NHTSA Complaint #10054820 — 2002 FORD TAURUS

I BOUGHT MY CAR NEW IN NOV 01. I NOTICED A STALE SMELL AND COMPLAINED TO THE DEALER AND THEY CHANGED A FILTER. TWO DAYS LATER THE SMELL WAS BACK. THIS MONTH,AFTER A HEAVY RAIN, THERE WAS 1 1/2 INCHES OF WATER ON MY PASSENGER FLOOR AND WATER IN MY HEATER BLOWER WHICH WITHIN A MATTER OF MINUTES KILLED MY BLOWER ON ALL POSITIONS BUT HIGH. I CALLED FORD AND THEY SAID THERE WAS NO RECALLS ON MY VEHICLE. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT MY CAR WAS MANUFACTURED IN OCT 01 AND THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE WINDSHIELD. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS PROBABLY NOT THE WINDSHIELD PUT A DESIGN FLAW AND THEY HAD A KIT THAT WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM AND THEY WOULD PUT A NEW BLOWER IN. I INFORMED THEM THAT I WAS NOT GOING TO PAY ANYTHING FOR THIS THEY SAID THEY WOULD CONTACT THE REP. I SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT AND IN THE MEANTIME CALLED FORD AND TOLD THEM THAT I WAS NOT PAYING FOR IT BECAUSE IT WAS A DESIGN FLAW. I TALKED WITH GLORIA AND SHE TOOK ALL THE INFORMATION AND SHE TOLD ME THAT SHE WOULD ADVISE THE DEALERSHIP AND ALSO THROW IN A CARPET SHAMPOO AND DEORDORIZER TREATMENT. WHEN I PICKED MY CAR UP I WAS CHARGED $36.66 FOR A CONSUMER CO-PAY AND I HAD TO PAY IT OR I COULD NOT HAVE MY CAR. *LA