1994 Ford F-150 Electrical System
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
WHILE DRIVING OUR 1994 FORD F150 I BEGAN TO SMELL SOMETHING BURNING. SMOKE BEGAN FILLING THE CAB THROUGH THE VENTS SO I RETURNED HOME AND TURNED OF THE ENGINE. 4 MINUTES LATER I RETURNED TO REMOVE THE CARSEATS AND NOTICED FIRE FALLING FROM UNDER THE PASSENGER SIDE. I WENT TO CALL 911 AND RETURNED 4 MINUTES LATER AND FLAMES WERE COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. WITHIN ANOTHER 2 MINUTES THE WHOLE CAB WAS CONSUMED IN FLAMES AND BURNED UNTIL THE FIRETRUCKS CAME. TRUCK IS A LOSS AND MELTED TO MY DRIVEWAY. LUCKILY MY CHILDREN WERE NOT WITH ME AND NO ONE WAS HURT. *TR
WITH THE TRUCK BEING OFF, SMOKE WAS RISING OUT OF THE STEERING COLUMN. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT WIRES LEADING TO THE TURN SIGNAL SWITCH HAD SHORTED, CAUSING THE WIRES AND WIRE CONNECTORS TO HEAT, SMOKE AND PARTIALLY MELT. THE CRUISE CONTROL STOPPED WORKING, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS NOW OPERATE CONTINUOUSLY WITHOUT BEING COMMANDED, THE TURN SIGNALS DO NOT WORK AND THE FLASHERS OPERATE CONTINUOUSLY. *CN
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE KEY KEPT GETTING STUCK IN THE IGNITION SWITCH. HE ALSO STATED THAT A BURNING ODOR WAS COMING FROM THE SWITCH. WHEN THE SWITCH FAILS, ALL OF THE ELECTRICAL FEATURES IN THE VEHICLE MALFUNCTION. THE FAILURE OCCURS INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 78,000.
I OWN A FORD RANGER 1994 WHICH FOR NO REASON BURNED WITH OUT FAILURE OR EVEN THE ENGINE RUNNING. *NM
ON 3/24/07, OUR 1994 F150 TRUCK CAUGHT FIRE IN OUR PARKING LOT AT APPROXIMATELY 10:25PM. THE FIRE WAS REPORTED TO FORD CONSUMER AFFAIRS ALONG WITH PICTURES OF THE INCIDENT. A RECALL WAS RECENTLY PERFORMED ON THE TRUCK. FORD CONSUMER AFFAIRS NOTIFIED ME ON 4/19/07 THAT THE TRUCK WAS TOO BADLY DAMAGED TO DETERMINE ROOT CAUSE AND THAT THEY WOULD NOT PURSUE REPLACEMENT COST. CAN YOU REVIEW AND DETERMINE WHAT CAUSED THE FIRE? *TR
HAD NOT DRIVEN PICKUP FOR 2 WEEKS AND WAS SITTING UNDER CAR-PORT WHEN CAUGHT FIRE. THE PICKUP CAUGHT FIRE AND WAS A COMPLETE LOSS. *JB
I PARKED MY 1994 F-150 XLT PICK-UP IN MY DRIVEWAY ABOUT 5:00 PM. SUNDAY 9-11-05, I WAS AWAKEN ABOUT 4:00 AM MONDAY 9-12-05 TO FIND MY TRUCK ON FIRE, MY WIFE CALLED 911 AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT RESPONDED IN ABOUT 15 MIN. AND PUT THE FIRE OUT. THE TRUCK WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED AND CAUSED DAMAGE TO MY HOME. *JB
MY WIFE PARKED THE TRUCK IN FRONT OF OUR GARAGE AT APPROXIMATELY 4 P.M. ON JUNE 3, 2004. AT 5 P.M., MY WIFE LEFT IN ANOTHER VEHICLE AND RETURNED ABOUT 5:30 P.M., AND THE TRUCK WAS SITTING IN THE SAME SPOT, UNDAMAGED. AT 6:30 P.M. A NEIGHBOR KNOCKED ON THE DOOR ASKING IF SHE KNEW THE TRUCK WAS ON FIRE. THE TRUCK HAD NOT MOVED IN THAT 2-1/2 HOUR PERIOD. *AK THE INTERIOR, THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, AND EXTERIOR ACCESSORIES WERE DESTROYED BY THE FIRE. I WAS NOT AWARE OF AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH FORD F150 TRUCKS UNTIL I RECENTLY READ A NEWSPAPER ARTICLE ABOUT A SIMILAR OCCURRANCE. THEN, ON JANUARY 8, AN ACQUAINTANCE TOLD ME ABOUT A NEWS REPORT ON A DALLAS TV STATION CONCERNING THE CRUISE CONTROL PROBLEMS WITH THE FORD F150S. I FEEL THAT FORD MOTOR COMPANY HAS AN OBLIGATION TO REPLACE MY TRUCK, AS THEY WERE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND DID NOT NOTIFY ME OR ANY OTHER F150 OWNERS OF THE POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD. THE FIRE WAS COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. ONLY PROBLEM NOTICED BEFORE FIRE WAS THAT IT WOULD CUT OUT SOME TIME. SOMETIMES THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD WORK AND SOMETIME IT WOULD NOT. LIABILITY ONLY.WILL E-MAIL PHOTOS TO BRUCE YORK. NO AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT. NO C&O DONE.
DT: THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AT CONSUMER'S HOUSE WHEN IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. IT HAD BEEN PARKED FOR ABOUT 24 HOURS SINCE CONSUMER DRIVE IT. PUT WATER ON THE FIRE SO IT WOULD NOT BURNTHE HOUSE.*AK
DRIVING INTO CULVER DRIVE THROUGH AND NOTICE SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER HOOD, DROVE CAR OUT OF DRIVE THROUGH AND PARK. CALLED 911 AND BY THE TIME THE FIRE DEPARTMENT GOT THERE MY CAR WAS HEAVY WITH FIRE AND THE CAR NEXT TO IT WAS BURNED AS WELL, TOTAL ESTIMATED DAMAGES WAS $9000. MY CAR WAS TOTALED.
ON AUGUST 5TH, AFTER BEING PARKED FOR SEVERAL HOURS WITHOUT KEYS IN IGNITION AND UNTOUCHED BY ANYONE, OUR 1994 FORD F150 TRUCK BURST INTO FLAMES. IT WAS PARKED AT MY PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE BUT THE TRUCK WAS A TOTAL LOSS. NO ONE WAS INJURED; THE ONLY LOSS WAS THE TRUCK ITSELF.
DT: THE CONSUMER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THERE WAS A SHORT IN STARTER WIRE. THE FIRE STARTED FROM THE WIRE THAT WENT INTO THE STARTER. THE CONSUMER DROVE THE VEHICLE JUST AN HOUR AND HALF TO TWO HOURS BEFORE THIS HAPPENED. *AK THE CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD EXPLOSION, THEN THEY WENT OUTSIDE AND SAW FLAMES SHOOTING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. *SC
ON JULY 6,2005 MY 1994 FORD F150 TRUCK WAS IN MY DRIVEWAY. I HAD DRIVEN MY VEHICLE EARLIER THAT MORNING. WAS PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY AND WAS TOLD BY A NEIGHBOR THAT MY TRUCK WAS ON FIRE. EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE AND HAD IT TOWED TO DEALER. WAS INFORMED THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH OVERHEATED AND CAUSED IT TO BURN UP THE MASTER CYLINDER ALONG WITH IT. THE PAINT ON MY HOOD WAS BURNED OFF. I WAS INFORMED OF A PROBLEM WITH THIS PART CATCHING ON FIRE. MY VEHICLE IS A 1994. THE RECALL IS ON 1995. I BELIEVE THIS IS ALSO AFFECTING THE 94'S.
AT 12:37 PM ON 2/3/05, 1994 FORD F150 P/U CAUGHT FIRE WHILE PARKED AT RESIDENCE. VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN STARTED OR DRIVEN FOR TWO DAYS. VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN DRIVEWAY OF RESIDENCE. VEHICLE WAS IN VERY GOOD CONDITION, INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR, AND HAD REGULAR MAINTENCE PERFORMED ON IT. VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS AND WAS THE ONLY TRANSPORTION I HAD. THERE WAS NEVER A RECALL NOTICE MAILED TO MY HOME ADDRESS FROM FORD CONCERNING THIS MATTER.
THE TRUCK WAS PARKED OUTSIDE OF THE RESIDENCE AND TWENTY MINUTE LATER IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THEN, VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND TOTALED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. *AK
THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AT THE CONSUMER'S PLACE OF BUSINESS FOR 2-3 WEEKS. A FIRE STARTED WITHIN THE VEHICLE AND TOTALLY BURNED THE VEHICLE BEFORE THE LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS UNDETERMINED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. *AK *SC *JB
WHILE BEING PARKED VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE CAUSE WAS STILL UNDETERMINED.*AK *TC CONSUMER CONCERN ABOUT WHAT FORD COMPANY IS GOING TO DO ABOUT THE FIRE IN THESE VEHICLE. *BF
MY 1994 FORD F150 BURST INTO FLAMES WITH NO WARNING OR SIGNS OF A PROBLEM. *JB
FORD F150 TRUCK 1994 ENGINE FIRE TRUCK IS EQUIPPED WITH CRUISE CONTROL TRUCK WAS USED AND TURNED OFF. ENGINE FIRE SPONTAEOUSLY STARTED AND CAUSE A TOTAL LOSS OF THE TRUCK FIRE DEPT SAID THEY THOUGHT IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. OTHER DAMAGE INCLUDED CONCRETE DRIVEWAY WHICH WAS CHARRED AND PITTED OUT DUE TO THE INTENSE HEAT. ONLY HAD LIABILITY ON THE VECHICLE SO NO INSURANCE CLAIM WAS ABLE TO BE FILED. THIS INCIDENT SOUNDS LIKE THE ONES INVOLVED IN THE FORD F150 RECALLS. I CALLED TO REPORT IT TO INSURANCE FOR SAFETY OF OTHER F150 OWNERS BUT NO ONE WANTED MY INFORMATION. I DIDN'T KNOW WHERE ELSE TO REPORT IT UNTIL I SAW THE ARTICLE ABOUT EXTENDING THE RECALL INVESTIGATION TO 1995 MODELS. I ENCOURAGE YOU TO EXTEND IT DOWN TO AT LEAST 1994. THANK YOU SUSAN MARSHALL
MY 1994 FORD F-150 CAUGHT FIRE WHILE IT WAS PARKED AT MY PLACE OF WORK.I NOTICED THE SMOKE AND WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH IT BEFORE CAUSING MUCH DAMAGE. THE PROBLEM WAS WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH WHICH YOU PEOPLE ARE NOW INVESTIGATING. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT YOU ARE ONLY INVESTIGATING YEARS 1995 AND NEWER YET MY VEHICLE IS A 1994. YOU MAY WANT TO CONSIDER EXPANDING YOUR INVESTIGATION TO INCLUDE OLDER MODELS OF THE F-150.
VEHICLE WAS PARKED OUTSIDE THE RESIDENCE. FOUR HOURS LATER, VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED OUT TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND TOTALED THE INSURANCE COMPANY. *AK
VEHICLE WAS PARKED INSIDE GARAGE AND TWO HOUR LATER THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. DRIVER CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND TOTALED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. *AK
WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED THE TIRE BLEW OUT. CONSUMER STATED THAT WAS WHEN HE KNEW THAT VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. *AK
DT: THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY AND CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE CONSUMER'S HOUSE AND THE OTHER CAR. ON APRIL 20, 2006 A 15 AMP FUSE WAS CHANGED. THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON AND IT WOULDN'T TURN OFF. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN OVER 3 FEET IN THE LAST MONTH OF IT'S LIFE. THE KEYS WERE NOT IN THE IGNITION WHEN THE FIRE OCCURRED. *SC *JB *AK
THE OUTPUT WIRES TO THE ALTERNATOR GROUNDED OUT AGAINST THE AIR PUMP AND CAUGHT ON FIRE. CONSUMER SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING, AND SAW SMOKE COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS NOTIFIED. *AK
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The 1994 Ford F-150 has 63 Electrical System complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.