WHEN HANDLING A CD THAT WAS EJECTED FROM THE STEREO OF MY 1998 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER, THE DISC WAS SO HOT I RECEIVED A FIRST DEGREE BURN. APPARENTLY, HEAT BUILD-UP WITHIN THE DASH BOARD OF THE FORD EXPLORER/MERCURY MOUNTAINEER IS CAUSING EXTREMELY HIGH TEMPERATURES AND I'M CONCERNED THAT THERE IS A POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD. THE TEMPERATURE IS ALSO HIGH ENOUGH TO CAUSE COMPONENT FAILURES WITHIN THE STEREO HEAD UNIT ADDING TO MY CONCERN OF A POSSIBLE FIRE HAZARD. MANY INTERNET FORUMS HOST DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE HEAT BUILD-UP CAUSING THE DISPLAY UNITS OF THE STEREOS TO FAIL INTERMITTENTLY, OR COMPLETELY. ACCORDING TO THE DISCUSSIONS, THIS IS VERY COMMON OCCURRENCE, HAPPENING ON SEVERAL FORD AND MERCURY MODELS OVER SEVERAL YEARS. (INCIDENT DATE IS APPROXIMATE). *JB