1993 Ford Explorer Visibility Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE IDLING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE CONTACT NOTICED DARK SMOKE COMING THROUGH THE VENTS. THE CONTACT SHUT OFF THE VEHICLE AND RESTARTED IT WHEN THE SMOKE CEASED. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE SMOKE REAPPEARED. THE CONTACT LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD, BUT COULD NOT LOCATE THE SOURCE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT HAD THE HEATER FUSE REMOVED, WHICH STOPPED THE VEHICLE FROM SMOKING. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT YET BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 89,000. UPDATED 05/27/08 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE AC ONLY WORKED ON HIGH AND THE REAR WINDSHIELD WIPER DID NOT WORK. UPDATED

NHTSA ID

10210767

Incident

Dec 3, 2007

Mileage

89,000 mi

STARTED 1993 FORD EXPLORER AND HEATER FAN WAS ON SETTING 2. BURNING LEAF SMOKE STARTED POURING OUT OF THE DEFROST VENTS (HEATER SELECTOR WAS SET TO DEFROST). IMMEDIATELY SHUT OFF IGNITION AND HAD TO DRIVE OTHER VEHICLE TO WORK. WILL HAVE TO REMOVE HEATER BLOWER MOTOR RESISTOR ASSEMBLY AND CLEAN OUT DEBRIS FROM BLOWER HOUSING. NOTICED BURNT LEAF SMELL BEFORE BUT NEVER SAW SMOKE UNTIL TODAY. *NM

NHTSA ID

10172248

Incident

Oct 31, 2006

Mileage

146,000 mi

FIRE IN HEATER BLOWER, 1993 FORD EXPLORER, HEAVY SMOKE IN PASSENGER COMPARTMENT.*AK

NHTSA ID

10049586

Incident

Dec 11, 2003

ANTI-FREEZE IS LEAKING INTO EXHAUST SYSTEM WHICH MAKE IT HARD TO SEE WHEN ANTI-FREEZE IS NEEDED TO DEFOG WINDOW.

NHTSA ID

8007446

Incident

Mar 7, 2002

IN 1998 MY FORD EXPLORER WAS RECALLED FOR NHTSB ID # 97V083000, COMPONENT: VISUAL SYSTEMS: MIRRORS. THE RECALL WAS TO CORRECT A SHORT CIRCUIT CONDITION THAT COULD OCCUR IN THE REMOTE POWER MIRROR CONTROL SWITH CIRCUIT BOARD AS A RESULT OF A SEPARATED PART OF THE CONTACT ASSEMBLY BRIDGING THE SWITCH POSITIVE BATTERY PAD AND ADJACENT CHASSIS GROUND PAD. THE RECALL WAS COMPLETED. BUT, THE EXACT DEFECT STATED IN THE RECALL OCURRED ON MY VEHICLE. EVIDENTLY THE INSTALLATION OF A 10 AMP INLINE FUSE WAS NOT A POSITIVE CORRECTION TO THIS DEFECT! I CONTACTED FORD MOTOR COMPANY AND WAS TOLD THAT I WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPLACING THE "SWITCH". I HAVE THE SWITCH IN MY POSSESSION IF NEEDED FOR AN INVESTIGATION. I BELIEVE FORD SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR REPLACING THE SWITCH. *AK

NHTSA ID

760194

Incident

Apr 3, 2002

THE ALUMINUM FINNED HEAT EXCHANGER UNIT UNDER THE HOOD HAS A PLASTIC SHROUD AROUND IT THE DUCTS FRESH AIR INTO THE AIR CONDITIONING AND HEATER BLOWER DUCTING. THIS SHROUD BECAME FULL OF LEAVES WHICH EVENTUALLY CAUGHT FIRE , FILLING THE ENTIRE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE WITH DENSE SMOKE. I HAD TO PULL THE DUCT WORK UNDER THE HOOD APART AND BLOW OUT THE REMAINING ASH AND LEAVES TO ALLEVIATE ANY FUTURE FIRE SOURCE. FORD HAS A DEFECT IN THE WAY THEY DESIGNED THE FRESH AIR INTAKE DUCTING WHICH ALLOWS LEAVES AND OTHER DEBRIS TO DRIFT DIRECTLY INTO THE BLOWER HOUSING SHROUDING WHICH BECOMES A MAJOR FIRE HAZARD. I NOW HAVE TO COVER THE LOWER HALF OF THE WINDSHIELD AND THE UPPER HALF OF THE HOOD INCLUDING THE FRESH AIR INTAKE DUCTS WITH FIBERGLASS WINDOW SCREEN WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PARKED OUTSIDE TO ASSURE LEAVES DO NOT FILL THE DUCTING SYSTEM AGAIN CAUSING ANOTHER FIRE. I HAVE ALSO FOUND 2 OTHER INCIDENTS OF THIS BLOWER HOUSING FIRES IN OTHER NHTSA INCIDENTS ON THIS SITE AS REFERENCED BY THIS :*AK

NHTSA ID

759113

Incident

Mar 15, 2001

RECALL 97V235000/SUN ROOF: SUN ROOF MALFUNCTIONED WHILE TRAVELING AT 65 MPH ON HIGHWAY. DEALER / MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED ,AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER RECALL DUE TO VIN. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK

NHTSA ID

877082

Incident

Dec 22, 2000

REAR VIEW MIRROR KEEPS FALLING OFF. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY SAID THAT CONSUMER SHOULD TAKE IT TO A GLASS DEALER. *AK

NHTSA ID

876640

Incident

Jan 1, 1994

CONSUMER CONTROL MIRROR SWITCH IS INOPERATIVE. DEALER SAYS THEY DON'T HAVE A RECALL ON VEHICLE. HOWEVER, CONSUMER REMEMBERS RECEIVING RECALL 97V083OOO/ MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 97S70. WILL CONTACT THE DEALER FOR A COPY. THERE WAS NO PROBLEM WHEN THE RECALL WAS RECEIVED. *AK

NHTSA ID

872583

Incident

Sep 1, 2000

THE GLASS SHATTERED FOR NO REASON. REPORTED TO FORD BUT THEY DID NOT SEEM TO CARE!. *AK

NHTSA ID

732782

Incident

Sep 24, 2000

HELLO, I'M HAVING A PROBLEM WITH A SAFETY RECALL FOR MY 1993 EXPLORER ( [XXX]) - POWER MIRROR SWITCH. *AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

731189

Incident

Sep 10, 2000

I WAS DRIVING TO WORK WHEN MY SUNROOF EXPLODED INTO SPLINTERS OF GLASS ALL OVER THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE SUNROOF WAS CLOSED AND I HAD MY DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW OPEN. *AK

NHTSA ID

721088

Incident

Mar 31, 2000

REAR VIEW MIRROR FELL OFF. YH

NHTSA ID

549614

RIGHT SIDE REAR QUARTER WINDOW LEAKED ALSO. BOTH WINDOWS HAD ALL OF THE ATTATCHING NUTS LOOSE INSIDE THE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

713433

Incident

Dec 24, 1998

I WAS PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY AND WAS OPENING UP THE GLASS PORTION OF THE TAILGATE WHEN IT SUDDENLY EXPLODED IN MY FACE. THE GLASS BROKE INTO A MILLION SMALL PIECES AND MANY LARGE JAGGED PIECES. I FOUND GLASS AS FAR AS 20 FEET AWAY, I ALSO FOUND SEVERAL PIECES IN MY FACE AND HAND. WHEN I CONTACTED THE LOCAL FORD DEALER I WAS INFORMED THAT THIS WAS VERY COMMON AND EVERY VEHICLE EQUIPPED WITH A REAR DEFOGGER WILL HAVE THIS HAPPEN. USUALLY AS THEY ARE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD OR SHUTTING ONE OF THE SIDE DOORS. WHEN I TOOK MY VEHICLE IN TO A LOCAL GLASS REPAIR SHOP I WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS NOT NORMAL AT ALL. I PLAN ON SENDING FORD A LETTER, IF I CAN EVER FIND AN ADDRESS TO THEIR CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS, BUT I WANTED TO TELL EVERYONE POSSIBLE ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TO ME. THANK YOU.

NHTSA ID

713224

THIS PROBLEM WAS ADDRESSED BY NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID # 97V083000. FORD MAINTAINS THAT MY VIN WAS NOT AFFECTED EVEN THOUGH IT FALLS WITHIN THE MAKE, MODEL AND YEARS DESCRIBED AND I HAD THE EXACT PROBLEM DESCRIBED. I PURCHASED A $32 REPLACEMENT SWITCH (IDENTICAL TO THE ORIGINAL) AND I AWAIT THE NEXT FIRE.

NHTSA ID

711081

Incident

Aug 4, 1999

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE COMING THROUGH THE VENTS WHICH RESULTED IN A FIRE. DEALER CLAIMED THAT FIRE WAS DUE TO LEAVES BUILDING UP IN THE VENTS. *AK

NHTSA ID

842418

Incident

Jun 18, 1998

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

707192

Incident

May 31, 1997

LEAVES WOULD ENTER THE HEATER SYSTEM FROM THE OUTSIDE AND WOULD START TO BURN WHILE DRIVING. *AK

NHTSA ID

836966

Incident

Feb 2, 1999

BURNING SMELL AND A BIT OF SMOKE COMING FROM VENTILATION SYSTEM. HAPPENS ONLY OCCASIONALLY. SMELLS LIKE BURNING LEAVES SOMETIME. ONCE ENTIRE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT FILLED WITH SMOKE BUT CLEARED OUT QUICKLY WHEN WINDOWS OPEN. I HEARD THAT THIS TYPE OF INCIDENT HAS BEEN REPORTED BEFORE AND IS ATTRIBUTED TO A HOT ELEMENT IN THE BLOWER UNIT. IS THIS SOMETHING FORD DEALERS HAVE A READY REPAIR FOR?

NHTSA ID

704613

HEATER SYSTEM SMELLS LIKE BURNING LEAVES EVERYTIME YOU OPERATE HEATER

NHTSA ID

703690

WHILE VEHICLE IS PARKED, LEAVES AND OTHER FOREIGN ITEMS WOULD ENTER HEATER/VENTILATION AREA. THIS COULD CAUSE A FIRE IF IGNITION SOURCE IS NEAR. TOOK TO DEALER TO HAVE VENTILATION CLEANED OUT. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES. *AK

NHTSA ID

835158

Incident

Feb 23, 1999

LEAVES IN THE BLOWER MOTOR CAUSED SMOKE TO FILL THE CAB OF THE CAR.

NHTSA ID

543843

Incident

Nov 2, 1998

WHEN THE HEATER IS TURNED ON, THE THE PASSENGER'S COMPARTMENT IS FILLED WITH SMOKE. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN. *AK

NHTSA ID

830815

PE98048; BLOWER ASSEMBLY FIRES; WHILE DRIVING WITH THE AIR CONDITIONER ON, SMOKE STARTED COMING OUT OF THE VENTS. TRUCK CHECKED BY DEALERSHIP. DEALER FOUND TH FIRE STARTED IN THE VENTS WHICH WAS CAUSED BY DEBRIS. THE PROBLEM WAS CORRECTED. *AK

NHTSA ID

829911

Incident

Aug 8, 1998