NHTSA Complaint #10445959 — 2008 HONDA RIDGELINE

HVAC FAN MOTOR STOPPED RUNNING AT APPROXIMATELY 72,000 MILES ON 2008 HONDA RIDGELINE RTL; NO FIRE, SMOKE OR SMELL. TOOK TO DEALER TO TROUBLESHOOT, AND ADVISED WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR HAD MELTED (ASKED FOR PART BACK, AND OBSERVED LARGE GREY CONNECTOR WAS MELTED/BURNED AT THE LARGEST BLUE-ON-WHITE WIRE). REPAIR COST $190.26, BUT AM CONCERNED THAT HVAC FAN, AND POSSIBLY OTHER HVAC COMPENTS, MAY ALSO BE DAMAGED AND MAY NEED TO BE REPLACED--WORKING FINE NOW. HAVE SEARCHED ONLINE AND FOUND THAT THIS IS FAIRLY COMMON ISSUE WITH RIDGELINE'S, WAS SUBJECT TO SAFETY RECALL FOR 2006 THRU 2007 MODELS OF SPECIFIC MANUFACTURE DATES, BUT SEEMS TO STILL CONTINUE TO OCCUR THOUGH THE 2008 MODELS AS WELL--APPEARS TO BE FACTORY DEFECT, AND FEEL AMERICAN HONDA SHOULD REIMBURSE ALL WITH THIS ISSUE. DEFINTELY COULD BE SERIOUS FIRE AND SAFETY HAZARD. *TT