NHTSA Complaint #11091346 — 2012 FORD FUSION

PURCHASED A 2012 FUSION SEL WITH 35XXX MILES IN FEB16. DURING THE SUMMER OF 2016, THE A/C BLOWER BEGAN TO FUNCTION INTERMITTENTLY ' MANIPULATION OF THE WIRE HARNESS SUPPLYING POWER TO THE RESISTOR WOULD CAUSE THE BLOWER TO TURN ON/OFF. THE BLOWER ONLY RAN AT ONE SPEED (I.E. THE RESISTOR WAS BAD). THE BLOWER AND RESISTOR WERE REPLACED. THE ISSUE IS ONCE AGAIN OCCURRING AT ~80,000 MILES. THIS IS A WELL-DOCUMENTED COMPLAINT (BLOWER PULL TOO MUCH CURRENT AND FRIES THE RESISTOR) WITH THIS VEHICLE AND, OFTENTIMES, FORD DEALERS ARE ONLY REPLACING/REPAIRING THE BLOWER AND RESISTOR. HOWEVER, IN MY EXPERIENCE (AND LIKELY MANY OTHERS), THE WIRE HARNESS ALSO NEEDED TO BE REPLACED TO CORRECT THE ISSUE AS CONTINUITY THROUGH THE WIRING IS ALSO AFFECTED WHEN THIS ISSUE FIRST OCCURS. THIS IS AN OBVIOUS MANUFACTURING DEFECT THAT FORD IS NOT ADDRESSING. FURTHERMORE, THEIR DEALERSHIPS/SERVICE CENTER PERSONNEL ARE NOT ADEQUATELY EDUCATED ON HOW TO PERMANENTLY CORRECT THIS ISSUE (THIS IS EVIDENT BY THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS THAT REFERENCE THE ISSUE RECURRING AFTER ONLY THE BLOWER MOTOR AND RESISTOR ARE REPLACED). THEY ARE CHARGING FUSION OWNERS $500+ TO PUT A TEMPORARY BAND AID ON AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE WELL UNDERSTOOD BY NOW.