2001 Ford Expedition Electrical System

Vehical burst into flames seems on passenger side under the hood...Had been parked all day. No one around or injured. Vehical is a total loss.

VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE DUE TO AN INCORRECTLY INSTALLED HEAD LIGHT DUE TO A CRACKED PLUG ASSEMBLY. VEHICLE WAS IN A FAST-FOOD DRIVE THROUGH WHEN THE SMOKE AND SUBSEQUENT FLAMES WERE SEEN. DUE TO AGE OF THE VEHICLE THE TASK OF CHANGING THE LIGHT BULB WAS FARMED OUT TO LOCAL OIL CHANGE SHOP. WHILE CHANGING THE PLACING THE NEW BULB INTO THE PLUG ASSEMBLY THE THIN PLASTIC BROKE KEEPING THE BULB FROM SEATING PROPERLY. TESTED OKAY ON REASSEMBLY BUT ONCE NIGHT CAME THE LIGHT WAS ON FOR ONLY 15 MINUTES AND IGNITED THE INNER HEAD LAMP ASSEMBLY AND SUBSEQUENTLY MORE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. FORTUNATELY, THE FAST-FOOD RESTAURANT CAME OUT WITH AN EXTINGUISHER AND PUT OUT THE FIRE. THANKFULLY, NO ONE WAS HURT HOWEVER, HAD THE FIRE OCCURRED ON THE HIGHWAY, IN A PARKING LOT UNATTENDED, OR IN THE HOMES GARAGE, THE OUTCOME WOULD HAVE BEEN FAR WORSE.

NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: EA05015 COMPONENT(S): ELECTRICAL SYSTEM , EXTERIOR LIGHTING , VISIBILITY I'M HAVING ISSUES WITH MY VEHICLE SIMILAR TO THE ISSUES DESCRIBED IN NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: EA05015. THIS IS THE SECOND OCCURRENCE I'VE HAD WITH THIS VEHICLE. THE FIRST TIME THE UNIT WAS REPLACED, NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY. NOW IT'S HAPPENING AGAIN. I'M GETTING "DOOR AJAR" NOTIFICATIONS AND THE INTERIOR LIGHTS ARE STAYING ON. VEHICLE IS SURGING (FEELS LIKE SOMEONE STEPPED ON THE GAS PEDAL). VEHICLE HAS STALLED IN TRAFFIC. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2001 FORD EXPEDITION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND LATER BECAME ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE FIRE AND POLICE DEPARTMENTS WERE NOTIFIED OF THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CHIEF DETERMINED THAT THE FIRE WAS STARTED BY A FAULTY IGNITION WIRE INSULATION. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 103,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD EXPEDITION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE WHERE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS REPORTED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT STATED THAT THE FIRE STARTED FROM UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 208,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD EXPEDITION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE IGNITED AND BECAME ENGULFED IN FLAMES WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. THE FIRE AND POLICE DEPARTMENT REPORTED TO THE SCENE AND A REPORT WAS FILED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THERE WAS ALSO DAMAGE TO TWO ADDITIONAL VEHICLES PARKED IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

BOUGHT A 2001 EXPEDITION FROM A USED CAR LOT. SINCE PURCHASE, CRUISE HAS NOT WORKED, SHORT IN IGNITION SWITCH WHICH RADIO AND BLOWER STAY ON AND KILL BATTERY. REPLACE TIE ROD ENDS, FRONT BRAKES AND ROTORS, REAR SEAL LEAKING. REPLACE IGNITION SWITCH. NICE LOOKING VEHICLE BUT MANY ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS FOR MY WIFE AND KIDS TO BE RIDING IN. I HAVE ONLY OWNED VEHICLE FOR 1.5 MONTHS AND ALREADY HAVE SPENT $1500 IN REPAIRS AND STILL HAS ISSUES. PLEASE HELP IN GETTING THE VEHICLE IN SAFE RUNNING ORDER FOR MY FAMILY. THIS IS MY WIFE'S CAR AND I SEEM TO BE DRIVING IT MORE SO THEY CAN USE MY COMPANY CAR FOR SAFETY. *TR

THIS VEHICLE WAS SITTING IN THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF OUR DEALERSHIP AND HAD BEEN IDLE SINCE 5:00PM ON 5/6/2011. AT APPROXIMATELY 1:15PM ON 5/7/2011, THE VEHICLE SPONTANEOUSLY CAUGHT FIRE AND SUBSEQUENTLY CAUGHT A LARGE PORTION OF THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT ON FIRE. THE TOTAL DAMAGE IS STILL UNTOLD, BUT THE FIRE HAS SHUT THE DEALERSHIP DOWN UNTIL IT IS DEEMED SAFE TO OPEN AGAIN. AFTER SPEAKING WITH FIRE OFFICIALS AND HEARING THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AMONG THIS MAKE AND MODEL VEHICLE I DID RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH HAS BEEN FOUND TO BE THE CULPRIT OF MANY FIRES JUST LIKE THIS ONE.

MY 2001 FORD EXPEDITION CAUGHT FIRE IN MY DRIVEWAY SOON AFTER MY CRUISE CONTROL QUIT WORKING. IT BURNED AND CAUSED MY 2004 FORD F-250 TO BURN AND SUBSEQUENTLY CAUGHT MY HOUSE ON FIRE. *TR

PERSISTENT PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE ARE FAILURES OF THE IGNITION COILS AND BOOTS (5.4L ONLY), AND RESTRICTION OF THE EXHAUST GAS RECIRCULATION (EGR) PASSAGES INSIDE THE INTAKE PLENUM (4.6L ONLY). THE COST TO REPAIR THE IGNITION COILS AND BOOTS IS ESTIMATED AT $103.00 FOR PARTS AND $32.50 FOR LABOR FOR EACH DEFECTIVE COIL. THE COST TO CLEAN THE EGR PASSAGES IS ESTIMATED AT $4.00 FOR PARTS AND $65.00 FOR LABOR. ALL PRICES ARE ESTIMATES BASED ON $65.00 PER FLAT RATE HOUR AND DO NOT INCLUDE DIAGNOSTIC TIME OR ANY APPLICABLE SALES TAX. *TR

IN THE LAST 6 MONTHS, I HAVE NOTICED THAT WHEN IT RAINS, MY BLOWER MOTOR WILL RUN ON HIGH-SPEED AND MY LIGHTS WILL FLICKER AFTER I TURN THE VEHICLE OFF. AT FIRST IT WOULD STOP AFTER A FEW SECONDS, HOWEVER THIS LAST TIME, IT RAN FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES AND FINALLY SHUT OFF. I CALLED FORD MOTOR CO TO INQUIRE ABOUT A RECALL. THEY HAVE NO RECORD NOR KEEP ANY DATA ON ANYTHING . SO I CALLED THE LOCAL DEALER AND THEY WERE 'FAMILIAR' WITH MY PROBLEM AND HAD A 'FEW' FIXED. WELL, AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET, IT TURNS OUT THERE'S MORE THAN JUST A 'FEW' INCIDENTS.. THERE ARE SEVERAL!!! THE PROBLEM APPEARS TOO START WITH A WATER LEAK IN THE WINDSHIELD, GOING TO THE FUSE BOX AND GEMODULE WHICH IN TURN SENDS ELECTRICAL CURRENTS TO THE ABS MODULE WHICH CAUSE ALL SORTS OF PROBLEMS. THIS IS A FORD MANUFACTURERS DEFECT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD EXPEDITION EDDIE BAUER EDITION. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE WHICH ORIGINATED FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE CONTACTS FAMILY WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICEL WAS DESTROYED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 115,000.

FOR THE PAST MONTH I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCE ELECTRICAL ISSUES WITH MY 2001 FORD EXPEDITION AFTER HEAVY RAINFALLS. ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS I HAVE HAD TO GET A JUMP TO START MY TRUCK AFTER IT RAINS AND ONCE IT STARTS THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM SEEMS TO GO HAYWIRE. THE RADIO TURNS ON AND OFF AND THERE ARE CLICKING NOISES. THE VENT TURNS ON AND OFF BY ITSELF ETC. THE MOST IMPORTANT OF THESE MALFUNCTIONS INCLUDES THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS. ON TWO OCCASIONS I HAVE BEEN DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY DURING THESE ELECTRICAL EVENTS (WHILE RAINING) AND MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS HAVE STOPPED WORKING. EACH TIME I COULD NOT SEE A THING BUT WAS ABLE TO SAFELY PULL OVER TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD AND EVENTUALLY THEY START WORKING AGAIN. TO ME THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND BY DOING RESEARCH ON THE WEB I CAN SEE THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE THAT HAS HAD THIS ISSUE WITH AN EXPEDITION BETWEEN 1998-2001. MANY HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME THING. APPARENTLY WATER LEAKS THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD AND INTO THE FUSE BOX OR GEM MODULE. WHAT DOES IT TAKE FOR A RECALL LOSS OF LIFE? I AM REALLY DISAPPOINTED THAT SO MANY SAFETY ISSUES HAVE COME UP SURROUNDING THE ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTIONS ON THESE TRUCKS AND NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE ABOUT IT. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF I CAN GET ASSISTANCE WITH GETTING THIS REPAIRED AS WELL AS OTHERS WHO ARE GOING THROUGH THE SAME THINGS. IF FORD IS WILLING TO RISK A LIFE PRIOR TO HELPING FIX A KNOWN ISSUE I DO NOT THINK I WILL BE PURCHASING ANOTHER FORD AGAIN. *TR

CAR WOULD NOT START ON LOT WHEN I WENT TO LOOK AT IT TO PURCHASE. DEALER REPLACED BATTERY. AFEW MONTHS LATER AFTER CAR SAT FOR A PERIOD OF TIME(1-2 WEEKS) VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. DEALER REPLACED BATTERY SAFER RELAY. FEW WEEKS AFTER THAT SAME THING AGAIN. DEALER SAYS BATTERY MAY BE BAD. REPLACED!! MY LATEST EVENT VEHICLE SAT FOR ABOUT 2 DAYS. TEMP WENT DOWN TO -29 I WAITED UNTIL TEMP WENT UP TO ABOUT -5 AND WENT TO START AND BATTERY WAS COMPLETELY DEAD. TOOK VEHICLE TO AN AUTO ELECTRIC SHOP WHERE DRAW TEST SHOWED AN 80 MILLIAMP DRAIN WHERE NORMAL SHOULD BE ABOUT (FORD SAYS) 50 MILLIAMPS. A WIRE WAS CUT TO THE SUBWOOFER AND DRAIN WENT DOWN TO 17 MILLIAMPS. THIS IS A FACTORY INSTALLED ITEM. I HAVE READ HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ON THE PARTICULAR VEHICLE(2001 FORD EXPEDITION) MINE HAPPENS TO BE AN EDDIE BAUER MODEL. A LOT OF THE PROBLEMS SEEM TO BE LEAKING WINDSHIELDS RUINING THE GEM MODULES AND FUSE BLOCKS. I DON'T KNOW YET IF MY PROBLEM IS SOLVED OR NOT ONLY TIME WILL TELL. I'M SURE A LOT OF THIS TYPE OF THING HAS COME ACROSS YOUR DESK. FORD SHOULD TAKE SOME OF THIS BURDEN OFF IT CUSTOMERS. THEY KNOW THIS PROBLEM WIDELY EXIST AND THEY DO NOTHING. FUTURE GM CUSTOMER. *TR

ON 01/04/10 WE HAD SNOW AND RAIN. I DROVE TO A STORE WITH MY 2001 FORD EXPEDITION AND WHEN I WANTED TO LEAVE THE CAR FAILED TO START. I HAD TO SIT IN THE COLD (13'WEATHER) WAITING FOR SOME ONE TO HELP FOR ALMOST AN HOUR. WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP THE FOLLOWING WEEK, THEY SLAMMED ME WITH $1000 IN REPAIR COSTS - MONEY I CANNOT AFFORD TO SPENT ON A VEHICLE ESPECIALLY IF IT IS THE MANUFACTURER DEFECT, THE REPAIRMAN ADMITTED THAT THIS VEHICLE HAD ISSUES WITH LEAKY WINDSHIELDS THAT GOES INTO THE FUSES BOX AND THE SHORT OUT THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, I DID EXPERIENCE ELECTRIC SHOCK ALSO WHEN I TOUCHED THE VEHICLE, AT THE TIME I DID NOT THINK ANYTHING OF THIS BUT NOW I FEAR THAT THIS ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WILL CAUSE SPARKS THAT CAN CAUSE VEHICLE FIRES. FURTHERMORE - IF YOU'RE DRIVING AND THE POWERSTEERING FAIL DUE TO ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS IT WILL CAUSE ACCIDENTS. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS AND HELP LOYAL FORD OWNERS TO GET THE REPAIRS THEY DESERVE. *TR

THERE SEEMS TO BE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS CAUSED BY A LEAKING WINDSHIELD. THIS CAUSES ERRATIC BEHAVIOR IN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND I EXPERIENCE ELECTRICAL SHOCK WHEN I TOUCHED THE VEHICLE. I WILL CAUSE ACCIDENTS IF IT INTERFERE WITH THE POWER STEERING. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN THIS VEHICLE ACCORDING TO THE DEALERSHIP - THEY SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THERE MISTAKE - NOT SLAM THE CONSUMER WITH A $1000 REPAIR BILL. *TR

MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING HIS 2001 FORE EXPEDITION ON 78WEST , HE HEARD A POP SOUND AND SMOKE CAME IN THE TRUCK , HE PULLED OVER ON THE SHOULDER AND THE TRUCK CAUGHT OF FIRE, TOTALING THE TRUCK. THIS WAS FIRST OCCURRENCE. WE ONLY OWED 2000 LEFT TO PAY, AND NOW MY HUSBAND IS WITHOUT A VEHICLE TO GET TO WORK. *TR

MY 2001 FORD EXPEDITION HAS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM ,THAT CAUSES ME GREAT CONCERN AS TO THE SAFETY OF ME AND MY FAMILY DUE TO ELECTRICAL SHORT CIRCUIT FIRE & ECCT. ,SOMETIMES THE RADIO WILL COME ON WITH THE IGNITION OFF AND SOMETIMES THE HEATER FAN COMES ON FULL BLAST WHEN I CUT THE CAR OFF AND REMOVE THE KEY ,SOMETHING IS KILLING MY BATTERY ,I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE OFF ANY WHERE BECAUSE WHEN I GET BACK TO IT ,IT MAY OR MAY NOT CRANK,THIS IS TRULY A SAFETY PROBLEM THAT I THINK IS ON THE FORD MOTOR CO. TO FIX , JUST LET MY FAMILY GET HURT BY THIS PROBLEM AND I THINK I MIGHT JUST OWN THE FORD MOTOR CO. AFTER THE LAW SUIT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD EXPEDITION. WHEN SHIFTING INTO THE REVERSE GEAR, THE REAR PARKING SENSOR WAS INOPERATIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR INSPECTION. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE RELATED TO THE PARKING SENSOR. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THIS TIME. THE FAILURE MILEAGE 78,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 90,000.

FORD EXPEDITION 2001 RAINING OUTSIDE YESTERDAY AND TODAY FOR FIRST TIME THIS YEAR. YESTERDAY, BATTERY LIGHT ON DASHBOARD (INDICATING ELECTRICAL PROBLEM) WENT ON FOR FIRST TIME. TONIGHT, WENT OUT WITH MY WIFE AND 3 YOUNG KIDS AND AS WE WERE DRIVING COULD TELL SOMETHING WAS DEFINITELY WRONG WITH THE ELECTRICAL; RADIO SHUT OFF RANDOMLY, LIGHTS IN CABIN BEGAN SLOWLY DIMMING, GAUGES WENT OFF THEN HEADLIGHTS, ALL IN ABOUT A 3 MINUTE PERIOD WE WERE TRYING TO GET HOME AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, BUT THE EXPEDITION ALMOST STALLED, ETC. WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE IT HOME IN THE DARK BY THE GRACE OF GOD. WENT ON THE COMPUTER AND BEGAN TO READ AT FORD-FORUMS.COM AND REALIZED OUR ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WAS NOT UNIQUE BUT WAS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM THAT OTHER FORD TRUCK/SUV OWNERS EXPERIENCED. HERE'S A LINK TO THE PROBLEMS SIMILAR TO WHAT WE EXPERIENCED [HTTP://WWW.FORD-FORUMS.COM/FORD-EXPEDITION/594-EXPY-HAS-SERIOUS-ELECTRICAL-PROBLEM-2.HTML] I BELIEVE I'M HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AS THOSE WHO HAVE A LEAKY/FAULTY WINDSHIELD AND/OR WIPER-MOTOR SEAL. THE WATER GETS INTO THE FUSE BOX AND/OR THE GEM MODULE CAUSING ELECTRICAL ISSUES AND/OR FAILURES. I'M GRATEFUL MY FAMILY IS SAFE BUT OUR SITUATION COULD HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS AND EVEN LIFE-THREATENING HAD IT HAPPENED FARTHER FROM HOME OR ON THE FREEWAY. I'M NOT SURE WHAT I CAN DO TO CORRECT THE FAILURE BUT WILL BE CHECKING WITH MY MECHANIC AND FORD DEALER. *TR

DAY BEFORE FIRE, NOTICED SMOKE UNDER THE HOOD. COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHERE PROBLEM WAS. FRIDAY,JULY 31, 2009 DROVE TO WORK BY 8:00AM .ENTERED BLDG AND SOMEONE SHOUTED FIRE!FIRE! IT WAS UNDER MY HOOD OF TRUCK AND THE TRUCK BURNED FROM MOTOR TO DASHBOARD,STEERINGWHEEL,FRONT DRIVER TIRE W/EXTENSIVE SMOKE DAMAGE TO CABIN. TOTAL LOSS. *TR

DRIVING ALONG INTERSTATE,HEARD A HORRIBLE NOISE. STOPPED, LIFTED HOOD AND REALIZED FACTORY INSTALLED SPARK PLUG ON MY 2001 FORD EXPEDITION WITH 5.4 TRITON MOTOR HAD BLOWN OUT. MECHANIC REPLACED COIL,HELI=COIL AND SPARK PLUG. *TR

MY 2001 FORD EXPEDITION CAUGHT ON FIRE AND BURNED IN THE PARKING LOT AT THE VA REGIONAL OFFICE. I LEARNED LATER THAT THERE HAVE BEEN ISSUES WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL FEATURE THAT COULD POTENTIALLY BE THE CAUSE OF THE OCCURRENCE. *TR

VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE AFTER BEING OFF & PARKED FOR 3 1/2 HOURS. *TR

THE BLOWER IN THE FRONT DASH WOULD KEEP BLOWING EVEN WHEN I TOOK THE KEY OUT. I HAD TO LEAVE IT BLOWING ALL NIGHT AT THE APARTMENT COMPLEX....I WAS WORRIED THAT IT MIGHT CATCH N FIRE. IN THE MORNING, THE BATTERY WAS DEAD. I CALLED MY REPAIR SHOP, THEY CAME AND JUMP-STARTED MY EXPEDITION. THEY HAVE NOT WORKED ON IT, YET. I HAVE FOUND AND RECALL THAT THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL ON THIS MAKE AND MODEL (FIRST NOTED IN 2002). *TR