NHTSA Complaint #10249740 — 2003 FORD EXPLORER

MY 2003 FORD EXPLORER HEATING SYSTEM STARTED MAKING A CLICKING SOUND WHEN I TURNED IT ON, THEN I FOUND THAT IF I TURNED IT TO COOL SIDE THE CLICKING STOPPED, NOW THERE IS NOT HEAT AT ALL ONLY COLD AIR. I AM TOLD BY A FORD MECHANIC THAT IT IS A BROKEN BLEND DOOR, AN EXTREMELY COMMON & COSTLY REPAIR SINCE THE BLEND DOOR IS IN A RIDICULOUS SPOT BEHIND THE DASHBOARD THAT TAKES 6-8 HOURS OF REPAIR TO REMOVE & REPLACE THE $20 PART. I FOUND THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER FORD OWNERS DATING BACK TO THE 1993 FORD RANGER MODEL WITH THE SAME PROBLEM...WHY IS THIS NOT FORCED TO BE A RECALL FOR FORD TO TAKE CARE OF THIS PROBLEM? THE PIN THAT BREAKS ON THE BLEND DOOR IS PLASTIC, ANY NIMROD KNOWS HEAT AND COLD WILL CAUSE PLASTIC TO BECOME BRITTLE AND BREAK, THUS YOU WOULD THINK THAT MAKING THE PIN METAL WOULD HAVE BEEN A SOLUTION YEARS AGO, IT IS ONLY A 3-4 INCH PIN...NOT THAT EXPENSIVE TO FIX BUT SURE IS COSTLY TO FIX THIS NUTTY ERROR FOR FORD. *TR