2000 Ford Expedition Electrical System

WE OWNED A 2000 FORD EXPEDITION, WHICH WE NEVER EXPERIENCED ANY PROBLEMS WITH. THE END OF SEPTEMBER (I CAN'T REMEMBER THE DATE RIGHT OFF HAND) WE ARRIVED HOME FROM THE PLAYGROUND AND 10 MINUTES LATER OUR TRUCK SPONTANEOUSLY CAUGHT FIRE. MAJORITY OF THE DAMAGE WAS DONE TO THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SAID IT LOOKED TO BE ELECTRICAL. A NEIGHBOR WHO LIVES DOWN THE STREET INFORMED US THAT THERE HAD BEEN SEVERAL EXPEDITIONS THAT RECENTLY CAUGHT FIRE. WE THEN WENT TO AUTOMOTIVEFORUMS.COM AND WAS SURPRISED TO FIND MANY OTHER INDIVIDUALS THAT THIS ALSO HAPPENED TOO. I SENT AN EMAIL TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY JUST TO LET THEM KNOW THAT THERE WERE MANY MORE PEOPLE THAT HAD THIS HAPPEN TO, AND TO THIS DAY NEVER RECEIVED A RESPONSE. OUR INSURANCE COMPANY INFORMED US THAT MOST CLAIMS LIKE THIS USUALLY NEVER GET REPORTED TO FORD. WE HAD AN INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER FROM HOUSTON CALL US TO GET MORE INFORMATION. MAYBE YOU COULD WARN OTHERS SO THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO EXPERIENCE THE SAME THING THAT WE HAVE. I CAN ALSO OBTAIN AN REPORT FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IF THAT WOULD BE OF ASSISTANCE.*AK

VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE PARKED AND NOT RUNNING. ORIGIN IN AREA OF MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER. *AK

WE PARKED OUR 2000 FORD EXPEDITION XLT IN FRONT OF OUR HOUSE AFTER DRIVING IT APPROXIMATELY 45 MILES TOWING OUR BOAT. WE ARRIVED AT OUR HOUSE AROUND 9:15PM. AT AROUND 10:30PM, MY NEIGHBOR KNOCKED ON MY DOOR AND TOLD ME THAT MY CAR WAS ON FIRE. FLAMES WERE COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND THE LEFT-FRONT TIRE WAS ON FIRE. 2 NEIGHBORS AND I SPRAYED THE VEHICLE WITH GARDEN HOSES UNTIL THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED. THEY HAD TO RIP THE HOOD OFF THE VEHICLE IN ORDER TO PUT THE FIRE OUT. AFTER INSPECTING THE BURN DAMAGE, THE FIREMAN INDICATED THAT THE FIRE STARTED ON TOP OF THE ENGINE AND WAS PROBABLY DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE. HE ALSO STATED THERE WAS NO SIGN OF MALICIOUS ACTIVITY. THE ADJUSTER WILL NOT COME OUT UNTIL MONDAY, BUT THE FIREMAN INDICATED THAT IT WOULD MOST LIKELY BE TOTALLED.*AK

ON 5-03-03 IGNITION COIL FOR #7 CYLINDER FAILED. I WAS TOLD THAT IT IS UNUSUAL TO OCCUR ON A VEHICLE WITH 56,000 MILES. ON 10-06-03 IGNITION COIL FOR #6 CYLINDER FAILED. I WAS TOLD THAT THIS IS HIGHLY UNUSUAL THAT THIS OCCURS ON A VEHICLE WITH 63,000 MILES. ON 10-14-03, I CONTACTED FORD REQUESTING AN INSPECTION OF THIS UNUSUAL OCCURRENCE TO PREVENT ANY FURTHER FAILURE OF THE IGNITION COILS AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY COULD NOT HELP ME BECAUSE I REPAIRED THE CONDITION. *LA

VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE IN THE ENGINE, INSPECTOR STATED IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. DEALER NOTTIFIED.*AK

ELECTRICAL MOTOR UNDER DRIVER SEAT WAS HOT AND STARTED A FIRE. I WAS ABLE TO GET OUT CAR OUT OF THE GARAGE AT HOME BEFORE IT CAUGHT FIRE. STARTED AS SMOKE FROM UNDER SEAT AND INVESTIGATED TO FIND THE MOTOR VERY HOT. *JB

THE MASTER SWITCH FAILED, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO HAVE NO BLINKERS, THE WIPERS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY, AND THE SECURITY SYSTEM DID NOT WORK PROPERLY.*JB

WHEN VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF IT CONTINUED TO IDLE. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK

THE #4 IGNITION COIL PACK FAILED AND WAS REPLACED. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON FORD 4.6L AND 5.4L ENGINES. I AM CREATING A DATABASE OF FAILURES FROM MULTIPLE USER GROUPS AND CAN CONFIRM MULTIPLE (UP TO FIVE ON THE SAME VEHICLE) FAILURES OF THIS PART BECAUSE OF A HEATER HOSE THAT LEAKS ON TO THE COIL PACK DIRECTLY BENEATH IT. MINE FAILED WHILE ACCELERATING ON TO A HIGHWAY, AND WAS ALMOST REAR-ENDED SINCE THE TRUCK SUDDENLY LOST POWER BEING THAT THE #4 CYLINDER WAS NO LONGER FIRING. SINCE MULTIPLE FAILURES HAVE BEEN RECORDED, FORD SHOULD BE LIABLE FOR THIS AS IT IS CLEARLY A DESIGN FLAW. *AK

REPORTED ENGINE LOSING POWER TO DEALERSHIP WHILE VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY ON 2 PRIOR OCCASIONS BEFORE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN TOTALLY WHILE IN DRIVING MODE. DEALER'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM ON THOSE PRIOR VISITS. WITH THE COMPLETE POWER FAILURE, THE DEALER'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT FOUND THAT A FIRE HAD OCCURRED IN THE ELECTRICAL JUNCTION BOX, BURNING SEVERAL WIRES THAT HAD TO BE REPLACED. DEALER INSISTED THAT THIS TOTAL SHUTDOWN HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH PREVIOUS LOST OF POWER THAT I REPORTED TO THEM. I WAS FORTUNATE NOT TO BE IN A LOT OF TRAFFIC WHEN MY FAILURE OCCURRED, BUT THE NEXT PERSON MAY NOT BE SO LUCKY.*AK

IF THE IGNITION SWITCH IS TURNED TO IGNITION POSITION #3 AS DEFINED IN THE OWNERS MANUAL, (P61), THE GEARSHIFT LEVER MAY BE MOVED OUT OF PARK, WITHOUT DEPRESSING THE BRAKE. POSITION #3 IS SUPPOSED TO SHUT OFF ENGINE AND ALL ACCESSORIES WITHOUT LOCKING THE STEERING WHEEL. THE PROBLEM IS THAT IT ALSO UNLOCKS THE BRAKE SHIFT INTERLOCK SAFTY MECHANISM THAT IS SUPPOSED TO PREVENT THE GEARSHIFT LEVER FROM BEING MOVED FROM P (PARK). OUR 2 YEAR OLD SON WAS ABLE TO KNOCK THE GEARSHIFT LEVER DOWN 1 POSITION OUT OF PARK(REVERSE) AND THE CAR ROLLED FORWARD, DOWN A HILL AND INTO A POND, WTH HIM IN IT! THE VEHICLE DOOR LOCKS AUTOMATICALLY LOCKED AS THE VEHICLE STARTED TO MOVE. LUCKILY THE PASSANGER WINDOW OPENED WHEN THE VEHICLE WENT INTO THE WATER (MUST HAVE SHORTED OUT) WE WERE ABLE TO RESCUE HIM BEFORE THE VEHICLE SANK (APPROX 1 MIN). WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS REMOVED FROM THE WATER, THE GEARSHIFT LEVER WAS IN REVERSE POSITION AND THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS IN POSITION #3. WE ARE CONCERNED THAT THE BRAKE SHIFT INTERLOCK IS NOT ACTIVATED WHEN THE IGNITION SWITCH IS IN POSITION #3. IS THERE A VALID REASON FOR THIS, OR IS IT AN OVERSIGHT IN THE DESIGN. I HAVE SINCE TESTED THIS ON A 1997 EXPEDITION AND IT DOES THE SAME THING. HAS THERE BEEN ANY OTHER REPORTED PROBLEMS WITH THIS? WE CALLED FORD AND THEY SAID THAT THEY DO NOT DO THEIR OWN SAFETY TESTING AND THAT WE SHOULD CONTACT THE NHTSA. WHAT SHOULD OUR NEXT COURSE OF ACTION BE?