# 2016 FORD FUSION — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
> NHTSA complaint `1738288` · 2021-04-02 · 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:** FUSION
- **Year:** 2016
- **Manufacturer:** Ford Motor Company
- **Component:** ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- **Miles at failure:** 60,000
## Narrative
RECENTLY, BOTH OF THE FRONT HEATED AND COOLED SEATS ON MY FORD FUSION STOPPED WORKING.     I WENT TO MY LOCAL FORD DEALER, WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR, TO HAVE THEM LOOK AT IT. THEY EXPLAINED TO ME THAT THE BURNT CONNECTOR IS DUE TO A FAILURE OF THE SCME MODULE AND THAT BOTH THE CONNECTOR AND SCME WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $596.11. I EXPLAINED TO THEM THAT I DON'T BELIEVE THE MODULE IS FAILED, AND THAT REGARDLESS, A MODULE FAILURE SHOULD NEVER RESULT IN A CONNECTOR BURNING AS ALL THIS CIRCUITRY SHOULD BE FUSE PROTECTED AGAINST OVERCURRENT WITHOUT BURNING. I TOLD THEM THAT I BELIEVED THE MODULE APPEARS TO BE FAILED ON THEIR DIAGNOSTICS SYSTEM  BECAUSE THE GROUND TO THE MODULE HAS MELTED AND HAS THUS BECOME DISCONNECTED.     I COMPLETED SOME INVESTIGATION AND THE FAILURE APPEARS TO BE RELATED TO INSUFFICIENT GROUNDING TO THE SCME MODULE (SEAT CLIMATE CONTROL MODULE) UNDER THE PASSENGER SEAT THAT RESULTS IN OVERCURRENT TO A GROUND PIN TO THE SCME, WHICH RESULTS IN THE CONNECTOR MELTING AND BECOMING DISCONNECTED FROM THE SCME.  I AM CONCERNED DUE TO FIRE RISK IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT AS WELL AS ANY IMPACT THIS FAILURE MAY HAVE ON THE SEAT AIRBAGS. I WAS ABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM MYSELF BY REPLACING THE CONNECTOR AND ADDING A SECOND GROUND WIRE TO THE SCME TO PROVIDE PROPER GROUNDING.    ATTACHED IS A PICTURE OF THE MELTED WIRE HARNESS CONNECTOR ON MY CAR.
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*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*