# 2016 FORD EXPEDITION — EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
> NHTSA complaint `1710409` · 2020-12-02 · Ford Motor Company
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 0
- **Fire:** Yes
- **Crash:** No
- **Police report:** No
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** FORD
- **Model:** EXPEDITION
- **Year:** 2016
- **Manufacturer:** Ford Motor Company
- **Component:** EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
- **Miles at failure:** 82,000
## Narrative
STARTED THE CAR TO GET HEATER GOING AND WARMED UP AND STARTED BUCKLING MY KIDS UP IN THEIR CAR SEATS. THAT'S WHEN I STARTED TO SMELL AN ELECTRICAL BURNING SMELL COMING THROUGH THE VENTS. I TURNED THE HEATER OFF AND THE SMELL GOT STRONGER. I TURNED THE HEATER BACK ON AND SMELLED IT EVEN WORSE. I IMMEDIATELY SWITCHED IT TO AC INSTEAD OF HEAT AND THEN I STARTED TO NOTICE SMOKE COMING THROUGH THE AIR VENTS. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED THE CAR OFF. THE SMOKE CONTINUED TO BELLO OUT OF THE AIR VENTS. AS SOON AND THE INTERIOR LIGHTS TURNED OFF I NOTICED A GLOW UNDER THE PASSENGER DASH DOWN BY THE CORNER OF THE FLOORBOARD. WHEN I WENT AROUND TO LOOK TO SEE WHAT WAS GLOWING I NOTICED THERE WAS A FIRE DOWN IN THAT CORNER AND IT WAS ALREADY BIG ENOUGH THAT I COULDN'T BLOW IT OUT NO MATTER HOW HARD I BLEW. I AM THANKFUL THAT I KEEP A FIRE EXTINGUISHER IN MY GARAGE AND WAS ABLE TO QUICKLY PUT IT OUT.  I NORMALLY STRAP MY KIDS IN AND TURN ON A MOVIE FOR THEM WHILE I GO BACK IN THE HOUSE AND SPEND AROUND 3 TO 5 MINUTES GETTING THE KIDS WATERS, MAKING SURE THE DIAPER BAG IS STOCKED, AND BASIC STUFF LIKE THAT. HAD THAT FIRE STARTED AFTER I WALKED BACK IN THE HOUSE I AM SURE THAT I WOULD HAVE LOST MY KIDS IN A BLAZE, STRAPPED IN TO CAR SEATS, THAT DAY. IT WAS THANKSGIVING EVE.  I FOUND OUT THAT THE BLOWER FAN FOR THE VENTS IS WHAT SPARKED UP AND CAUGHT FIRE. THERE ARE NO RECALLS BY FORD FOR THIS AND I HAVE FOUND OUT THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE THIS HAS HAPPENED TO. THIS IS AN ENORMOUS SAFETY HAZARD AND
---
*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*