NHTSA Complaint #10628781 — 2010 MERCURY MARINER

THIS VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED USED FROM A LINCOLN MERCURY DEALER IN EARLY JULY, 2014. MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 63,500 MILES. AT THE TIME THE AIR CONDITIONING WORKED FINE. EARLY IN AUGUST WE NOTICED THE AIR CONDITIONING WAS NO LONGER COOLING THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS AN OUTSTANDING RECALL --- 14S05 -- RELATED TO THE POWER STEERING. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL FORD DEALER TO HAVE THE RECALL WORK DONE. AS A SIDE ISSUE I ASKED THAT THE A/C BE CHECKED. TO MY HORRIFIED SURPRISE I WAS TOLD A "DESICCANT BAG" IN THE A/C ACCUMULATOR HAD BURST AND THE TINY DESICCANT PARTICLES HAD SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE SYSTEM, CLOGGING UP VARIOUS PARTS AND CAUSING THE SYSTEM TO FAIL. THESE PARTICLES CANNOT BE FLUSHED OUT COMPLETELY AND THE ONLY FIX IS TO REPLACE ALL OF THE COMPONENTS OF THE A/C, FOR $2700!!!!! BECAUSE OF THE COST I HAVE NOT HAD THE WORK DONE. THE DEALER PEOPLE ADVISED ME TO FILE A COMPLAINT WITH NHTSA AND TO CONTACT FORD CUSTOMER RELATIONS. I HAVE DONE THAT, BUT NO RELIEF HAS BEEN OFFERED. I WANT TO REGISTER MY OUTRAGE AT THIS SITUATION PARTICULARLY AS A BASIC GOOGLE SEARCH:" FORD ESCAPE/MERCURY MARINER AIR CONDITIONING PROBLEMS OR DESICCANT BAG" REVEALS MANY HUNDREDS, PROBABLY THOUSANDS OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS (REPAIR COSTS UP TO $4000!) AND SHOW THAT FORD HAS BEEN AWARE OF THIS ISSUE FOR AT LEAST A COUPLE OF YEARS BUT HAS TAKEN NO ACTION. I URGE YOU TO HAVE FORD RECALL THE AFFECTED VEHICLES AND REPAIR THEM AT FORD'S EXPENSE. THANK YOU. *TR