My Ford Maverick EcoBoost caught on fire and exploded!!! 🔥

[Edge Haley]

I've seen several vehicles catch on fire, while they were driving and parked. Nothing mechanical is perfect 100% of the time. Things break. Doesn't mean everyone like it will break. You can't do a recall without other comparable incidents or an investigation of the cause although in this case much of the evidence was destroyed. At this point it doesn't seem Ford could be held liable without a known cause. Insurance is going to have to cover the costs.

From the looks of his fire, investigating the cause of the fire might be difficult. Sounds like an insurance claim, and let the insurance company deal with any Ford issues.

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[Maverickman74]

Exactly, because before there was cell phones we ALL drove until the vehicle burst into flames. Thank the Good Lord for Verizon.....

I remember hitting a horse out in the middle of nowhere years ago. I asked someone that drove by to call the police who responded and got me a wrecker. To say there was no other options .... that isnt true.

Who here has ever carried a dead battery and a toasted alternator 6 miles to a town where there should be a parts store after dark? This Maverickman has!

 

[B2000]

You put out a gas fire with a watering can?

Was in the middle of a subdivision so my choices were limited. Dumped that and then ran and borrowed somebody's hose and hit it with that. Then the fire department showed up and flooded it with foam but it looked like the fire was already out. That was the end of the wiring harness. We got it running but it was never the same.

 

[Sirslayer]

Im gonna skip the 3 pages of interogating this guy.

I offer my condolenses for your beautiful truck. Sorry it happened. I know this stuff gets scary. I had a vehicle flame up when I was in it aswell. Mine was 40 years old and leaked a tranny line onto the exhaust. Glad you are safe.

Now I do believe you may have missed a recall notice. There were multiple early Maverick oil related recalls. Drilling drain holes, removing grill shutters, and even a O-ring replacement were some of the points of interest. I would contact your dealer and ask them about this. It could have a effect on your insurance claims, if they missed it, you could be entitled to compensation of some sort.

As for the issue of driving with the oil leaking that much. Im an old school guy and have a very mechanical and dynamic analytic mind. I tend to think through risks and assess them pretty accurately. On an older car, non turbo, that much oil leakage would be a concern and alot of rag dabbing would be in order. Of course I would check the exhaust to make sure the oil isnt soaking it. On a turbo car, exhaust temperatures are much hotter aswell as other areas of the engine bay. Also turbos may or may not be plumbed into the oiling system. If the system is low on oil at all the turbo and exhaust will get even hotter. This can cause a catastrophic fire, as soon as that fire breaches the fuel system its game over. This is your explosions. This is where people die.

If there was enough oil to reach the underside of the hood at that point it was soaked around the engine. I understand the need to get somewhere safe etc. but really if you absolutely had to drive somewhere I would have waited atleast 20 min for the exhaust and turbo to cool a little, then drove at very conservative speeds to the nearest safe area. At that point a further inspection of the oil situation would have prompted your tow truck call.

This is all hindsight of course, and the odds of this ever happening to you again are very slim. But I just want to encourage every one in this age of ever increasing brain strain, to think things through. If you try to analyze something and reach a point of confusion, SEEK HELP! Call a car buddy, call a parent, call any expert for any situation. No shame in asking for help.

I am sorry for what happened, but the truck DID try to warn you that there was a major issue. Page 162 of the owners manual tells you what to do for a blinking check engine light.

You might not take heed of the warnings given to you (oil splatter, flashing check engine light, smoke,) and that it is all the trucks fault that it did not give you more info, I don't know what else would have worked. Heeding those warning might have meant being down a couple days waiting on repair, instead now you have to wait for a new vehicle.

Also, Just because it is a new vehicle, doesn't mean parts can't fail. That is why there is a warranty.

Wow, that’s important!! The check engine light was flashing but the dashboard kept saying the change engine oil soon. I don’t want to make this thread on about what I should or shouldn’t . It’s about concerns and why it did so , it could make a change for the better for future Maverick owners .

 

[Sirslayer]

Who here has ever carried a dead battery and a toasted alternator 6 miles to a town where there should be a parts store after dark? This Maverickman has!

ive done similar actions on other vehicles but I’m still waiting for a new bumper on my now dead Maverick . Parts are not easy for Maverick.

 

[sanhozay]

I believe the hole drilling recall was only for the Hybrid.

Not true I have an ecoboost and had to do the fuel tank recall because of the driled holes

 

[Maverickman74]

ive done similar actions on other vehicles but I’m still waiting for a new bumper on my now dead Maverick . Parts are not easy for Maverick.

That bumper may be worth some money on this forum whenever it comes in.

 

[crgator]

Was in the middle of a subdivision so my choices were limited. Dumped that and then ran and borrowed somebody's hose and hit it with that. Then the fire department showed up and flooded it with foam but it looked like the fire was already out. That was the end of the wiring harness. We got it running but it was never the same.

The reason I ask is because I was always told never to use water on a fuel or oil fire.

Class B Fires—This fire type involves flammable liquids, solvents, oil, gasoline, paint and other oil-based products. It can occur anywhere flammable liquids or gases are stored, such as a gas station. Remember: Do not try to use water to extinguish a Class B fire. Water can actually spread the flames even further. Instead, use a foam, powder or carbon dioxide extinguisher. Source Everything you need to know about the five fire types

 

[BluegrassNbass]

Dude getting beat up in here!

 

[2016BoostedGreyGoose]

Not true I have an ecoboost and had to do the fuel tank recall because of the driled holes

Wrong. Totally different things. The one you are referring to was holes inadvertantly drilled thru gas tanks during assembly by a technician... the recall wasnt to fix a defect in engineering but rather a lack of skill used during the build of this truck. It was a safety inspection to determine if a technician did drill thru the gas tank. If so it was replaced...if not the vehicle was cleared and released.

 

[sanhozay]

Wrong. Totally different things. The one you are referring to was holes inadvertantly drilled thru gas tanks during assembly by a technician... the recall wasnt to fix a defect in engineering but rather a lack of skill used during the build of this truck. It was a safety inspection to determine if a technician did drill thru the gas tank. If so it was replaced...if not the vehicle was cleared and released.

Yeah I had my tank replaced, I got my truck early on before the recall was sent out, truck was in the shop almost 2 months.

 

[Barracuda340]

ive done similar actions on other vehicles but I’m still waiting for a new bumper on my now dead Maverick . Parts are not easy for Maverick.

I will buy that cover!!! Where are you at?

 

[fossil]

Dude getting beat up in here!

the simple fact that the family was left inside a smoking vehicle until the last minute might have a bit to do with that. might have been a better choice to leave them at the gas station.
note to self, remove everyone/anything important from car, boat, house etc that is smoking!

 

[Hoagus]

Interesting that there were three explosions. Two for the tires, but what was the third?

 

[MakinDoForNow]

Not true I have an ecoboost and had to do the fuel tank recall because of the driled holes

The hybrid required holes to be added to increase air flow in the engine compartment whereas the fuel tank recall was to remove holes in the gas tank.

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