NHTSA Complaint #10321851 — 2006 FORD EXPLORER

2006 FORD EXPLORER - RADIATOR FAILURE - VEHICLE HAS 70,000 MILES ON IT. THIS IS THE FOURTH TIME THE RADIATOR HAS HAD TO BE REPLACED. FORD MOTOR COMPANY HAS REFUSED TO OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE REGARDING THE REPAIR OF THIS PROBLEM. HOWEVER, IN APRIL 2009 THEY ISSUED A TSB REGARDING RADIATOR LEAKS OCCURRING IN CERTAIN 2006 EXPLORERS MADE BEFORE 8/8/2006. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT IT IS NOT A "LEAK" IN THE RADIATOR BUT A COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE PART. THEY ARE CURRENTLY ON THEIR FOURTH DESIGN OF RADIATORS FOR THIS SPECIFIC VEHICLE. MY QUESTION IS THIS, WITH ALL OF THE COMPLAINTS REGISTERED REGARDING THIS PROBLEM, WHY HASN'T NHTSA LAUNCHED AN INVESITGATION REGARDING THIS PROBLEM AND WHY HASN'T THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY STEPPED UP AND ACKNOWLEGED THERE IS A PROBLEM AND DONE SOMETHING TO ASSIST THE OWNERS OF ALL VEHICLES THAT ARE SUBJECT TO THE PROBLEM. THIS VEHICLE NEEDS TO BE PUT ON THE RECALL LIST AND FMC BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PROBLEM. THEY EITHER COME UP WITH A DEFINITE SOLUTION FOR THE PROBLEM OR BUY BACK ALL THE VEHICLES AND SEE THAT EVERYONE IS COMPENSATED FOR ALL OF THE REPAIRS THEY HAVE HAD TO PAY FOR AND THAT THEY ARE FREED FROM ANY LOANS ON THE PROBLEM VEHICLES. IT MAKES SENSE TO ME IF FMC IDENTIFIED THERE COULD BE ISSUES EFFECTING VEHICLES MANUFACTURED BEFORE A CERTAIN POINT IN TIME, THEN IT CLEARLY HAS RECOGNIZED THERE IS A PROBLEM AND THEY SHOULD STAND BY ITS PRODUCT AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. MY GUESS IS, THEY KNOW THERE IS A PROBLEM BUT THEY DON'T HAVE A CERTAIN IDEA WHAT IS CAUSING IT OR IF THE TSB AND FOURTH REDESIGN OF THE RADIATOR WILL REALLY CORRECT THE PROBLEM.