NHTSA Complaint #10456075 — 1996 JEEP CHEROKEE

WITH TIME THE BLOWER MOTOR WIRING HARNESS (WHICH IS TOO SMALL FOR THE AMPERAGE) IN THESE VEHICLES INVARIABLY HEATS UP AND MELTS OR BURNS. THE MELTING OF THE HARNESS AND CONNECTOR BEHIND THE BLOWER SPEED SELECTOR SWITCH IN THE DASH AND THE BURNING OF THE SWITCH ITSELF OCCURED IN MY VEHICLE, ALLONG WITH THE FAILURE OF THE BLOWER MOTOR RESISTOR, BUT IN MANY VEHICLES THE RESISTOR IS THE FIRST TO BURN AND FAIL. I HAVE LOOKED AT OVER 20 OF THESE VEHICLES RANGING FROM 1991 TO 1996, AND 30000 TO 220000 MILES, AND EVERY SINGLE ONE ONE THEM HAD THESE COMPONENTS MELTED AND BURNED TO THE POINT OF NOT BEING USABLE, AND MAKING ONE WONDER HOW MANY OTHER VEHICLES HAVE CAUGHT FIRE AND BURNED BECAUSE OF THIS FAULT. SOME OF THESE VEHICLES ALSO SHOWED ASSOCIATED WIRES BURNED OR MELTED IN THE STEERING COLUMN. AN ASSOCIATED SYMPTOM IS THAT THE BLOWER MOTOR CEASES TO FUNCTION, OR (IN THE CASE OF RESISTOR FAILURE, WILL USUALLY WORK ONLY ON HIGH SPEED). THIS SHOWS A DEFECT THAT MAY TAKE TIME TO MANIFEST, BUT WILL ALWAYS OCCUR EVENTUALLY IN EVERY VEHICLE UNLESS THE BLOWER IS NEVER USED. THE BLOWER SWITCH TO RESISTOR WIRING HARNESS AND SWITCH CONNECTOR/PLUG ARE NOT EVEN AVAILABLE FROM DEALERS, BUT THE SWITCH ITSELF AND THE RESISTOR ARE AVAILABLE AS AFTERMARKET ITEMS. HOWEVER, IF REPLACED, THESE WILL FAIL TOO, UNLESS THE WIRING IN THIS CIRCUIT IS REPLACED WITH HEAVIER GUAGE WIRING OR SOMEHOW PROTECTED FROM HIGH AMPERAGE. AS EVIDENCED BY HUNDREDS OF RELATED COMPLAINTS ON INTERNET FORUMS, THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT COULD RESULT IN FIRES, AND POTENTIALLY LOSS OF LIFE. LUCKILY MY FIRE WAS MINOR, DID LITTLE DAMAGE AND WAS QUICKLY EXTINGUISHED. HOWEVER, I'M NOT SURE HOW TO RESOLVE THE ACTUAL PROBLEM PROPERLY, SINCE OEM REPLACEMENT PARTS WILL SOONER OR LATER DEVELOP THE SAME PROBLEMS, AND AVAILABLE AFTERMARKET PARTS ARE NOT IMPROVED OVER THE ORIGINALS. *TR