HI EVERYONE. IM NEW TO THIS SITE JUST BOUGHT 2000 LIGHTNING I LIVE IN ENGLAND.HOW WOULD I GO ABOUT GETTING MY TRUCK CHECKED OVER HERE ANY SGESTIONS? HAS ANYONE GOT PHONE NUMBER FOR TROY PERFORMANCE .WANT TO GET A PREDATOR AND CHIPS AIR FILTER ETC

 

Go to Johnny Lightnings site. He pretty much has everything you could want in the way of mods. There are several other vendors, most good. Check out the vendors section to get their addresses and do a little comparison shopping.

Good Luck,
Mark

 

WESH television, Channel 2 here in Orlando, broke the F150 fire story nationally a few months ago and aired a followup last week. They say that Ford will soon expand the recall to all F150's and Expeditions built between 1997 and 2002. This is basically what many of us (including me) have been saying ever since the problem became widley known. All you have to do is to look at the part to know that they're all the same.

The TV report interviewed a couple of well-known local mechanics who recommended that every affected F150 owner should go ahead and disconnect their curise control connection now in order to prevent the possibility of fire before their trucks are officially recalled.

Mike

 

It's mid-April (ish) and I have a road trip in a few weeks...I desperately need my cruise control back.

Has anybody who had the cruise control disabled actually had the "fix" or heard from Ford/Dealer about when the "fix" will be available?

Thanks,
BB

 

I just leave mine unpluged to be safe in my garage and then plug it back if I'm going to need the cruise on a trip. I'll continue to do this even though mine is an 01 until Ford has a perm. fix! I'd rather be safe than sorry!

 

Find two male connectors, and complete the circuit. that is what I did. The ends of a mini fuse fit perfectly. I cut them out, actually broke the plastic, and soldered a ahort length of wire to the connectors. Plug in the makeshift connector and presto! My cruise works.

Note: All the legal warnings, disclaimers and any other Bull Shït that needs to, goes along with this temporary fix.

Regards

JMC

 

Great fix, JMC -- You da man! Hopefully, the official Ford fix will be as good. (Even your disclaimer is better than the factory's.)

And Eds 01, for those of us not so ambitious and/or mechanically adept, your temporary solution of plugging and unplugging as needed is what the local experts on the TV report recommended.

Mike

 

Silly question, but from the looks of the conectors, it seems an ATM add a fuse male space would fit in one side, and like wise, a mini female spade on the other side.
SAT am when I drive by the NAPA, I am going to pick up the add-a-fuse, and see if I can't make a temp line in-line fuse for this, and fuse it to 5 AMPs.

Just seems like an easy way to get it safe for usage ( until what ever year the parts are in ) without risk of buring up the truck.

Just a thought I have been mulling around this week on the plane ( 9 hours to kill, can't all be work ).

I'll post back an update SAT or SUN when I try to put it together, and pictures if it works.

sms

 

I was just told today what happens. The switch leaks and brake fluid leaks up into the connector and then drips down onto the master cylinder. Becaues this circuit is live all the time and the fluid coducts electricity when it contacts the master cylinder is gets hot and starts a fire. The fuse doesn't blow because it gets bypassed by the fluid coming into contact with the live side of the circuit. I noticed that my switch is leaking. So if anybody plugs their cruise in just for a short trip thay are courting disaster.

JMC

 

JMC,

The reports I have read and also the special report that appeared on local television here in Orlando said that first, the connector would short out and then the resulting heat would melt the plastic brake fluid reservoir, which would then release the brake fluid into the hot connector, thus causing the fire.

 

That is not what I was told. I didn't get my info form a reporter... Believe what you want it doesn't matter as long as the switch remains unplugged.

JMC

 

Sorry I havnt had time to read all the posts on this subject but is my 2003 L at risk of this??

 

Our local NBC affiliate (Channel 2, WESH TV) just reported yet another fire here in Orlando -- this time in an Expedition. They say Federal investigators are poised to issue a huge recall that will probably include all 1997-2002 F-150, Expedition, Explorer, Navigator, Ranger and Mountaineer models. Six million (6,000,000!) vehicles IN ADDITION to the 800,000 already recalled!

Here is a link to the story: http://www.wesh.com/news/4437527/detail.html

When you go to this site, also click on the other related stories. Channel 2 broke this story nationwide and has an extensive file of related news reports.

Mike

 

And the recalls keep getting worse for Ford and GM!
I wonder if the switch area is dry and the seal looks good if you are pretty safe. I think I read that the problem begins due to a leaky seal under the switch...mine is nice and dry. I think I will keep mine unplugged anyway since it stays in the attached garage even though mine is not on the recall.
...for now at least!

 

In addition to the models I mentioned above, Econolines, Windstars and Explorer Sport Tracs built between 1997 and 2002 are also affected.