NHTSA Complaint #10016520 — 1994 FORD EXPLORER

I OWN A 1994 FORD EXPLORER AND ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS WITHIN THE LAST 18 MONTHS, SMOKE HAS POURED OUT OF THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM, SMELLING LIKE BURNING LEAVES. ON THE FIRST OCCASION, I HAD THE VEHICLE SERVICED BY GAINESVILLE FORD AND THEY CLEANED OUT LEAVES FROM THE SYSTEM THAT APPARENTLY HAD BEEN SUCKED IN THROUGH THE AIR INTAKE. THEY CLEANED IT, BUT DID NOT FIX THE ROOT CAUSE. NOW, APPROXIMATELY 18 MONTHS LATER, I HAD THE SAME ISSUE. AGAIN, GAINESVILLE FORD CLEANED DEBRIS OUT OF THE SYSTEM, BUT HAVE NOT DONE ANYTHING TO PREVENT RECURRENCE. I HAVE SPENT APPROXIMATELY $400 ON REPAIRS FOR BOTH OCCASIONS. FORD KNOWS THAT THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW, BUT REFUSED TO MAKE ANY ALLOWANCES ON THE REPAIR COST AND WORSE YET, CONTINUE TO TAKE NO ACTION TO KEEP THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN AND AGAIN. I FEEL I WAS LUCKY THAT THE SYSTEM DID NOT ACTUALLY CATCH ON FIRE. MY VEHICLE IS NOT PARKED UNDER TREES AND IS ACTUALLY GARAGE KEPT, SO THIS ISSUE IS ABSOLUTELY A RESULT OF POOR DESIGN AND NOT DUE TO ABUSE OR LACK OF ATTENTION BY THE OWNER. *NLM