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1991 FORD EXPLORER — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

fire · 404954 · 2003-04-29

Vehicle

Make
FORD
Model
EXPLORER
Year
1991
Manufacturer
Ford Motor Company
Component
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
Miles at failure
133,302

Severity

Deaths
0
Injured
0
Fire
Yes
Crash
No
Police report
No
Medical attention
No
Vehicle towed
No

Narrative

AIR CONDITIONER CAUGHT FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. FIRE STARTED INSIDE THE AIR CONDITIONER PROBABLY THE FAN SPEED RESISTORS. MELTED THE LEFT SIDE OF THE HOUSING WHERE THE RESISTORS AND FAN ARE HOUSED LETTING SMOKE AND FUMES IN THE CAR. IN FEELING AROUND INSIDE THE BLOWER HOLE YOU CAN REACH UP AND FEEL THE SHEET METAL WHERE THE WIPER ARMS ARE AND I THINK PROBABLY LEAVES GOT IN AND WERE BLOWN ON TO THE RESISTORS WHEN THEY WERE HOT STARTING THE FIRE. DAMAGE INCLUDED AIR CONDITIONER HOUSING, BLOWER AND MOTOR, BLOWER RESISTORS, EVAPORATOR, SHEET METAL ABOVE THE AIR CONDITIONER HOUSING AND ALSO MELTED THE INNER FENDER WELL. NOT TO MENTION THE SMOKE AND FUMES THAT WERE BLOWN INTO THE CAR. TO ME THIS APPEARS TO BE A DESIGN FAULT AND IT SURPRISING THAT NO ONE ELSE HAS REPORTED IT. LUCKILY I WAS SITTING STILL WHEN IT HAPPENED OR IT WOULD HAVE CAUSED A CRASH DUE TO THE SMOKE AND FUMES. *JB

Source

Authoritative
NHTSA ODI Flat-File Downloads
ODI Number
10016702
Machine
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