1999 Ford Explorer Lighting Problems

THERE WERE SMOKE FROM STEERING COLUMN. TO BE EXACT, FROM "HAZARDS BUTTON" ON TOP OF STEERING COLUMN BEHIND STEERING. IT HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES BUT ONLY FEW SECONDS AND STOP. MY GARAGE MECHANIC CHANGED ASSEMBLY WITH "TURN SIGNAL WIPER SWITCH" AND I THINK FIXED IT. IT IS SCARY SINCE IT HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING HIGH SPEED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH AT NIGHT, THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED FOR TEN SECONDS BEFORE RETURNING TO NORMAL. THE CONTACT NOTIFIED THE DEALER, BUT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 110,493. UPDATED 02-25-08 *BF UPDATED *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED INTERMITTENTLY, THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL DEACTIVATED ON ITS OWN AND SMOKE CAME OUT OF THE HAZARD LIGHT SWITCH AREA. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED BY A MECHANIC. UPDATED 11/09/06. *JB

WHILE STOPPED IN TRAFFIC, TURNED ON LEFT TURN SIGNAL, THE SIGNAL BLINKED 3 TIMES THEN SMOKE CAME FROM THE EMERGENCY BLINKER SWITCH ON THE STEERING COLUMN AND THE TURN SIGNAL BECAME A STEADY LIGHT. I PLACED THE TURN SIGNAL SWITCH IN THE OFF POSITION AND TURNED IT BACK ON, SAME THING HAPPENED. HOWEVER, IF I TURN ON THE TURN SIGNAL WHILE THE CAR IS MOVING, THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN. THIS SITUATION HAPPENED 3 TIMES THIS DAY AND HAS NOT REPEATED. MY HUSBAND CHECKED THE CAR LATER IN THE DAY AND WAS NOT ABLE TO GET THIS TO REPEAT. *JB

TURNED ON LEFT TURN SIGNAL, BLINKER FLASHED 3 TIMES THEN WENT STEADY, UPON GOING STEADY SMOKE BEGAN COMING OUT OF THE EMERGENCY FLASHER SWITCH ON THE STEERING COLUMN. CAR WAS STOPPED IN TRAFFIC WHEN THIS HAPPENED. UPON TURNING SIGNAL SWITCH TO OFF POSITION SMOKE STOPS. THIS ONLY HAPPENS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STOPPED AND DOES NOT HAPPEN WHEN LEFT TURN SIGNAL IS ACTIVATED WHILE THE VEHICLE IS MOVING. IS MY VEHICLE GOING TO CATCH ON FIRE? WAS THERE A RECALL WE WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF? *JB

WHEN USING TURNING SIGNALS STEERING COLUMN BEGAN TO SMOKE. NO FIRE REPORTED. *AK

AFTER SITTING IN A TURN LANE FOR 2-3 MINUTES WITH TURN SIGNAL ON, WISPS OF SMOKE BEGAN COMING FROM STEERING COLUMN. UPON REPEATING THE SCENARIO IN DRIVEWAY SAME WISPS OF SMOKE WERE OBSERVED, AND ORANGE GLOW COULD BE SEEN INSIDE STEERING COLUMN WHEN LOOKING THROUGH CRACKS AROUND HAZARD WARNING FLASHER BUTTON. IN BOTH INSTANCES, TURN SIGNALS BEING TURNED OFF STOPPED THE SMOKE BEFORE ANY DAMAGE COULD BE DONE. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER, AND TURN SIGNAL MODULE WAS REPLACED. OLD PART WAS NOT RETURNED TO ME. DEALER SERVICE MANAGER STATED THE MODULE HAD SHORTED OUT.*AK

THE TURN SIGNAL SHIFT POPPED UP WHEN THE TURN SIGNAL WAS USED. *JB

TURN SIGNAL FAILED TO WORK. SMOKE COMING FROM STEERING COLUMN. POSSIBLE FIRE RISK? DT

WHEN PUTTING ON TURN SIGNAL SIGNAL STARTED TO SMOKE AND CAUGHT ON FIRE. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING.*AK

WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT. I WAS ABLE TO STOP SAFELY ONLY BY OTHER VEHICLE LIGHTS. POSSIBLE PROBLEM WITH AUTO LAMP SWITCH IN VEHICLE. AFTER VEHICLE SAT FOR A WHILE LIGHTS CAME BACK ON. VERY DIFFICULT TO FIND DASH SWITCH AND TURN ON LIGHTS WHILE DRIVING IN THE DARK AT 65 MPH. MR

WHEN USING LEFT TURN SIGNAL THERE IS SMOKE COMING FROM SWITCH. VEHICLE NOT TAKEN TO DEALER YET. *AK

WHILE WAITING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN, THE FLASHER TURNED ON SOLID (NO LONGER FLASHING) AND SMOKE CAME OUT OF THE TOP OF THE STEERING COLUMN AT THE EMERGENCY FLASHER BUTTON. SMOKE STOPPED WHEN I RETURNED THE SWITCH TO THE NEUTRAL POSITION. RIGHT TURN POSITION NOT AFFECTED. I REPLACED THE SWITCH ON MY OWN - PART COST APPROXIMATELY $60.00 AND NOW I UNDERSTAND THAT SOME OF THESE WERE SUBJECT TO A RECALL FOR THE SAME REASON (SHORT/ELECTRICAL FIRE) THAT I EXPERIENCED. I NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE.*AK

WHEN SIGNALING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN, THE INDICATOR LIGHT TURNS ON SOLID (NOT FLASHING) AND SMOKE BEGINS TO RISE FROM A SMALL OPENING IN THE TOP OF THE STEERING COLUMN. RETURNING THE SWITCH TO THE NUETRAL POSITION STOPS THE SMOKE. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES IN THE LAST MONTH. SOME 1999 EXPLORERS ARE COVERED UNDER TSB NUMBERS 00S04 & 00B40 BUT FOR SOME REASON MY VIN DOES NOT FALL WITH IN THE RECALL. I BELIEVE THE RECALL SHOULD BE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE EXPLORERS MANUFACTURED AROUND THE TIME OF MY VIN OR THAT USE MULTIFUNCTION SWITCHES SIMILAR TO THE ONE IN MY VEHICLE.

WHILE USING MY TURN SIGNALS TURNING LEFT I NOTICED THE FLASHER ON THE DASH HAD FROZEN AND THAT SMOKE WAS POURING OUT OF THE HAZARD FLASHER BUTTON AND ALSO OUT OF THE BASE OF THE TURN SIGNAL STEM. THIS CAN BE REPEATED ALMOST EVERY TIME I USE THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL. THE DEALSHIP WILL BE LOOKING AT IT ON 10/27/2000.*AK (DOT NUMBER: VDHL)

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SMOKE WHEN THE TURN SIGNALS WERE UTILIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH WAS REPLACED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 00V072000 AND WAS ABLE TO HAVE THE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH REPLACED AGAIN AT THE MANUFACTURER'S EXPENSE. THE FAILURE RECURRED A THIRD TIME, BUT THE MANUFACTURER REFUSED TO ASSUME LIABILITY SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE LESS THAN 93,113.

WHEN SITTING AT STOP WITH TURN SIGNAL ENGAGED WINDSHIELD WIPERS START WITHOUT ENGAGING SWITCH. *AK

TURN SIGNALS WILL NOT OPERATE WHEN STEERING WHEEL IS IN TILT POSITION . *AK

WINSHIELD WIPERS SOMETIMES GO ON WHEN TURN SIGNAL IS USED. THIS IS DISTRACTING AND COULD POTENTIALLY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY APPROXIMATELY 55MPH AND WHEN THE TURN SIGNAL IS ON THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS RUN. WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL COME ON IF VEHICLE HITS A BUMP IN THE ROAD. CONTACTED DEALER AND MANUFACTURER. *AK