NHTSA Complaint #10336601 — 2004 DODGE DURANGO

INCIDENT OCCURRED ON A HOT, HUMID DAY WHILE TRAVELING DOWN THE INTERSTATE AT 70 MPH. WITHOUT ANY PREVIOUS WARNING, THE A/C, BLOWING AT FULL CAPACITY, JUST STOPPED; THERE WAS NO SOUND FROM THE A/C MOTOR NOR WAS THERE A BURNING ODOR. APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES LATER, I TURNED THE A/C BACK ON TO FIND IT WAS BLOWING EXTREMELY COLD AIR ON THE LOW SETTING. I MADE SEVERAL STOPS AND EVERYTIME THE A/C WOULD WORK; HOWEVER, THE LAST STOP AND START I MADE THE A/C DID NOT WORK. THE SMALL TOWN OF NATCHITOCHES, LA DOES NOT HAVE A DODGE DEALERSHIP ANYMORE; THEREFORE, I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT REPUTABLE AUTO SHOP IN THIS SMALL TOWN. THE MECHANIC AND OWNER OF THE SHOP SAID THAT HE HAS REPLACED ABOUT 3 OR 4 MELTED BLOWER MOTOR RESISTORS. IS THIS A COMMON PROBLEM OR IS IT A DEFECT THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED? IT SEEMS AS THOUGH IF SOMETHING IS MELTING THAT A FIRE COULD START AND CAUSE SEVERE DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE OR WORSE, DEATH TO THOSE IN THE VEHICLE. *TR