NHTSA Complaint #10256475 — 2002 FORD TAURUS

HEATER FAN BLOWER ONLY WORKED ON HIGHEST SPEED ONLY. I FOUND OUT FROM A SERVICE TECHNICIAN THAT THE PROBLEM WAS NOT A CONTROL SWITCH, BUT WAS A RESISTOR NETWORK P/N F6DZ 19A706 AA. I REPLACED THE PART AND PROBLEM WAS FIXED (TEMPORARILY). SAME PROBLEM RETURNED 5 MONTHS LATER (9/26/08). MORE INQUIRING AT THE DEALER REVEALED THE PROBLEM SOURCE. WATER LEAKING THROUGH A HOLE NEAR CABIN AIR FILTER. TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN TSB 04-15-3 EXPLAINS THE REMEDY AND REPAIR INSTRUCTIONS. REPLACED RESISTOR FOR SECOND TIME AND INSTALLED WEATHERSTRIP 4F1Z 54022A54 AA, AND PANEL 4F1Z 54018A16 BAA AND APPLIED SILICONE SEALANT IN THE LEAK HOLE. DID NOT REPLACE THE BLOWER MOTOR AT THIS TIME SINCE IT SEEMED TO BE WORKING. NOW 1/25/09 THE RESISTOR FAILED FOR THE 3RD TIME. WILL BE REPLACING THE RESISTOR AND BLOWER MOTOR SINCE IT APPEARS THE BLOWER IS SHORTED AND IS CAUSING REPEATED FAILURE OF THE RESISTOR NETWORK. I ARGUED WITH THE DEALER WB LINCOLN MERCURY THAT IT SHOULD BE A RECALL, BUT IT APPARENTLY WAS NOT CLASSIFIED AS SUCH. ONE FORD TECHNICIAN I SPOKE WITH AT THIS DEALER SAID HE HAD REPAIRED ABOUT A COUPLE HUNDRED OF THESE SAME DEFECTS HIMSELF. REFERENCE RECALL NUMBER 03V087000. *TR