1999 Ford F-250 SD: fire, smoke or burning smell

Filed Mar 20, 2011 · Engine · 145,000 miles · CA

Ford 1999 f250 5.4l triton v-8 blew spark plug. Lost power, created road hazard and scared the crap outta me when it blew. Made it to side of road safely and got towed. Went online to find out this is a huge problem with this engine as well as other tritons. Spark plug threads are very short length. Not just poorly engineered but engineered to fail. Have read posts saying fires were caused by this problem when fuel mixture ejected from hole caught fire from arcing blown plug. Others claim the plug blew a dent into hood. Cannot imagine the damage to an eye or other if mechanic or other person is looking down into engine looking for reason for ticking noise, when bam, the plug blows out. Ford will fight this tooth and nail because it is an expensive fix. They make tons of money by having their shops pull the engine and replace the head. Please help us.

Filed Apr 16, 2010 · Acceleration · 122,903 miles · KY · fire

Purchased a 1999 ford f250 super duty february,2009. In september 2009, received a letter from ford informing of a recall to the speed control (05s28). On october 6,2009, took the truck to nearest ford dealer which had performed the necessary part to prevent the truck from igniting a fire. On october 17,2009 while the truck was parked in our driveway, it caught fire. We learned from a neighbor: they pulled in their house and seen smoke coming from the truck under the hood. They ran over and grabbed the water hose and tried to open the door, it was locked. They called the local fire dept. And the fire started.the truck's engine started up, the headlights came on and the wipers started going back and forth. My neighbor looked in the window and seen there was no keys in the ignition. The firemen arrived and force and forced the hood up and put out the fire. It was a total loss. We contacted the local dealership where the recalled part was replaced and told us to contact ford motor company. We did, they sent us a letter of needed information from us. When submitted all information and in december 2009 got a reply they were unable to associate with us on our damage.

Filed Feb 20, 2010 · Acceleration · 77,790 miles · IA · fire

On thursday evening february 18, 2010 at approximately 9:45 pm my wife noticed when she took our dog out in our front yard that our 1999 ford f250 lariet 7.3 liter diesel was on fire. I had connected the factory installed block heater to a 120v extension cord at around 9:00 pm that same evening, as usually done in the evenings when it will be driven the next day. Ambient temperature was approximately 25 degrees f. The truck has factory installed cruise control, and was brought in to a ford dealer in around july 2009 as required by a ford recall notice about cruise controls. The service department of the dealership said the cruise control was not defective. Based upon the fire, I believe ford's test procedures to assess the safe operation of the cruise control switch as to corrosion/electrical resistance, and excessive heat generation, is in adequate because it probably does not measure conductivity, and switch assembly temperature. The bettendorf, iowa fire department responded, and extinguished the fire within five minutes once they had the hoses, pry bars, and hydraulic jaws in place. The scott county sheriff department also responded. Our insurance company said the truck is totaled, and awaiting my decision regarding salvage. I will contact an attorney (he was in court) monday february 22, 2010 regarding what I believe that the cause of the fire was the cruise control switch, probably manufactured by texas instruments. The truck has not been moved awaiting directions from the attorney.

Filed Jun 28, 2009 · Electrical, Engine · 89,227 miles · NH · fire · 1 injury

I have a 1999 ford super duty pickup. I was driving home after my sons baseball practice and the unthinkable happened. My truck made a loud bang and noticed a burning smell. I stopped to see what the problem with my truck. As I opened the hood I saw a flash of light and saw the engine on fire. I immediately shut the truck off and grabbed my sons water bottle to try to stop the fire. Luckily I was able to smother the fire out with a baseball glove. My son and I waited for over an hour for the tow truck. The vehicle was towed to a local garage. I was shocked to find out the repair bill of $2700!!!!!! The shop said the spark plug blew out of the engine and caused a fire. And to make matters worse they said this was a known problem with the ford v8 engine!!! I am so upset! I just was laid off from my job because of the economy, I now only have my wife's car for transportation, and get a bill for 2700 bucks? This car has put myself and my 10 year old son in danger because of a known engine problem with ford trucks! Not only that but I had to replace my sons baseball glove from trying to snuff out the fire. I can't believe there isn't some kind of safety recall on these vehicles. I hope you guys can look into this before someone gets killed or burned to death!

Filed May 9, 2009 · Engine · 67,000 miles · GA · fire

Upon starting my 1999 ford f-250 super duty, with the 5.4 triton engine, I heard a loud noise from under the hood. Turned the truck off and popped the hood. The passenger side of the engine was on fire. Extinguished fire with garden hose, and found the 3rd spark plug from the front on the passenger side of the engine had blown out of the cylinder head, driving the ignition coil into the fuel rail repeatedly. The fuel rail ruptured, and the gasoline ignited. Less than 12 months after repairing the truck, the 2nd spark plug on the passenger side was ejected from the cylinder head exactly as before, but without a fire this time. From my research online, I have found far too many vehicles with the 5.4 triton engine with the exact same problem that I have experienced, and I am totally appalled and disgusted that such an obvious design flaw is allowed to remain immune to any form of accountability. Ford motor company should hang it's head in shame, as well as any/every one who turns a blind eye in this matter.

Filed Feb 10, 2009 · Acceleration · NY · fire

Truck caught fire in the middle of the night while parked in the driveway.

Filed Jan 20, 2009 · Electrical · 180,000 miles · FL · fire

I have a 1999 f250 super duty pickup 7.3 diesel. As I was driving it one evening I smelled smoke and saw smoke coming from under the dash and up in the defroster area at the windshield. It then began to flame up from those areas and I slowed the vehicle down and jumped out,fearing I was going to get burned. It was late at night on a country road at 2 am. And the truck burned for almost a half hour before anyone drove by me to call 911. By the time the f.d. Got there the vehicle was totaled destroyed and totaled engulfed in flames. I had a small one gallon gas/oil mixture container( for my chain saw on the floor of the vehicle) which had less than half a gallon in it. I told my insurance co. Of that fact. The insurance co. Now wants me to be deposed under oath. I have nothing to hide and will allow that. However I received information from an anonymous source that the insurance co is trying to deny my claim and even possibly try to charge me with arson and fraud. The engine compartment was melted and the entire truck had burned to bare metal. I had smelled the odor of burning electrical wires on several prior occasions but I never did find the source of the odor. I even had a ford mechanic check it and he didn't find what the smell was from. I believe the culprit was the cruise control switch as I have researched the internet and saw several recalls for such imminent fires from a faulty device. Please advise if my veh. Had that control that is suspect on these latest recalls.

Filed Aug 27, 2008 · Engine · FL

1999 f250 v10- #2 spark plug loosened up flames shot out from around the plug,the cylinder head had a chunk burn out of it around the plug,the coil ,boot and injector wiring was all damaged from the flames coming from the cylinder.

Filed Dec 6, 2006 · Transmission · 114,000 miles · IL · fire

Dt*: the contact stated while backing down a hill at 4 MPH, smoke was noticed coming from under the hood. The vehicle was stopped, the hood was raised, and flames were noticed coming from the passenger side of the engine. The contact extinguished the fire by putting snow on the engine compartment. There was nothing unusual about the way the vehicle had operated prior to the fire. The contact expressed that the fire could have been caused due to transmission fluid leaking onto the catalytic converter. The dealer or manufacturer were not contacted. The automatic transmission was replaced 3 times prior to the incident. Updated 12/28/2006 -

Filed Jul 22, 2006 · Acceleration · 156,077 miles · CO · fire

(1) cruise control inoperative on 1999 f250 super duty since date of purchase on 5/12/06. (2) notified that brake lights inoperative. (3) found 20 amp fuse blown in fuse space #13 and replaced it in front of auto parts store. Stepped on brake pedal to check brake lights. A hissing sound followed by enormous amount of smoke came from under hood. Checked under hood and found the cruise control deactivation switch wet with brake fluid and burnt switch. Found out about recall info online after the fact.

Filed Jul 1, 2006 · Electrical · 110,000 miles · NC · fire

Vehicle seemed to be running fine. Parked in my driveway and 70 minutes later my wife came home and found the truck on fire. Heavy fire was ensuing from the driver side wheel well as well as out the front driver side grill.

Filed Apr 21, 2005 · Electrical · 120,000 miles · AZ · fire

The vehicle was parked for twenty minutes. There was a loud noise, the consumer went to see what caused the noise, and discovered, the vehicle engine was on fire. The fire department responded to put the fire out.