Cruise Control Brake sensor switch fires
 

I heard the story on CNN Thursday 6/16/05 about the Cruise Control Switches causing serious fires. They listed my 2002 F-250 Crew Cab as also having the same switch as the one causing the fires. I walked out to me truck with a multi meter and low and behold there it was on the bottom front of the master cylinder. I pulled the plug off of the switch and checked and it did have 12 volts to the switch with the key turned off just like CNN said. I called my daughter who is an engineer for Ford in the Mustang plant. She said she wasn't really aware of any call backs for my year and model truck. I started the truck with the switch unplugged and drove it around the block. No engine lights came on but the cruise control wouldn't even turn on. Being that I don't use cruise that much I just left it unplugged. After thinking about it I've decided to put a lighted on off switch on my dashboard that will break the circuit on the hot side of the switch. That way in order to use the cruise I have to turn the switch on and the light will remind me its still on. I also thought about putting a fuse in the hot side of the switch instead of a on/off on the dash. I don't think that will work though because the pressure switch itself isn't in a shorted condition when it causes the fire, its just doing what it was designed to do except its contaminated with the brake fluid. I also noted that the pressure switch in my truck doesn't sit directly up and down on the top of the master cylinder it is at the bottom of the master cylinder in the front and angles off toward the engine. As far as I can see this just provides more fluid to combust if the switch malfunctions.

Anyone out there had their truck recalled for this? If so what did they do to fix it?

RE: Cruise Control Brake sensor switch fires
 

yes there is certain models for this recall just call your local ford dealer and they will tell you they came out with the replacement switch about 2 months ago, the problemis that the brake fluid is going threw the switch and shorting it out look at your connector make sure there is no fluid that has seeped threw.but if it is part of the recall leave it disconnected.

I had a fire yesterday!
 

So there I was...doing cable work in the attic. The temperature must have been 140 degrees up there. The last thing I needed to hear was my custumer screaming up the attic entrance that my truck was on fire!
I scrambled down and ran out to my smoking truck. After raising the hood I found that the brake cruise control sensor attached to the master cylinder was burning brake fluid that was pooled inside the electrical clip. I am not sure but it seems like the clip is turned up in a cup shape and outside oil can collect there too. Such as spill over from adding it to the engine or in my case they oiled the gravel road. Thus I can't positively identify the chemicals that were burning. It could be only brake fluid but mine looked like oil. I can only say that the truck is ready to burn anything that gets into the clip. They have got a lot of amperage going through that clip when the vehicle is turned off. Enough to boil the oil and ignite it. I had been on the job for over an hour with the vehicle turned OFF. If the customer had not seen it smoking my whole vehicle would have burned up.