1988 FORD AEROSTAR Electrical System Problems

TRUCK EXPERIENCED ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURE. AS A RESULT THE TRUCK CAUGHT ON FIRE WITHIN TWO HOURS AFTER BEING PARKED. THE FIRE ORIGINATED UNDER THE HOOD. ALL THE UNDER HOOD ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS WERE MELTED. THE HEAT ALSO CRACKED THE WINDSHIELD.*AK

Mileage: 36,520

THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED AND CAUSED THE IGNITION SWITCH TO BE INOPERATIVE. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK *SCC *NLM

Mileage: 386,118

2 FIRES AT ALTERNATOR LAST ONE TOTALLED VEHICLE FIRE DEPARTMENT CALLED. *AK

VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE 6 HOURS AFTER BEING PARKED. STATE FIRE MARSHALL DETERMINED THAT IGNITION SWITCH CAUSED FIRE. HOME AND VEHICLE WERE TOTALY LOST. 3 CHILDREN HAD TO JUMP THROUGH WINDOW TO ESCAPE THE FIRE, ONE SLICED TENDONS ON WRIST. IGNITION SWITCH WAS REPLACED UNDER RECALL 96V071000 ON 30 SEP 1997. INFORMATION PROVIDED BY SHERRIE HANSEN, ATTORNEY.*AK

VEHICLE WOULD NOT START DUE TO FAILURE OF THE IGNITION MODULE. *MJS

NO SUMMARY

DISTRIBUTOR FAILED ON FREEWAY AT HIGH SPEED , AT NIGHT, GOING UPHILL IN HEAVY TRAFFIC 100 MILES FROM NEAREST REPAIR FACILITY. IT WAS NECESSARY TO ROLL VEHICLE BACKWARDS, DOWNHILL IN TRAFFIC TO GET IT OFF THE HIGHWAY. WE WERE VERY FORTUNATE NOT TO HAVE BEEN HIT AND INJURED FROM THE TRAFFIC. I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR THAT CAUSED FAILURE BUT RECENTLY I HEARD ABOUT THE LAWSUIT AGAINST FORD FOR KNOWING ABOUT THE POTENTIAL PROBLEM AND NOT RECALLING OR NOTIFYING OWNERS OF THE POSSIBILITY OF THE FAILURE DUE TO PLACEMENT OF THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS DUE TO ENGINE HEAT. WE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED BY THIS FAILURE AND THE CIRCUMSTANCES YET FORD DID NOT FEEL IT NECESSARY TO WARN IT'S CUSTOMERS. I HAVE FOUR FORD VEHICLES AT THIS TIME. THREE OF THEM ARE LESS THAN THREE YEARS OLD. I MAY NOT BUY ANY MORE FORD VEHICLES IF THIS IS THEIR ATTITUDE THAT THEY WON'T RECALL OR AT THE MINIMUM AT LEAST WARN OWNERS OF THESE POTENTIAL PROBLEMS SO THAT WE CAN MAKE REPAIRS TO CORRECT THE PROBLEMS. FORD WILL LOSE A LOT MORE MONEY BY NOT SELLING MYSELF , MY WIFE AND MY FOUR ADULT CHILDREN ANY MORE FORD VEHICLES , MUCH MORE THAN THE $449.85 REPAIRS, TOWING AND HOTEL COSTS I LOST WHILE MY VEHICLE WAS BEING REPAIRED. *AK

FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED WAS WHEN VEHICLE HAD BEEN PARKED. NOTICED SMOKE FROM UNDER HOOD & ASH TRAY. CHECKED UNDER HOOD & VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. PUT FLAMES OUT. VEHICLE TOWED HOME. FIRE HAD ORIGINATED AROUND THE ALTERNATOR. VEHICLE NOT TAKEN TO DEALER. THE SECOND TIME WAS 3/21/99. *AK

WIRING HARNESS WIRES SHORTED BECAUSE WIRING INSULATION SHRUNK RESULTING IN IT BURNING OUT THE FUEL PUMP IN THE FUEL TANK.

I WOULD BE DRIVING THE VAN DOWN THE ROAD AT A SPEED OF 30-40MPH AND THE ENGINE WOULD GO DEAD WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER RAN THE COMPUTER CODES AND FOUND NOTHING, BUT THE PROBLEM WAS STILL THERE. AFTER THREE FUEL PUMPS, ....ECT, THE ONLY THING THAT WAS NOT REPLACED WAS THE ONBOARD COMPUTER. I GOT A SECOND HAND COMPUTER FOR THE VAN AND WENT TO INSTALL IT. WHEN I UNPLUGGED THE OLD COMPUTER I FOUND THE PROBLEM, THE HEAT OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND AGE CAUSE D THE PLASTIC COATING ON THE WIRING HARNESS TO SHRINK. WHEN THE VAN HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD THE COMPUTER WOULD SHORT OUT, LEAVING NO CODES AND A DEAD ENGINE. I EMAILED FORD, THEY LEFT NO COMMETON THIS. THANK YOU. *AK

I WOULD BE DRIVING THE VAN DOWN THE ROAD AT A SPEED OF 30-40MPH AND THE ENGINE WOULD GO DEAD WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER RAN THE COMPUTER CODES AND FOUND NOTHING, BUT THE PROBLEM WAS STILL THERE. AFTER THREE FUEL PUMPS, ....ECT, THE ONLY THING THAT WAS NOT REPLACED WAS THE ONBOARD COMPUTER. I GOT A SECOND HAND COMPUTER FOR THE VAN AND WENT TO INSTALL IT. WHEN I UNPLUGGED THE OLD COMPUTER I FOUND THE PROBLEM, THE HEAT OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND AGE CAUSE D THE PLASTIC COATING ON THE WIRING HARNESS TO SHRINK. WHEN THE VAN HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD THE COMPUTER WOULD SHORT OUT, LEAVING NO CODES AND A DEAD ENGINE. I EMAILED FORD, THEY LEFT NO COMMETON THIS. THANK YOU. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON AND OFF. VEHICLE WILL SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING, AND THE IGNITION IS EXPERIENCING SOME INTERNAL SHORT CIRCUIT PROBLEMS. *AK

WHEN PUTTING THE KEY INTO THE IGNITION SWITCH, KEY KEEPS GETTING STUCK WHEN TRYING TO CUT OFF VEHICLE AND TAKING KEY OUT, VEHICLE WON'T TURN OFF. COSNUMER HAS TO PLAY WITH THE IGINTION SWITCH IN ORDER TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF. *AK

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER BEGAN TO SEE AND SMELL SMOKE. PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE, PROCEEDED TO LIFT THE HOOD AND SAW HIGH FLAMES. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.

INTERMITTENT STALLING DUE TO IGNITION WIRING OVERHEATING. *AK

WHILE DRIVING APPROX 40 MPH SMELLED SOMETHING SMOTHERING. STOPPED AND LIFTED HOOD AND FIRE HAD COME OUT, AND WIRES WERE MELTED TOGETHER. *AK

ELECTRICAL: DRIVING HOME APPROXIMATELY 20MPH WHEN NOTICED THE SMELL OF SMOKE. PULLLED INTO THE DRIVEWAY AND SMOKE WAS COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. BY THE TIME GOT OUT THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. *AK

WHILE PARKED IN DRIVEWAY VEHICLE SUDDENLY CAUGHT FIRE UNDERDASH IN LOWER AREA OF STEERING COLUMN, NO WARNING, NO FOUL PLAY, VEHICLE TOTALED. *AK

WHILE VIHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE CONSUMER 'S GARAGE, ACCORDING TO THE CONSUMER, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE FROM THE DASHBOARD TO UNDER THE HOOD; MELTING WIRES AND CABLES. *AK

OWNER STATES THAT AFTER DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND PARKING IT VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE, OWNER NOTES THAT THE HOOD BLEW OFF VEHICLE WHEN IT EXPLODED. FIRE DEPARTMENT STATES THAT IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WHICH CAUSED THE FIRE. *AK

ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE ALTERNATOR CABLE, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CATCH ON FIRE AROUND THE ALTERNATOR. *AK

ALTERNATOR CAUGHT ON FIRE WHERE WIRING HARNESS CONNECTS WHILE DRIVING THE CAR. *AK

DEFECTIVE IGNITION SWITCH CAUSED FIRE.

ALTERNATOR FAILED, CAUSING VEHICLE FIRE.

IGNITION SWITCH SHORTED, CAUSING FIRE.

IGNITION SWITCH FIRE.

ALTERNATOR CAUGHT FIRE. *SD

TRANSMISSION WENT OUT, AT SHOP, OWNERS CALLED/REPORTED VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE EARLY IN MORNING, FIRE DEPT PUT OUT FLAMES, FIRE STARTED AT/NEAR STEERING COLUMN.*AK

WAS DRIVING VEHICLE HOME FROM VACATION, SAW SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE DRIVER'S SEAT, VEHICLE STARTED TO BURNING. *AK

PARKED VEHICLE IN DRIVEWAY, WALKED INTO HOUSE, VEHICLE SEEMED FINE, AFTER 5 MINUTES, HEARD LOUD SOUND, OPENED DOOR, ENTIRE VEHICLE ENGULFED IN FLAMES. *AK

WIFE TOOK KIDS TO DENTIST, FELT THE VEHICLE WAS OVERHEATING, SHE POPPED HOOD ON VEHICLE, FLAMES INSIDE NEAR IGNITION AREA, FIRE DEPT PUT OUT FIRE. *AK

AN ELECTRICAL SHORT CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO CATCH ON FIRE UNDER THE HOOD, WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN HOME, PARKED VEHICLE, WENT INSIDE HOME, WAS NOTIFIED BY NEIGHBORS VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES, FIRE DEPT ARRIVED AND PUT OUT FIRE. *AK

VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN HOME, PARKED VEHICLE, WENT INSIDE HOME, WAS NOTIFIED BY NEIGHBORS VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES, FIRE DEPT ARRIVED AND PUT OUT FIRE. *AK

ELECTRICAL SHORT.

VEHICLE WAS PARKED, EXPERIENCED DASH FIRE. *AK

WHILE PARKED 20 MINUTES, TRUCK CAUGHT FIRE W/FIRE DEPT NOT ABLE TO STABLE. ENTIRE FRONT DESTROYED IN FIRE. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

SMOKE EMITTING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN AROUND THE IGNITION SWITCH. *AK

VEHICLE WAS PARKED, ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE , UNDER DASH AND STEERING COLUMN, VEHICLE COMPLETE BURNED ONLY THE FRONT, ELECTRICAL SHORT. *AK

ELECTRICAL SHORT OR SHOCK IN THE IGNITION SWITCH CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CATCH FIRE. *AK

SMOKE COMING FROM IGNITION AREA/STEERING COLUMN. *AK

EXPERIENCED ELECTRICAL FIRE WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. *AK

PARKED IN DRIVEWAY AND NOTICED TRUCK SMOKING, RESULTING IN FIRE AND MELTED ENGINE COMPONENTS. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

PARKED IN DRIVEWAY AND NOTICED TRUCK SMOKING, RESULTING IN FIRE AND MELTED ENGINE COMPONENTS. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

ELECTRICAL COMPONENT SHORTED, CAUSING ENGINE FIRE. *DSH

ELECTRICAL FIRE. *SD

ALTERNATOR FAILED, CAUSING ENGINE FIRE. *DSH

ELECTRICAL FIRE IN PASSENGER COMPARTMENT UNDER DRIVER SEAT. TT

BATTERY FAILED TWO TIMES.