1997 FORD F-250 Electrical System Problems

I HAVE HAD MY 1997 FORD F-250 FOR A FEW YEARS AND BESIDES AN ABI'S I'VEW PREVIOUS OWNER IT HASN'T GIVEN ANY ISSUE. THAT IS UP UNTIL A MONTH AGO WHEN MY INSTRUMENT CLUSTER UP AND QUIT WORKING. THERE WAS NO WARNING AND NO FUSES OR RELAYS FAULTY EITHER, I SPOKE WITH FRIENDS OF MINE WHO OWN SIMILAR MODEL YEARS OF MY TRUCK AND THEY SAY THEY HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUE.

AFTER SEVERAL INCHES OF RAIN MY 1997 FORD F250 LIGHT DUTY BEGAN TRYING TO START WHILE PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY. THE ONLY WAY TO STOP IT WAS TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY CABLE. THE BATTERY CABLE WAS RED HOT AND SMOKING. LUCKILY MY NEIGHBOR NOTICED OR IT WOULD HAVE CAUGHT FIRE. THIS IS THE SECOND OCCURRENCE OF THIS PROBLEM FOR THIS VEHICLE. BOTH FOLLOWED HEAVY RAINS. THE FIRST OCCURRENCE INCLUDED SPONTANEOUS STARTING, INTERIOR LIGHTS COMING ON, LEFT SIDE WINDOW FAILURE, SPEEDOMETER FAILURE, AND CONTINUED OPERATION OF FAN, WINDOWS AND RADIO WITH IGNITION OFF. RESEARCHING THIS ISSUE HAS MADE ME AWARE THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM DUE TO WATER LEAKING THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD AND SEEPING INTO THE GENERIC ELECTRONIC MODULE AND FUSE BOX CAUSING MULTIPLE SYMPTOMS INCLUDING THE ONES STATED ABOVE. *TR

WE RESPONDED TO FOMOCO RECALL #07S57 ON MARCH,08, ALL SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS WERE PROVIDED, ORIGINAL RECEIPTS,ETC. AFTER SEVERAL FOLLOW-UP CALLS TO THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER, ON JUNE,08. WERE TOLD ALL IS IN ORDER AND APPROVED AND THE REIMBURSEMENT CHECK FOR $ 318.41 FOR REPAIR IS IN THE MAIL. SO FAR, AS OF SEPTEMBER 08 NO WORD FROM FORD...AND NO CHECK. *TR

DT: CONSUMER WANTED HIS SWITCH ON FRONT OF VEHICLE FIXED. HE HAS BEEN TOLD THAT THE PLASTIC MELTED AND ALLOWED THE BRAKE FLUID TO COME OUT AND CATCH ON FIRE. CONSUMER SAID THAT HE KNEW THAT 2000 AND 2001 YEAR MODELS HAVE BEEN RECALLED, AND CONSUMER WANTED HIS VEHICLE TO BE INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL. *AK

VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR TWO HOURS WHEN IT CAUGHT ON FIRE ON ITS OWN. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A GARAGE FOR INSPECTION. THE CAUSE HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED AT THIS TIME. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH DRIVER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. DRIVER PULLED OVER AND OPENED THE HOOD. SUDDENLY, VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED HOME. *AK THE CONSUMER HAD TO UNPLUG THE WIRES CONNECTED TO THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER TO STOP THE FIRE. NOW THE VEHICLE HAS NO AUTOMATIC CRUISE CONTROL. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY LOCAL FORD SERVICE DEPARTMENT THAT THE FIRE WAS PROBABLY CAUSED BY THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH. THE MANUFACTURE HAS A RECALL ON F150 PICKUPS BUT NOT THE F250. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED AND THE WIRES HAVE BEEN LEFT UNPLUGGED FOR NOW. *BF *NM

WHILE PARKED IN THE GARAGE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE CAUSE HAD YET TO BEEN DETERMINED. VEHICLE WAS CONSIDERED A TOTAL LOSS.*AK

I HAVE ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS HAD SPARK PLUGS COME FLYING OUT OF THE HEAD OF MY TRUCK. I HAVE ASKED AROUND AND HEARD THAT ON MOST FORD TRUCKS AND ECONOLINE VANS ARE BLOWING THESE OUT ON THE REGULAR. I HAVE ALSO HEARD THAT IT IS DUE TO THE ALUMINUM HEADS HAVING ONLY 4 WEAK THREADS. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO POINT OUT THE FACT THAT IT HAS HAPPENED TWICE TO ME AND CAN COST ANYWHERE FROM 200 TO 1700 DOLLARS TO FIX DEPENDING ON HOW SEVERE THINGS ARE. I WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE SOME RESEARCH INTO THIS SUBJECT AS I AM SURE THOUSANDS OF OTHERS WOULD. *AK

THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR 2 DAYS AND A FIRE WAS STARTED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE HORN WAS HEARD BLOWING WHEN THE CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. TWO MONTHS PRIOR TO THE FIRE, THE CRUISE CONTROL STOPPED WORKING. THERE WERE NO AFTER MARKET EQUIPMENT. THERE WAS TRAVEL TRAILER WIRING THAT WAS ON THE BACK OF THE TRUCK. THE VEHICLE WAS INSURED BY UNITRIN 800-777-4342 JL RAUSIN. *AK