NHTSA Complaint #10141165 — 2002 MERCURY SABLE

HAD BURNT OUT BLOWER MOTOR REPLACED ON MY 2002 MERCURY SABLE AUG 30, 2005. I WAS TOLD BY DEALER THAT THEY JUST GO SOMETIMES. ON OCTOBER 26, 2005 I BROUGHT CAR BACK TO DEALER DUE TO WATER LEAKING ONTO FLOOR ON THE PASSENGER SIDE BELOW THE BLOWER MOTOR. I WAS THEN TOLD THEY HAD A "SERVICE BULLETIN" ON THAT AND IT WAS CAUSED BY A DESIGN DEFECT IN THE CABIN AIR FILTER AND WATER CHANNELS INTO THE BLOWER MOTOR WHICH CAUSES THEM TO BURN OUT. THEY THEN SAID THEY HAVE TO INSTALL A RAIN HAT AND RESEAL THE AREA FOR A COST OF ABOUT 300.00. WHILE REPLACING THE RAIN HAT , THE TECH. PULLED OUT THE NEW BLOWER MOTOR (WHICH WAS FULL OF WATER) TO BLOW THE WATER OUT OF IT AND THEN REPLACED IT. OBVIOUSLY THIS IS WHAT CAUSED THE FIRST BLOWER MOTOR TO GO WHICH COST 270.00 TO REPLACE. I'M SURE THE DEALER KNEW WHAT CAUSED THE BLOWER MOTOR TO BURN OUT BECAUSE THEY HAD THAT "SERVICE BULLETIN" AND SHOULD OF TOLD ME ABOUT THE DESIGN DEFECT THEN AND FIXED THE PROBLEM THEN. I ENDED UP PAYING DOUBLE FOR LABOR. THIS PROBLEM SHOULD BE A RECALL AND THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE. IT'S A DEFECT IN THE DESIGN OF THE VEHICLE AND THE CONSUMER SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY. HOW MANY OTHER SABLE/TAURUS OWNERS HAVE THIS PROBLEM? *NM