1999 Ford F-150 electrical system problems

“1999 FORD F150. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE CATCHING FIRE WHILE PARKED. *LD CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO SENDING IN EXTRA INFORMATION REGARDING THEIR CASE. *AS *TR”

“AROUND 1:30AM ON THURSDAY NOV. 24TH, I RECEIVED A CALL FROM MY NEIGHBOR SAYING MY TRUCK WAS ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SAID IT LOOKED LIKE IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. THAT IT LOOKED LIKE IT STARTED UNDER THE HOOD. THE TRUCK HAD BEEN DRIVEN TO THE STORE THE MORNING BEFORE THE FIRE, AND WAS PARKED AT THE TIME OF THE FIRE.”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE. THE CONTACT WAS ALERTED TO THE FIRE BY NEIGHBORS. THE SECURITY VIDEO FOOTAGE SHOWED THAT SMOKE ORIGINATED FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. FIVE MINUTES LATER, THE VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 05V017000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL); HOWEVER, THE CONTACT WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 200,000.”

“APPROXIMATELY TWO WEEKS AGO (10/2014) I NOTICED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS ON MY 1999 FORD F-150 WERE NOT WORKING. A FEW TIMES ONCE I RETURNED TO HOME I NOTICED THAT WHEN I SHIFTED THE TRUCK INTO PARK, THE HEADLIGHTS CAME ON. IT DID NOT APPEAR TO MATTER IF THE HIGH BEAM OR LOW BEAM LIGHTS WERE ACTIVATED. I STARTED TO INSPECT THE HEADLIGHT OPERATION AND NOTICED THAT WHEN I TILTED THE STEERING WHEEL TO IT'S LOWEST POSITION, TYPICALLY IT'S OPERATING POSITION, THE HEADLIGHTS TURNED OFF. WHEN I TILTED THE WHEEL UP SLIGHTLY TO THE NEXT POSITION, THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD COME ON. TODAY, 10/19/2014 I REMOVED THE TRIM AROUND THE STEERING COLUMN AND NOTICED THAT THERE ARE TWO WIRES THAT HAVE BROKEN AND SEPARATED FROM THE WIRING HARNESSES THAT ATTACH TO THE TURN SIGNAL ASSEMBLY AND SEVERAL CONTACTS THAT ARE LOOSE IN THE UPPER HARNESS. I HAVE TAKEN PHOTOS AND A VIDEO SHOWING THE PARTS THAT ARE LOOSE AND OR BROKEN. BECAUSE THESE BROKEN WIRES AND CONTACTS ARE LOOSE AND AFFECT THE OPERATION OF THE HEADLIGHTS, I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE RISK OF A SHORT OR SPARKS THAT THEY COULD CREATE AND WITHOUT FULLY OPERATIONAL HEADLIGHTS, THE VEHICLE IS NOT DRIVABLE. I AM THE SECOND OWNER OF THE TRUCK…”

“I PURCHASED THIS FORD F150 1999 ABOUT SEVEN YEARS AGO. I HAVE NOTICED FROM THE FIRST TIME I DROVE IT, WHEN I FIRST START IT UP I HEAR A SERIES OF DINGS (LIKE ONES YOU WOULD HEAR FOR SEAT BELT NOT FASTENED), BUT THE SEAT BELTS ARE FASTENED. MY RADIO SOMETIMES HAS POWER AND WORKS, OTHER TIMES IT HAS NO POWER TO COME ON. SOMETIMES MY ODOMETER IS ON AND I CAN READ MY MILEAGE, MOST OF THE TIME ITS OFF. SOMETIMES WHEN THE BLOWER FAN IS BEING USED IT DOES NOT GO OF WHEN THE IGNITION KEY IS TURNED OFF AND REMOVED, THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THIS PROBLEM IS TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY. I HAVE HEARD ON OCCASIONS, A CLICKING SOUND BEHIND THE DASHBOARD AREA, AGAIN THE ONLY WAY TO MAKE THIS PROBLEM STOP WAS TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY CONNECTIONS. I FEAR IT MAY LEAD TO, OR CAUSE A FIRE SOMEHOW. MOST OF THE TIME I CAN LEAVE MY TRUCK PARKED, AND START IT UP THE NEXT DAY, SOMETIMES AFTER SITTING OVER NIGHT THE BATTERY IS MYSTERIOUSLY DRAINED DEAD THE NEXT MORNING. I HAVE BEEN DILIGENT TO MAKE SURE I HAVE LEFT NOTHING ON THAT COULD IN ANY WAY DRAIN THE BATTERY. I FEAR THESE ARE MANUFACTURER PROBLEMS, DO I HAVE ANY OPTIONS TO GET THESE ISSUES REPAIRED? *TR”

“THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN ONGOING SINCE WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE NEW IN OCTOBER 1998. THE FIRST INSTANCE WAS WHILE DRIVING LONG DISTANCE OVER A HOLIDAY WEEK. INITIALLY IT WAS ONLY THE WIPERS THAT WOULD TURN ON THEN OFF WITHOUT MANUALLY DOING SO. THIS HAS GONE ON FOR NEARLY 15YRS. MOST RECENTLY, THE WIPERS WILL NOT TURN OFF AND ACTUALLY NOW TURN ON AT A FASTER RATE ON THEIR OWN, WINDOW WASHER FLUID CONTROL IS VERY SENSITIVE AND WILL TURN ON WITH A LIGHT TOUCH TO THE TURN INDICATOR AND WON'T TURN OFF, THE DASH DISPLAY WILL TURN OFF, AND THE RADIO DISPLAY IS NOT WORKING (RADIO WORKS). WE HAVE FOUND THAT THE STEERING WHEEL HAS TO BE SET AT THE TOP POSITION IN ORDER FOR THE WIPERS TO NOT TURN ON AS MUCH (IT IS VERY FREQUENT NOW). WE HAD THE TRUCK LOOKED AT WITHIN THE FIRST FEW MONTHS OF OWNERSHIP BY THE FORD DEALER FOR THE WIPER ISSUE, AND NOTHING WAS FOUND TO RESOLVE. AFTER READING THROUGH OTHER FILED COMPLAINTS, I AM HOPING THAT THE TRUCK WILL NOT BURST INTO FLAMES DUE TO THE FAULTY ELECTRICAL GOING ON IN THE PANEL AND STEERING.”