Problems with 2000 Ford Expedition ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

While the vehicle was parked a fire started in the engine compartment. vehicle was towed to the dealership. however, dealership did not resolve the problem. the cause was not determined. *ak same as odi #10099927

Consume rparked the vehicle an d 10 minutes later returned to vehicle and found it smoking. smoke coming from passenger side of engine compartment. on the way in to work the radio was cutting in and out.*ak

Vehicle caught on fire after being parked 5 to 10 minutes. fire centered on driver's side near the firewall. the cruise control and rear windshield wiper failed within 2 months of the fire.*ak

Our 2000 ford expedition burned to the ground sitting in a parking lot. after looking at www.automotiveforums.com, we see many other people had the same experience. they mostly reported rear wiper motor problems/replacements and the cruise control failures. both in our case. we were not hurt. i see some of these other people lost their homes in a fire started by their expedition. do you have any other reports of this? does ford know?*ak

A fire started in the engine compartment of my 2000 ford expedition while parked in my driveway on saturday, october 16, 2004. the vehicle had been off for over 1 hour with the keys out and in the park position. the fire started on the driver's side of the engine compartment and burned very quickly leaving nothing left of the vehicle. fire marshall stated that the cause was unkown but the insurance comany is still investigating. they have claimed the vehicle as a total loss and are replacing it for me. just last night, my neighbor's expedition also caught fire in a similar manner and felt it necessary that i report my incident. *ak

6-12 months ago, 2000 ford expedition started having erratic electrical behavior. windshield wipers quit working during rainstorm while away on vacation. was very hazardous to have happen while driving down highway during a downpour! radio would go on and off while shifting the automatic transmission. took to dealer (still under warranty at this time), they "tightened up some things", problem went away, until next rain storm! due to needing the vehicle, i could not get it back to dealer before factory warranty expired. i thought it would be ok though, because i had purchased a "premium" extended warranty. took to dealer a second time, now truck tries to start itself with no key in ignition, wipers again fail while driving during rainstorm, heater blower motor remains running after exiting vehicle. this drains the battery if left overnight, and results in an inoperable vehicle. truck four wheel drive indicators flash on and off at times while driving. not a good feeling when traveling 70 mph on the freeway. after inspection, dealer informs me that water has intruded into the dash components due to a leaking windshield. they state the extended warranty wont cover it because they dont cover "water intrusions". gem module, fusebox need replaced, windshield resealed to fix problem. quote of about $1000.00 i declined repairs at the time. went home and researched the problem. seems many, many people have had the same problem. i called ford and after many phone calls, they declined to do anything about it. i am very disappointed with ford. have always bought their products because i believed they stood behind their reliability and workmanship. here is a factory installed windshield that started leaking before their 3/36 warranty expired, their dealer "band-aided" the problem instead of fixing the cause of the problem while still under warranty. now i have an inoperable vehicle in my driveway that frankly, seems to be a major safety risk to put my family of six in.

2000 ford expedition eb 5.4lt 4x4 , speed control defect, when driving vehicle gets too hot , a lot of electrical defects like , signal lights , radio lights , mirrors , miles counter, won't work , i check every fuse and relays all ok, a/c problems etc . *tr

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

While parked with the key in the ignition a fire erupted under the hood. *ak

My cruise control had stopped working about 2 weeks prior to this incident. round 5:00 am on yes 9/ 11/ 04 i was awakened by neighbors to let me know that my vehicle was on fire someone called the fire department to put it out. *ak it completely burned up everything it was a 2000 ford expedition xlt. i contacted ford and filed a complaint but they said that it was no wiring problem with my truck and that there was nothing that they could do

Vehicle was running fine. vehicle was driven at 8:00 am. parked in the driveway all day. 5:30 in the afternoon, received a knock on the door with someone informing us that our vehicle was on fire. the vehicle was totally engulfed in flames and totally destroyed, almost catching the house on fire. fire dept stated it was something electrical.*ak

Upon parking the vehicle, it will automatically start itself on its own with no key. also, the windshield wipers were inoperable. please provide any further information. please provide correct vehicle identification number.

The windshield wipers worked intermittently, causing the interior lights, instrument cluster, and windows not to function. manufacturer was contacted by consumer.*ak

After my truck sat in a downpour, i got into it to run an errand. the radio completly shut off when the vehicle was in drive or reverse. when put into park it came right back on. the next rain we had, a few weeks later, i was driving and different instument lights began to come on. 4x4, windshield wiper fluid, etc. lights were illuminated. the vehicle was not in 4x4 at this time and the windshield washer fluid was 3/4 of the way full. a few days later while driving in the rain again my wipers completly quit working. every 10 seconds or so they would kick on again for about 3 seconds and then stop again. this was an absolutly terrifying situation. i was driving in the pouring down rain on an incredibly busy street and my wipers quit. after the first couple of incidents my husband and i narrowed it down to having something to do with rain water. i asked a ford tech about this over the phone and was treated like i had absolutly no idea what i was talking about. i finally took it into a different ford dealership and was told that in fact the seal around the windshield was leaking, allowing water in to short out the electronics. i am very dissatisfied with having to pay for these repairs when the vehicle was not very old an in great condition.

Consumer was awakened after smelling smoke. he went to the garage and the door was too hot to touch. vehicle was on fire. t a recall was received on the windshield wiper motor. however the fire seems started under the hood.*ak

My 2000 ford expedition was parked in my mom's driveway while we went to the beach. we returned 4 hours later and the horn was blaring and smoke was pouring out from under the hood. the fire department disconnected the battery and i had it towed to the ford dealer, who sold us the car. i refused to get back in the car with my kids, after i spent $700 to repair the burned out wiring, and ended up trading it in for a brand new expedition. the recall notice came out in jan -05, after my incident. my friend's f150 went on fire in the middle of the night with the horn blaring - which caused me to investigate the recall. some other fires have involved horns blaring. i want my $700 back. *jb

While the vehicle was parked a fire started under the hood on the driver's side . the fire was put out, and the vehicle was towed. dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. *ak

In process of moving parked vehicle at old house for 1 or 2 hours in driveway, and while talking with neighbor saw smoke coming from vehicle. another neighbor put out the fire with a hose. towed to dealership, and they said the fire started near master cylinder. will fax invoice for repair work. cruise control stopped working for 6 months or a year. no other problems with the vehicle other than the rear windshield wiper malfunctioned. no after market equipment on vehicle.*ak

Prior to our 2000 ford expedition being recalled for the cruise control problems, we experienced electrical problems with the interior lighting group; radio, windshield wipers, etc. after a rain, the windshield wipers would not work and the blower motor would remain on or be on without ignition activation. the battery has run down because of this! we recently experienced the problems again and took the vehicle to our mechanic who recommended an electrical specialist. he diagnosed the windshield seal leak as a contributing factor to the junction box-gem module malfunctioning. *tr

Parked vehicle at 11:00 pm, son slept over garage. when son woke up saw orange color outside window. son warned family. consumer looked in garage and saw smoke. ran out and called fire department. state fire marshal said fire in expedition. insured by american family insurance. agent david potter 417-883-3307. prior to fire rear wiper quit working. 2 weeks prior to fire cruise control quit working. radio had been acting funny. no after market equipment added.*ak

While driving a fire started underneath the hood on the driver's side. consumer pulled over, and had the vehicle towed. dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. *ak

While being parked vehicle caught on fire. the cause of the fire was still undetermined.*ak

I lost my 2000 ford expedition, the insurance investigator report states that it was a faulty ignition wire that caused the loss of my vehicle, and personal affects and at the time i was in the process of moving to my new home and this happened at work, the fire destroyed to other vehicles parked next to my ford expedition everything was a total loss, my insurance company advised i needed to file a claim with my owners insurance, but i had already sold my old home and in the process to close on my new home. *nm

My husband happened to be walking up to my car and noticed the smoke coming from the hood. when he opened the hood the cruise control switch was on fire. we still have it disconnected because we're afraid it will catch the car on fire.*ak

The electrical system came on when there was no key in the ignition. the fan blew and the ignition key sound came on by itself without the key. when placing the key into the ignition it will not shut off. the consumer stated there was a gentleman whose house burned down because of the electrical system doing the exact same thing. this happens everytime it rained. *jb

Fire in engine compartment after sitting 5 hours. key out of the ignition. cruise control had gone out, and a brake light was coming on once in a while. cruise control was out for a couple of months. insured by allstate. they sent an investigator, and he said it was a brake switch that was some how became connected to the cruise control.*ak

While parked the vehicle caught on fire without warning. the fire department stated it was an electrical wiring malfunction. *ak

While in the driveway, the vehicle was in park and the key was out of the ignition switch. vehicle caught on fire, under the hood. dealer notified. please provide further information. *jb

The spark plug went out while the consumer was driving. consumer replaced the spark plug, drove to the dealer, who stated the head was blown and replaced it. currently, the engine blew out. consumer stated the spark plug left the engine again.*ak

While parked the vehicle caught on fire without warning. the cause has yet to be determined. vehicle was considered a total loss, and ten months later a recall was issued. *ak

dt: contact states whenever it was raining the windshield wipers would not work, only after the vehicle was stopped. also, there were electrical issues; the doors would unlock while driving, and radio went on and off. while driving the contact noticed while it was raining the windshield would leak. the windshield and part of the electrical system were replaced.*ak

2000 ford expedtion 4.6, ignition coils failing, dangerous to drive. ford knows it is a design problem, ford dealers not warranteeing or replacing the part.*ak

During rain, windshield leaks into electrical system causing vehicle to malfunction. malfunctions include, windshield wiper failure, electric window failure and radio failure. the electrical system also remains on when the key is out of the ignition causing the battery to drain. i have gone to my car with my keys in my hand and the instrument panel show that i am running 100 mph and 6,000 rpm. the blower for the a/c also continues to run after the vehicle is turned off. when the vehicle is running, it tends to "fix itself" in park and neutral, but when shifted into reverse or drive the electrical system continues to malfunction. *jb

In spring of 2004 the owner of a 2000 ford expedition vin. no. [xxx]. upon opening the hood of the vehicle, the components surrounding the cruise control component and several other components including the abs module were so hot that the driver of the vehicle received minor burns disconnecting the ruptured part of the abs system. the vehicle had been idle and turned off for approximately one (1) hour when the event occurred. upon the vehicle being started the next day, the horn would not work, the abs system light was illuminated and the cruise control would not engage. in april 2004, the cruise control switch was replaced. in late may, the cruise control switch was still inoperative after replacement. on june 14,2005 the complaints called ford with the additional information that the vehicle was continuing to short out in various ways including placing the vehicle in the drive position and a new problem of the radio system would malfunction. when placed back in park,the radio was re-activate. vehicle was examined by parker ford and they advised the horn circuit had been overloaded and a fuse blown in the horn module. they also advised the abs module and pump were in need of replacement. the complainant believes this vehicle represents a continuing fire hazard and that the damaged component failures, all of which occurred at the same time were directly related to the defective cruise control switch. complainant believes that additional vehicles may be at risk due to similar overloads on the electrical systems. vehicle has never been wrecked, submerged in water or altered in anyway from the original factory design.complainant has 24 years prior law enforcement experience. vehicle history is also well known to current kentucky state trooper. request nhtsa in depth review of potential for continuing problems and collateral failures of other components associated with speed control switch. *js information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6)

Consumer parked vehicle at 9:00 am, and at around 4:00 pm fire started in the engine compartment on driver's side. fire spread to house. air conditioner compressor was replaced nearly six months before fire. fuse went out on a blinker. never had problems with cruise control. rarely used cruise control. made a long trip within 3 weeks before fire and cruise were working.*ak

Spark plug blew out with no warning and before recommended time they were to be replaced. threads were stripped. head along with related components have to be replaced. *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

Vehicle was parked by 7 pm in the driveway and the key was taken out of the ignition switch. around 3 am the vehicle caught on fire under the hood. *ak *jb

The ignition coil failed twice which resulted in a sudden loss of power while driving 70 mph. the vehicle was taken to a mechanic who determined that the ignition coil springs were defective. *ak *nm

Water is leaking under the windshield causing electrical components to malfunction. three ford dealers we spoke with, along with a friend who owns an auto repair shop and another who replaces windshields are all very familiar with this problem. *jb

2000 expedition horn failed. *ts when the horn failed to operate an accident occurred and the air bags failed to deploy. on a previous occasion, the consumer experienced problems with the cruise control and the abs. the consumer stated the cruise control has been replaced 4 times and the horn was replaced 3 times. the consumer believed the continued failures of the abs and horn were due to an electrical short in the wiring. *jb

On 6/2/03, expedition at 50,907 miles had coil on plug system on #7 and #8 fail. replaced. on 8/7/03 at 56,363 miles had coil on plug system on #3 fail. replaced. on 5/4/04 at 74,500 miles had cop system on #4 and #2 fail at high speeds. replaced. after replacing five of eight cop systems at a total cost of $1,862.07, i'm not very happy with the system. i was planning on writing up a good evaluation of the 2003 ford expeditions that we had in baghdad, but after this experience, i won't. *ak

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

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

While driving fire started in the steering column. the fire caused the air bag to deploy. consumer was burned very badly, and had to go through surgery. *ak

tl* the contact owns a 2000 ford expedition. the contact stated that the doors would unlock independently while the vehicle was in motion. in addition, the interior and dashboard lights would illuminate at any time while the vehicle was turned off. neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failures. the vehicle was repaired but the failure recurred. the failure mileage was 30,000 and the current mileage was 115,000. updated 11/25/11 *bf updated 11/30/11

11/01 vehicle stalls no power valley ford changes key and re-codes ,3/20 vehicle stalls can't restart/ trouble shots by vallety ford they replace a new battery for a new battery. 3/25/02 back in service officers stalls while driving , he beleives it to be the fault of an electronic gas key on ring, removes key to glove box, restarts vehicle 1 hour later vehicle stalls ,removes key re-starts vehicle operating/ emsg sent to winner ford and valley ford regarding continual problem growing worse with no solution. *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