1989 FORD F150 Electrical System Problems

WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE, AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE CAUSE HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED.*AK

THE FUSE BOX MELTED OVER THE BATTERY CABLE, WHICH ALMOST CAUSED A FIRE. *JB

I AM AFRAID TO FIX THE TRUCK THIS TIME BECAUSE IT COULD BURN DOWN MY HOUSE OR CAUSE A ACCIDENT. MR

VEHICLE HAS HAD FOUR ALTERNATORS REPLACED, AND TWICE ALTERNATOR HAD CAUGHT ON FIRE. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER WILL BE REPLACED, BUT REMEDY WAS NOT WORKING.*AKI

FOR OVER 20 YEARS I HAVE BEEN AN NIASE & ASE MASTER AUTO AND MASTER MEDIUM & HEAVY DUTY TRUCK MECHANIC. AS I AM SURE YOU ARE AWARE, FORD HAS A SERIOUS DESIGN PROBLEM WITH ALTERNATORS SUCH AS THE ONE USED ON THE MODEL YEAR MENTIONED IN THIS COMPLAINT. STARTING JUST AFTER MY ORIGINAL MANUFACTURER WARRANTY RAN OUT, MY ALTERNATOR CAUGHT FIRE. I WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE BEFORE EXTENSIVE DAMAGE OCCURRED. I CARRY A FIRE EXTINGUISHER ON BOARD. I REPAIRED THE FIRE DAMAGE AND REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR WITH A REBUILT UNIT. BETWEEN THEN AND NOW, I HAVE HAD THREE MORE ALTERNATOR FIRES. EACH TIME I WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE BEFORE EXTENSIVE DAMAGE RESULTED. EACH TIME I MADE REPAIRS BRINGING THE VEHICLE BACK TO OEM CONDITION AND INSTALLED ANOTHER REBUILT ALTERNATOR. TWO OF THE FOUR FIRES, I WAS ABLE TO DETERMINE WITHOUT DOUBT THAT THE FIRE STARTED INSIDE THE ALTERNATOR AND NOT IN THE WIRING HARNESS PLUG. IN ADDITION, I HAVE SEEN NUMEROUS OTHER FORD ALTERNATOR FIRES. I GUESS THIS TIME WAS THE STRAW THAT BROKE THE CAMELS BACK AND COMPELLED ME TO MAKE THIS REPORT TO YOU. FORD REALLY NEEDS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND COME OUT WITH A RECALL TO RECTIFY THIS HAZARD TO MOTORISTS. AS I SAID BEFORE, I'M SURE YOU ARE AWARE OF THIS ISSUE. HOWEVER, IF YOU ARE NOT, CONTACT ANY PARTS HOUSE OR FORD MECHANIC AND I'M SURE YOU WILL GET AN EARFUL. I CAN'T IMAGINE HOW MANY BURN JOBS THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY HAS TO ABSORB NOT TO MENTION THE POOR GUY WITHOUT FULL COVERAGE. I HOPE THIS INFORMATION PROVES TO BE USEFUL TO YOU IN OBTAINING A BENEFICIAL RESOLUTION FOR THE CONSUMER. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME IF YOU DESIRE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*AK

VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER FOR RECALL REPAIR 96V071, CONSUMER HAD NOT RECEIVED THE NOTICE UNTIL NOW DUE TO IT BEING SENT TO AN INCORRECT ADDRESS, DURING RECALL REPAIR A MECHANIC BROKE AN ACTUATOR ROD IN THE STEERING COLUMN AND LOCKED UP THE SHIFTING OF THE TRANSMISSION, CONSUMER WAS CHARGED FOR THE LABOR COSTS AND IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT. *SLC

BACK IN LATE MARCH'01 I LOST MY TURN SIGNALS/ BACK BRAKE LIGHTS,AND WHEN I WOULD PUT ON MY BRAKES, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WOULD LIGHT UP AND OUTSIDE MARKER LIGHTS WOULD COME ON.THEN IN MARCH '01 I KEPT BLOWING FUSES FOR MY TURN SIGNALS,LOST BRAKE LIGHTS,TURN SIGNAL ON DRIVERSIDE REAR WONT WORK AND THEN SMOKE CAME OUT OF MY STEERING COLUMN, AND NOW DONT HAVE CRUISE CONTROL. NEVER RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE .SOMEBODY TOLD ME TO CHECK TO SEE ABOUT A RECALL,THEY HAD HEARD ABOUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME . HOPE WE CAN RESOLVE PROBLEM. STEVE. *AK

BACK IN LATE MARCH'01 I LOST MY TURN SIGNALS/ BACK BRAKE LIGHTS,AND WHEN I WOULD PUT ON MY BRAKES, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WOULD LIGHT UP AND OUTSIDE MARKER LIGHTS WOULD COME ON.THEN IN MARCH '01 I KEPT BLOWING FUSES FOR MY TURN SIGNALS,LOST BRAKE LIGHTS,TURN SIGNAL ON DRIVERSIDE REAR WONT WORK AND THEN SMOKE CAME OUT OF MY STEERING COLUMN, AND NOW DONT HAVE CRUISE CONTROL. NEVER RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE .SOMEBODY TOLD ME TO CHECK TO SEE ABOUT A RECALL,THEY HAD HEARD ABOUT THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME . HOPE WE CAN RESOLVE PROBLEM. STEVE. *AK

AFTER ABOUT TWO YEARS OF OWNERSHIP, VEHICLE STARTED DYING FOR NO APPARENT REASON WHILE SLOWING DOWN, LIKE COMING INTO A STOP SIGN. THIS CAUSED LOSS OF CONTROL ( STEERING AND BRAKES) AND AS THIS IS A HEAVY VEHICLE, I WON'T ALLOW MY WIFE TO DRIVE IT. HAVE TRIED TUNEUPS, ETC. TO NO AVAIL. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, TRAVELING 65MPH, HEARD A LOUD BANG THAT SHOOK THE VEHICLE. PULLED OVER, COULD SEE SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE HOOD. OPENED THE HOOD, AND SAW THE WIRES COMING OUT OF THE ALTERNATOR WERE ON FIRE. CONTACTED THE DEALER. *AK

WE REPLACED ENGINE ON 5/13/98 ,IGN.CYL1/04STEERING COL1/04/00FUELTANK&SENG UNIT1/10/00 WE DID NOT KNOW THESE ITEMS WERE ONRECALL WHAT CAN WE DO TO GET OUR MONEY BACK? SAFTY WAS OUR CONCERN WITH OUR KIDS CAN YOU HELP US PEP BOYS DID ALL THE WORK FOR US. I HAVE RECEIPTS FOR ALL WORK DONE. THANK YOU

MANUFACTURER'S RECALL REPAIRS DONE ON IGNITION SWITCH ON 27 JUL 97 AND 10 OCT 98, VEHICLE HAD UNDER HOOD FIRE. CONSUMER BELIEVED THIS WAS CAUSED BY MFR. RECALL FAILURE. ASKING NHTSA HELP IN THIS MATTER. *AK *YC

A SHORT CIRCUIT WITHIN THE WIRING HARNESS HAS CAUSED THE HORN TO BECOME INOPERABLE. THE PARKING BRAKE CABLE WORE THROUGH THE WIRING HARNESS AND SHORTED OUT THE HORN/SPEED CONTROL/CIGARETTE LIGHTER CIRCUIT. SHORT LOCATED AND REPAIRED BY LOCAL REPAIR SHOP. *AK *ML

WHILE GETTING INTO THE VEHICLE AND STARTING IT UP, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. THE CONSUMER PUT OUT THE FIRE, AND THE FIRE KEPT STARTING BACK UP UNTIL THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO PUT OUT THE FIRE. BATTERY HAD TO BE DISCONNECTED TO KEEP WIRING HARNESS FROM REIGNITING. THIS FIRE WAS A RESULT OF A VERY POORLY DESIGNED QUICK DISCONNECT TYPE CONNECTION BETWEEN HARNESS AND ALTERNATOR. *AK

RECALL 96V071000; FORD MANUFACTURER DID NOT SENT RECALL NOTICE TO OWNER AND HAVE NOT RESPONDED TO THE VEHICLE CATCHING FIRE BECAUSE OF RECALL. *AK

IGNITION SWITCH SHORTED AND CREATED A FIRE THAT BURNED THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE. VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND NOT RUNNING AT TIME.

TFI MODULE FAILED CAUSING VEHICLE STALLING.

VEHICLE FIRE DUE TO SHORT CIRCUIT IN THE IGNITION SWITCH PRIOR TO RECALL.

IGNITION WIRING CAUGHT FIRE.

IGNITION SWITCH FAILED.

IGNITION SWITCH FAILED PRIOR TO RECALL NOTICE.

VEHICLE FIRE ORIGINATED UNDER THE HOOD DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL SHORT, VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR A PERIOD OF MONTHS. *AK

OWNER RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE (#96V071000); PROBLEM NOT IGNITION BUT W/ROD WHICH A SCREWDRIVER CAN BE USED TO PUSH & START VEHICLE & ALSO NOT VERY STABLE & CAN BREAK W/PRESSURE. WANTS ROD FIXED, NOT IGNITION. *AK

TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, THEY REPLACED IGNITION SWITCH. TOOK VEHICLE HOME AND THE IGNITION WAS BROKEN. DEALER SAID THAT THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN ONE REPLACES NEW PARTS WITH OLD ONES. *AK

ELECTRONIC ENGINE CONTROL PROCESSOR FAILED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL.

WHILE PARKED AN ELECTRICAL SHORT CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO CATCH ON FIRE IN THE DASH AREA. *AK

IGNITION SWITCH WIRING SHORTED OUT AND BURNED.

DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH HIT BUMP IN HIGHWAY, SAW FLAMES COMING FROM DASH, PULLED OFF HIGHWAY AND CUT WIRES TO KEEP TRUCK FROM TOTALLY CATCHING FIRE. *AK

AFTER HAVING THE RECALL WORK DONE,THE VEHICLE SOMETIMES WILL NOT START. RECALL#96VO71000. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

IGNITION SWITCH FIRE.

ALTERNATOR SHORTED, CAUSING FIRE.

THE TRUCK STARTED TO SMOKE BEHIND STEERING WHEEL AND CAUGHT FIRE, DESTROYING VEHICLE. THE OWNERS WERE NOT AWARE OF THE RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE'S IGNITION SWITCH WHICH WAS THE CAUSE OF FIRES. THE OWNER WANTS TO BE REIMBURSED FOR LOSS.

THE WIRE CONNECTED TO THE ALTERNATOR HAD MELTED. SMOKE WAS NOTICED, COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. FOUR ALTERNATORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED.

MADE AN APPOINTMENT TEN DAYS BEFORE, ON THAT DAY CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, DEALER COULDN'T FIX TRUCK BEACUSE OTHER PEOPLE CAME IN, RECALL # 96V071000, THE ELETRICAL IGNITION SWITCH . *AK *SLC

IGNITION SWITCH SHORTED, CAUSING FIRE. *DH

WHILE DRIVING, THE ALTERNATOR HARNESS PLUG OVERHEATED AND CAUSED THE ALTERNATOR TO CATCH ON FIRE.*AK CONSUMER STATES AS HE WAS DRIVI8NG HE SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING, HE PULLED OVER AND RAISED THE HOOD AND SAW SMOKE COMING FROM THA ALTERNATOR, CONSUMER PUT OUT THE FIRE AND DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY CABLE, THE HARNESS PLUG WAS MELTED, CONSUMER ALSO HAD ALTERNATOR REPLACED AND ALSO PURCHASED A HARNESS PLUG.*JB

VEHICLE WAS PARKED, ELECTRICAL SHORT, FIRE STARTED UNDER THE DASH AROUND THE STEERING COLUMN. *AK

IGNITION SWITCH SHORTED, CAUSING FIRE. *DSH

DROVE VEHICLE TO SISTER'S, GOT BACK INSIDE OF VEHICLE AND STARTED IT, SMELLED SMOKE, PULLED OFF ROAD, SMOKE CAME FROM DASH AND BURST INTO FLAMES. *AK

DROVE VEHICLE TO SISTER'S, GOT BACK INSIDE OF VEHICLE AND STARTED IT, SMELLED SMOKE, PULLED OFF ROAD, SMOKE CAME FROM DASH AND BURST INTO FLAMES. *AK

DRIVING THE VEHICLE, LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE, UNDER THE HOOD FIRE, ELECTRICAL SHORT . *AK

DRIVING THE VEHICLE, LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE, UNDER THE HOOD FIRE, ELECTRICAL SHORT . *AK

WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDER THE TRUCK. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

IGNITION WHEN TURNED ON STARTS, TRUCK CONTINUOUSLY NOT STOPPING WHEN IS STARTED. SOLENOIDS AND SEVERAL STARTERS BURNED OUT. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM COMPARTMENT FIRE CAUSED BY A SHORT IN THE WIRING HARNESS. 8AK

WIRING UNDER DASH CAUSED FIRE. *DSH

VEHICLE WAS PARKED, UNDER THE HOOD ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE, HAD DRIVEN THE VEHICLE AND REFUELED. *AK *JB

VEHICLE WAS PARKED, UNDER THE HOOD ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE, HAD DRIVEN THE VEHCILE AND REFUELED. *AK

FIRE STARTED IN DASHBOARD WHILE PARKED OVERNIGHT. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

FIRE STARTED IN DASHBOARD WHILE PARKED OVERNIGHT. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL/STARTING PROBLEMS. *AK

IGNITION SWITCH CAUGHT FIRE. *SKD

ELECTRICAL FIRE IN THE DASH BOARD. TT

ELECTRICAL FIRE CAUSED BY IGNITION SWITCH OVERHEATING. *AK