1997 Ford F-250 Electrical System Problems

I HAVE HAD MY 1997 FORD F-250 FOR A FEW YEARS AND BESIDES AN ABI'S I'VEW PREVIOUS OWNER IT HASN'T GIVEN ANY ISSUE. THAT IS UP UNTIL A MONTH AGO WHEN MY INSTRUMENT CLUSTER UP AND QUIT WORKING. THERE WAS NO WARNING AND NO FUSES OR RELAYS FAULTY EITHER, I SPOKE WITH FRIENDS OF MINE WHO OWN SIMILAR MODEL YEARS OF MY TRUCK AND THEY SAY THEY HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUE.

AFTER SEVERAL INCHES OF RAIN MY 1997 FORD F250 LIGHT DUTY BEGAN TRYING TO START WHILE PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY. THE ONLY WAY TO STOP IT WAS TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY CABLE. THE BATTERY CABLE WAS RED HOT AND SMOKING. LUCKILY MY NEIGHBOR NOTICED OR IT WOULD HAVE CAUGHT FIRE. THIS IS THE SECOND OCCURRENCE OF THIS PROBLEM FOR THIS VEHICLE. BOTH FOLLOWED HEAVY RAINS. THE FIRST OCCURRENCE INCLUDED SPONTANEOUS STARTING, INTERIOR LIGHTS COMING ON, LEFT SIDE WINDOW FAILURE, SPEEDOMETER FAILURE, AND CONTINUED OPERATION OF FAN, WINDOWS AND RADIO WITH IGNITION OFF. RESEARCHING THIS ISSUE HAS MADE ME AWARE THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM DUE TO WATER LEAKING THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD AND SEEPING INTO THE GENERIC ELECTRONIC MODULE AND FUSE BOX CAUSING MULTIPLE SYMPTOMS INCLUDING THE ONES STATED ABOVE. *TR

THIS IS THIRD CAM POSITION SENSOR THIS TRUCK HAS HAD (140000 MILES ON TRUCK). HAS DIED TWICE WHILE PULLING INTO TRAFFIC, VERY DANGEROUS ALMOST CAUSED ACCIDENT BOTH TIMES. THIS IS A VERY WIDE SPREAD PROBLEM THAT HAPPENS WITH ALL OF THESE 7.3 POWERSTROKES. I CARRY, AS A LOT OF PEOPLE DO, AN EXTRA ONE IN THE GLOVE BOX FOR THE NEXT TIME IT HAPPENS! *NM

I WAS DRIVING ALONG ON RT 295 DURING A RAIN STORM AND MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING ALONG WITH OTHER ELECTRICAL COMPONETS IN MY TRUCK. I DRIVE A 97 FORD F250 4X4 XLT. LUCKILY I WAS NOT INJURED. I TOOK MY TRUCK TO BE FIXED WHERE I WAS TOLD THAT I NEEDED TO REPLACE MY GEM MODULE AND FUSE BOX. I THOUGHT THAT WAS ODD. THE MECHANIC SAID THAT THE WINDSHIELDS ON THE MODEL OF MY TRUCK IS KNOWN TO LEAK AND DAMAGE THOSE COMPONETS. I COULD OF GOT INTO A SERIOUS ACCIDENT THAT DAY, RESULTING IN DEATH OF ME OR OTHER PEOPLE ON THE ROAD. *JB

DT: CONSUMER WANTED HIS SWITCH ON FRONT OF VEHICLE FIXED. HE HAS BEEN TOLD THAT THE PLASTIC MELTED AND ALLOWED THE BRAKE FLUID TO COME OUT AND CATCH ON FIRE. CONSUMER SAID THAT HE KNEW THAT 2000 AND 2001 YEAR MODELS HAVE BEEN RECALLED, AND CONSUMER WANTED HIS VEHICLE TO BE INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH DRIVER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. DRIVER PULLED OVER AND OPENED THE HOOD. SUDDENLY, VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED HOME. *AK THE CONSUMER HAD TO UNPLUG THE WIRES CONNECTED TO THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER TO STOP THE FIRE. NOW THE VEHICLE HAS NO AUTOMATIC CRUISE CONTROL. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY LOCAL FORD SERVICE DEPARTMENT THAT THE FIRE WAS PROBABLY CAUSED BY THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH. THE MANUFACTURE HAS A RECALL ON F150 PICKUPS BUT NOT THE F250. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED AND THE WIRES HAVE BEEN LEFT UNPLUGGED FOR NOW. *BF *NM

WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, A FIRE STARTED UNDER THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK *SC

VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR TWO HOURS WHEN IT CAUGHT ON FIRE ON ITS OWN. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A GARAGE FOR INSPECTION. THE CAUSE HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED AT THIS TIME. *AK

WHILE PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE, DAMAGING FUSE BOXES AND WIRING HARNESS. ESTIMATED DAMAGE $3.000. NO INJURIES REPORTED.. *JB.......*AK

WHILE PARKED IN THE GARAGE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE CAUSE HAD YET TO BEEN DETERMINED. VEHICLE WAS CONSIDERED A TOTAL LOSS.*AK

THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR 2 DAYS AND A FIRE WAS STARTED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE HORN WAS HEARD BLOWING WHEN THE CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. TWO MONTHS PRIOR TO THE FIRE, THE CRUISE CONTROL STOPPED WORKING. THERE WERE NO AFTER MARKET EQUIPMENT. THERE WAS TRAVEL TRAILER WIRING THAT WAS ON THE BACK OF THE TRUCK. THE VEHICLE WAS INSURED BY UNITRIN 800-777-4342 JL RAUSIN. *AK

I HAVE ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS HAD SPARK PLUGS COME FLYING OUT OF THE HEAD OF MY TRUCK. I HAVE ASKED AROUND AND HEARD THAT ON MOST FORD TRUCKS AND ECONOLINE VANS ARE BLOWING THESE OUT ON THE REGULAR. I HAVE ALSO HEARD THAT IT IS DUE TO THE ALUMINUM HEADS HAVING ONLY 4 WEAK THREADS. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO POINT OUT THE FACT THAT IT HAS HAPPENED TWICE TO ME AND CAN COST ANYWHERE FROM 200 TO 1700 DOLLARS TO FIX DEPENDING ON HOW SEVERE THINGS ARE. I WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE SOME RESEARCH INTO THIS SUBJECT AS I AM SURE THOUSANDS OF OTHERS WOULD. *AK

THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE, CONSUMER BELIEVED THE FIRE STARTED DUE TO A DEFECTIVE STARTER COMPONET.*JB

WHY IS THE IGNITION SWITCH RECALLED ONLY FOR F-150 PICKUP TRUCKS WHILE THE SAME SWITCH IS IN THE F-250 AND F-350 TRUCKS AS WELL? *AK

CONSUMER HEARD LOUD NOISE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH HOOD/PARKED VEHICLE, EXTENDED CAB WAS COMPLETELY BURNT, STATE FARM INSURANCE ANALYSIS WAS IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. *AK

ELECTRICAL FIRE IN STEERING WHEEL. THE WIRE WAS TOO SMALL FOR AMPS. *BF THE CONSUMER DISCONNECTED THE WIRE. *NM

WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT ANY INDICATION CONSUMER NOTICED VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. CONSUMER PUT OUT FIRE. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

CONSUMER HAS HAD A NUMBER OF ALMOST ACCIDENTS DUE TO THE HORN SENSORS LOCATIONS. CONSUMER CAN ONLY FIT THE CIRCULAR PART OF FINGER TIPS ON TO BLOW THE HORN, AND THAT SOMETIMES IS HARD TO FIND, SOMETIMES IT'S TOO LATE. *AK