NHTSA Complaint #10262431 — 2003 FORD TAURUS

2003 FORD TAURUS WAGON. THERE ARE SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUES THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED BY A RECALL: WATER LEAKING THROUGH THE CABIN AIR FILTER AREA INTO CABIN COMPARTMENT AND SEIZING AND OVERHEATING HEATING RESISTOR AND HEATER BLOWER MOTOR. MY FORD DEALER TOLD ME THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THESE PROBLEMS ON MY CAR WHICH IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY THE WATER LEAKING THROUGH THE CABIN AIR FILTER AREA INTO THE CABIN COMPARTMENT IN MANY 2001-3 TAURUS'S HAVE CAUSED THEIR HEATER BLOWER MOTORS TO BIND OR SEIZE WHICH ALSO BURNS OUT THE BLOWER RESISTOR. IT ALSO EVENTUALLY CAUSES MOLD TO FORM IN THE HEATER AREA AND UNDER THE DAMPENED CARPETING. AFTER NOTING A BURNING SMELL SEVERAL TIMES IN MY CAR'S CABIN AFTER STARTING MY HEATER FAN, MY HEATER DEFROSTER BLOWER AT FIRST WOULD NOT WORK- ONLY TO WORK A BIT LATER-UNTIL IT FINALLY CEASED TO WORK COMPLETELY. ON AT LEAST 3 OCCASIONS WHEN THIS HAPPENED MY VISION WHILE DRIVING WAS SEVERELY IMPEDED DUE TO THE WINDSHIELD FOGGING OR ICING UP, AS THE DEAD BLOWER COULD NOT DEFROST IT. WHEN I PULLED THE HEATER MOTOR AND RESISTOR OUT (STILL WIRED) I DISCOVERED THE CAUSE OF THE BURNING SMELL. WHEN I TURNED THE IGNITION AND FAN SWITCH ON, THE MOTOR SEIZED WHICH CAUSED THE RESISTOR TO OVERHEAT TO THE POINT THAT LITERALLY FLAMES WERE SHOOTING OUT OF THE RESISTOR! LUCKILY I SHUT THE FAN OFF COMPLETELY WHEN I SMELLED THE BURNING RESISTOR BUT IT IS FORTUNATE THE CAR DID NOT CATCH ON FIRE. FORD IS WELL ARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND HAS ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN # 04-15-3 TO RESOLVE IT. THE HEATER BLOWER MOTOR AND RESISTOR MUST BE REPLACED ALONG WITH THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDSHIELD COWL (WHICH APPARENTLY WARPS FROM THE SUN AND HEAT) AND AN ADDITIONAL PIECE OF RUBBER MOLDING INSTALLED ON THE RAIN HAT OVER THE CABIN AIR FILTER. ADDITIONALLY AN AREA NEAR THE OVER THE CABIN AIR FILTER MUST BE SILICONE CAULKED AND SOME FOAM INSULATION REMOVED FOR PROPER DRAINAGE. I REPEAT THE ABOVE ARE SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUES THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED BY A RECALL. *TR