Complaint 536862

Complaint Summary

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD

Owner Narrative

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 WHEEL WELL, AND INSIDE THE CAB UNDERNEATH THE DASH ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. HAD THIS FIRE OCCURED FIVE MINUTES LATER, MY HUSBAND WOULD HAVE BEEN IN IT, ON THE HIGHWAY. THANK THE LORD, HE WASN'T! THERE IS STILL QUITE A BIT OF DAMAGE DONE TO OLD BLUE, SO WE'RE WAITING ON OUR INSURANCE ADJUSTER AND AN INVESTIGATOR FROM FORD TO COME OUT AND TAKE A LOOK AT IT. WE ONLY FOUND OUT THIS MORNING ABOUT ALL OF THE COMPLAINTS ABOUT ENGINE FIRES ON F-150'S.

Owner-submitted narrative on file with NHTSA. Complaint narratives are self-reported and have not been verified.