NHTSA Complaint #10247223 — 2003 FORD TAURUS

I HAVE TWO VEHICLES AND RARELY DRIVE MY NEWER CAR IN THE RAIN. I TOOK MY NEWER CAR ON VACATION AND WAS RETURNING HOME WHEN IT STARTED TO RAIN. A COUPLE DAYS AFTERWARDS I WAS HEADED TO WORK WHEN MY CAR STARTED TO FOG UP. I TURNED ON THE DEFROST FANS AND COULD BARELY HEAR THE MOTOR RUNNING. I TURNED TO HIGH WHERE IT RAN FOR ABOUT 1 MINUTE BEFORE COMPLETELY FAILING. I FIGURED THAT MAYBE MY BLOWER WAS FAILING. I SEARCHED ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND THAT THIS IS NOT AN UNUSUAL PROBLEM WITH THE 2003 TAURUS AND IS A KNOWN PROBLEM (RECALL NUMBER 03V087000 AND COMPLAINT 10184014). FROM WHAT I AM HEARING, WATER IS LEAKING INTO THE BLOWER UNIT AND CAUSING IT TO FAIL. THE BLOWER IS IN A COMPLETELY USELESS DUE TO THIS LEAK. I HAVE CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID IT WOULD BE ABOUT $500 TO FIX. THIS IS RIDICULOUS FOR A DESIGN FLAW IN THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND A DESIGN FLAW ON THE VEHICLE. THE BLOWER WAS WORKING DURING AND UP TO THE SEVERAL HOURS OF DRIVING IN THE RAIN. *TR