Saturday morning on the last day of our vacation in San Diego, I heard a clicking noise coming fron the engine compartment of our 98 expedition. I pulled into a parking lot and checked the engine oil and trans fluid, everything seemed to be fine. I restarted the engine and the noise was gone. 2 or 3 miles later the clicking started again and I immediately pulled over again. Before I even got the door open smoke started pouring from the engine compartment. I barely got my family out when the entire front end of the vehicle became engulfed in flames. The fire melted the entire hood and melted everything under the hood except the engine block. The fire blew the windshield out and burned the front half of the interior.

My question is, has anyone heard of fire problems with these vehicles, and what could have caused this? Thanks for your help in advance.

 

Kray, glad everyone got out safely. I haven't heard of any fire problems. The clicking noise was arching of some sort then it hit the fuel system. Sorry about your lost.

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99 Expedition XLT
5.4L
4X4
3.73LS
17"AT/S
Airaid Intake
Superchip
Custom Edlebrock shocks
Dynomax Super Turbo 3"
Helwig Sway Arm
Polk speakers

 

Wow... it doesn't get much nastier than that! Glad to hear you're all okay!
No, have not heard of Ford fires, not since the infamous rubber fuel lines over engine block (in-line fuel filters) of the late 60's-70's.
I would guess something in the primary 12 volt distribution system, that the clicking could have been relays dropping out and picking up again, due to 12 volts going up and down due to a major short. Probably something on battery side of the smaller fuses, in the large diameter wire/high current area, where sufficient power exists to do some real welding.
As you unfortunately got to witness, aluminum (the hood) has a much lower melting point than steel.
Glad you are ok. Please let us know what they find!

 

Please let us know what the insurance company does. It sounds like it may be a total loss or close to it.

Best of luck and hope you get back on the road soon---Bob

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The vehicle above is one of many. Try refreshing. It goes by random but the Expy is exactly like mine.
99 EB Expedition 5.4L, Dark Toreador Red with all the perks,3.73 LS,Heated Mirrors and Seats. Everything but sun-roof. Rhino Step Bar, Ford Bug Shield,Even the hitch propeller, More to come...




[This message has been edited by ExpyBob (edited 07-10-2000).]

 

Hi Kray,

Thank God you were able to get your family out safely, what a scary event!!! Obviously that vehicle is a total loss.

We've not heard of any particular fire problems in these vehicles. Ford has had problems with fires in several of their vehicles, like ambulances of years ago and police cars as well, they were both catching fire up under the dash. All of this was years ago, though.

Best of luck with your insurance company and of course everything else,

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Mike Troyer
Performance Products, Inc.
National Distributor of Superchips
(540) 862-9515
Email: mtroyer@compuserve.com
Performance Products F150Online Superchip ordering system: F150Online Superchip Ordering System
First National F-150 Online Rally Info:https://www.f150online.com/rally2000/index.html

 

Thank you all for your support. The insurance company called me to get permission to move the vehicle to a garage so that their investigator could try and determine the cause. I will let everyone know what the findings are. I only had my expy for 4000 miles, but I loved it. Hopefully I will get a new one. Thanks again.

 

I recall seeing an expedition at copart.com a few months back that was completely incinerated. It doesn't appear to happen any more often than average but if it happens to you its real bad. Just speculating but ... a high capacity alternator just under some vapor recovery lines, and then the fuel rails...hmm. It would be very nice to know if something should be inspected occasionally.

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'99 EB Expy 4x4, 5.4L, 3.73LS w/tow pkg, Ox White, 4WAS Air Suspended
Stock except for: Auxiliary Battery, Re-located CD Player