD EVER HAPPENED. NO REPAIR WORK OR REPLACEMENT OF PARTS.*AK

PARKED F-150 IN GARAGE. ABOUT AN HOUR LATER GOT A CALL TRUCK WAS ON FIRE. FIRE REPORT SAID UNDERHOOD FIRE. TRUCK WAS A TOTAL LOSS.*AK

UNDERHOOD FIRE ON 1997 F-150 POSSIBLE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH. VEHICLE WAS SITTING WIT THE KDY OFF AND CAUGHT FIRE.*AK

WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR 1 HOUR A FIRE STARTED UNDER THE HOOD. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

MY F150 CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE AT WORK, APPROXAMATELY 1 1/2 HRS AFTER RETURNING FROM LUNCH. THE FIRE DEPTA\RTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE TRUCK. THEY DID FILE A REPORT. *AK

WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR 1 HOUR A FIRE STARTED UNDER THE HOOD. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT OFFER ASSISTANCE. *AK *JB

WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR 9 HOURS A FIRE STARTED UNDER A THE HOOD. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK UPDATED 2/28/2006 - THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS NOT WORKING AT THE TIME OF THE FIRE. THE CONSUMER NOTICED THAT IT HAD STOPPED WORKING ON 2-18-05. *NM

VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE 15 MINUTES AFTER BEING PARKED IN THE PARKING . LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. HOW THE FIRE GOT STARTED WAS NOT DETERMINED AT THIS TIME. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, AND THE CONSUMER LEFT A VOICE MAIL TO THE MANUFACTURER.*AK

VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE PARKED IN THE PARKING LOT AT WORK. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED APPROXIMATELY ONE HOUR AND HALF TO ONE HOUR AND FORTY-FIVE MINUTES BEFORE THE FIRE STARTED. THE LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS NOT DETERMINED. DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED.*AK *BF *NM

WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED A FIRE STARTED UNDER THE HOOD. THE FIRE WAS PUT OUT. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

CONSUMER SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF AND EXITED THE VEHICLE. LATER, CONSUMER ENTERED THE VEHICLE. TURNED THE IGNITION ON, AND VEHICLE STARTED BUT WOULD NOT GO INTO GEAR. THEN, CONSUMER EXITED THE VEHICLE , OPENED THE HOOD, AND NOTICED THERE WAS A FIRE INSIDE THE HOOD. THE DEFECT WAS THE CRUISE CONTROL RELAY. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED BY THE CONSUMER.*AK

WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND PULLED OVER. THEN, VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. CONSUMER EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER. *AK THE PART THAT WAS ON FIRE WAS THE DEACTACH SWITCH ON THE MASTER CYLINDER FOR THE CRUSE CONTROL. *SC *EH

PICKED UP 1 YARD OF MULCH AND WAS UNLOADING, SMELLED BURNING RUBBER, AND SAW FLAMES IN WHEEL WELL. PUT OUT FIRE WITH FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND CALLED FIRE DEPARTMENT. OPENED HOOD, AND SAW FENDER BURNED, PLASTIC BRAKE NEAR MASTER CYLINDER BURNED, AND FUSE BOX AND WIRING BURNED. FIRE DEPARTMENT SAID IT WAS BAD WIRING. MECHANIC FELT IT INVOLVED THE BRAKES. ALSO, CRUISE CONTROL HAD NOT WORKED FOR NEARLY SIX MONTHS BEFORE FIRE.*AK

MY 19'97 FORD F-150 HAD AN ELECTRICAL FIRE YESTERDAY. IT HAD BEEN PARKED FOR OVER THIRTY MINUTES WHEN SOMEONE TOLD ME IT WAS ON FIRE. AFTER I PUT THE FIRE OUT AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME. THEY SAID THE FIRE STARTED AROUND THE FUSE BOX AREA. I HAVE READ THAT OTHERS HAVE HAD THE SAME FIRE I HAVE HAD.*AK

ON NOV. 5TH I PARKED MY 1997 F150 TRUCK AT WORK AT 7:00AM. BETWEEN 10:30 AND 11:00 I GET A CALL THAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS PUTTING A FIRE OUT UNDER NEATH MY TRUCKS HOOD. IT TOOK 4 HOURS AFTER THE TRUCK WAS PARKED TO START A FIRE. IF IT WASN'T FOR ME PARKING CLOSE TO A GUARDS STATION IT WOULD OF BEEN WORSE. MY CONCERN IS THAT THIS COULD OF HAPPENED AFTER I PARKED IN MY GARAGE AT HOME WHICH WOULD OF PUT ME AND MY FAMILY IN DANGER. AFTER THIS FIRE I CALLED THE FORD HEADQUARTERS AND MADE A COMPLAINT. I ALSO DID SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET UNDER 1997 BRAKE MASTER CLLINDER FIRES BECAUSE THATS WHERE THE FIRE FIGHTERS SAID IT STARTED AND I WAS SURPRISED TO FIND NUMEROUS ARTICLES ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM.*AK

VEHICLE WAS PARKED AT APPOX. 11PM ON MAY 9TH, AT APPROX. 12:30 AM I WAS AWAKENED BY THE SOUND OF A HORN BLOWING , I LOOKED OUT THE WINDOW AND I SEEN THAT MY TRUCK WAS ON FIRE, A NIEGHBOR LADY HAD DRIVEN BY AND NOTICED IT AND WENT HOME TO CALL THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. SHE SAID THAT IT WAS BURNING ON THE DRIVERS SIDE BY THE TIRE, THAT IS WHY I THINK IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN AN ELECTRICAL SHORT, FOR THAT IS WHERE ALL THE MAIN ELECTRICAL FUSE BLOCKS ARE LOCATED.*AK

THE WIRING HARNESS ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE UNDER THE HOOD FAILED RESULTING IN FIRE. NLM

TRAILER WIRING HARNESS PLUG SHORTED, THE VEHICLE WAS WITHIN 3 YEAR WARRANTY BUT DEALER REFUSED TO FIX IT BECAUSE CONSUMER DID NOT PURCHASE IT AT THAT LOCATION. NLM

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONTACT JOHN A. REUTTER FROM SUPERIOR INVESTIGATIONS FOR PHOTOS AND THE WIRING HARNESS. THE ABOVE PHONE NUMBER AND EMAIL ARE SUPERIOR'S INFORMATION AND NOT THE OWNER.*AK

TRUCK WAS PARKED IN THE PARKING LOT OF MY PLACE OF BUSINESS FOR ABOUT 2 HOURS, THEN CAUGHT ON FIRE. IT APPEARED THAT THE FIRE STARTED IN THE FUSE BOX UNDER THE HOOD. IT MELTED EVERYTHING ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ENGINE. THE PLASTIC BRAKE FLUID RESERVOIR MELTED ADDING BRAKE FLUID TO THE FIRE. THE SHORT CAUSED THE BATTERY TO GET SO HOT THAT THE PLASTIC CASING MELTED. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF A PROBLEM WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE TO WORK.

THIS PIECE CAUSE STALL OUTS VERY POOR GAS MILAGE,ENIGINE TOO OVER HEAT 5 TIMES ADAY WHILE DRIVING ,MAKES ROUGH IDLE AND HAS NO POWER WHEN NEEDED COULD CAUSE SERIOUS RECK IF YOU GET IN A BIND ON ROAD ,STALL OUTS WHEN TAKING OFF FROM RED LIGHTS ,PERSONEL SAFETY OF ME AND MY FAMILY IS AT RISK

A FIRE STARTED UNDER THE HOOD NEAR THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL WELL. JUST PRIOR I THOUGHT I HEARD THE STARTER BUT LOOKED OUTSIDE AND SAW NO ONE IN THE TRUCK. SHORTLY AFTER THE FIRE STARTED. THE TRUCK HAD NOT BEEN USED FOR 24 HOURS.

VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDERNEATH AND BETWEEN THE BED AND CAB OF TRUCK. *AK

VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN DRIVE WITH ENGINE TURNED OFF WHEN FIRE STARTED. FIRE STARTED APPROX. 30 MINUTES AFTER PARKING. FIRE DEPT. SAID FIRE STARTED FROM WIRING HARNESS. *AK