NHTSA Complaint #705494 — 1992 FORD EXPLORER

HAVE BEEN REPORTING INTERMITTENT SMOKE COMMING OUT OF THE AIR CONDITIONING DUCTS SINCE 1995. DEALER COULD NEVER FIND THE DEFECT. ON MARCH 29, 1999 WHILE TRAVELING DOWN HIGHWAY 190 IN DEATH VALLEY CALIFORNIA, SMOKE STARTED COMMING INTO THE CAR THROUGH THE AIR CONDITIONING VENTS. PULLING THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, I PROCEEDED TO REMOVE ALL THE VEHICLE FUSES THINKING THAT THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. AFTER PULLING ALL OF THE FUSES THE SMOKE CONTINUED. OPENING THE HOOD, A FIRE COULD BE SEEN COMING FROM THE AIR CONDITIONING EVAPORATOR UNIT. HAVING A WATER BOTTLE IN THE CAR, THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED . AFTER SEARCHING THE NHTSA WEBSITE I FOUND THAT THIS PROBLEM IS UNDER INVESTIGATION. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM SINCE THE VEHICLE COULD HAVE TOTALLY BURNED WITHOUT THE ABILITY TO EXTINGUISH A FIRE. *AK