NHTSA Complaint #10215567 — 2003 FORD EXPLORER

I AM ATTEMPTING TO RECTIFY A WELL KNOW PROBLEM ON MY 2003 FORD EXPLORER REGARDING THE HEATER BLEND DOOR FOR THE FRONT HEATING UNIT. IN THIS PARTICULAR INSTANCE I HAVE NO HEAT HERE IN MICHIGAN OF ALL PLACES. DOES FORD HAVE A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM? I HAVE SPOKEN TO SEVERAL FORD PEOPLE AND THEY SAY THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM. IF THE AIR BLEND DOOR BREAKS AND THE SYSTEM IS LOCKED IN THE A/C MODE, DEFOGGING/DEFROSTING THE WINDSHIELD WILL BE A CHALLENGE. EVER TRIED TO MELT ICE WITH AN AIR CONDITIONER? WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO REPORT SAFETY ISSUES. WHEN THE DEALER CALLED BACK , THE FIRST QUESTION WAS THE VEHICLE?S MILEAGE. WHEN I REPORTED 79K MILES THEY SAID SORRY, THE CUT-OFF FOR ASSISTANCE WAS 75K MILES. I ARGUED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS LOGGED AT 40K MILES WITH NUMEROUS FOLLOW-UP CALLS. THEY REFUSED. I CALLED THE 1-800 ASSISTANCE NUMBER AGAIN AND GOT A REAL BONEHEAD. SHE CONFIRMED THAT 75K MILES WAS THE CUT-OFF. I ASKED TO SPEAK TO THE GENTLEMAN TO WHOM I HAD PREVIOUSLY REGISTERED MY COMPLAINT, GIVING HER HIS IDENTIFICATION NUMBER. SHE REFUSED. I HUNG UP AND DIALED THE 1-800 NUMBER AGAIN. THIS TIME I GOT A KIND LADY WHO TOLD ME THAT THE FIELD ENGINEER HAD THE AUTHORITY TO OFFER COMPENSATION. I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT AND THEN LEARNED THAT THE FIELD ENGINEER HAD BACKED OUT OF THE DEAL AND I WAS ABOUT TO FORK OVER $700 FOR REPLACEMENT. HOW IN THE WORLD DOES THE CUSTOMER GET HOSED FOR THIS AMOUNT OF MONEY. I BOUGHT THE TRUCK, KEPT IT INSURED, DID MY MAINTENANCE AND DUE TO A FACTORY DEFECT, I STILL HAVE TO PAY? UNLESS THE VEHICLE IS IN A CRASH OR FIRE, AN AIR PLENUM SHOULD LAST LONGER THAN THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE. THE ON-GOING SAGA CONTINUES, AS THIS BECOMES A SAFETY ISSUE, NOW I CAN'T SEE OUT OF MY WINDOW DUE TO SNOW AND ICE. *TR