My 1994 Ford Van Burns Up

My van spontaneously burns up on 09/29/11 due to a known design flaw with the cruise control brake switch.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• ford
• van
• fire
• cruise control
• recall

[AntButterNut]

The 'odd sound' we heard was like someone rolling a large plastic garbage can, followed by a two liter soda bottle blowing it's top. (rumble... pop.... woosh). Not very loud at all. It would have never woken us up. I only checked it because I wondered who was in front of our house at 11:30 at night, as we live on an extremely quiet culdesac.

[MEGSIMONEVIDEO]

Thank you so much for posting this as our Ford E350 1997 van sits in our garage now.... we bought it used in 2009.... moving it out to the driveway until we find out if we have this issue. Your wife rocks! We are so sorry about the van :( Thank goodness you moved the boat and saved the house :)

[AntButterNut]

@MEGSIMONEVIDEO - Yes, my wife rocks. If your brake fluid reservoir ever leaks, or you spill fluid while refilling it, the oil penetrates the cruise control brake switch. Mine caught on fire 12 days after I refilled the fluid. This also happens on many similar years of Ford trucks. Your Ford dealer should be able to to tell you how to verify this was corrected on your van, or how to get it corrected for free.

[AntButterNut]

What looks like tail lights on the van are reflections of the infrared night cameras.

It was actually pitch black outside.

When you see color images, my motion sensor floodlamps have come on.

Oddly, when I dug through the ashes, I found a half melted bug repellant bottle, and under it was my boat key.... totally intact.

[MEGSIMONEVIDEO]

Thanks for the reply. We are calling the local Ford Dealer today to set up an apt to get it checked out, and I'm passing this on to all my friends with Ford Trucks too. Thanks again for sharing.