2003 Ford Explorer Engine

I BOUGHT MY 2003 EXPLORER NEW. APPX. 2-3 YEARS AGO (DON'T HAVE EXACT DATE YET, STILL SEARCHING FOR INFO) IT WOULD SUDDENLY STALL AND SHUT OFF. THE RPM INDICATOR WOULD ALSO JUMP REALLY FAST. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID IT WAS AN IDLE ISSUE AND "FIXED" IT. A FEW DAYS AGO, I NOTICED A SIMILAR ISSUE AND NEARLY CRASHED. AS I WAS ROUNDING A CORNER, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED, THEREBY CAUSING MY POWER STEERING TO FAIL. I QUICKLY PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL, RESTARTED IT AND REGAINED STEERING, VERY NEARLY COLLIDING WITH A VEHICLE IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. THE CAR SEEMED OKAY FOR A FEW DAYS, BUT THEN DID THE SAME THING AGAIN. TWO NEAR HEAD-ON COLLISIONS ARE TWO TOO MANY. I STOPPED USING THE VEHICLE AND HAD MY DEALER LOOK AT IT. THEY CALLED ME YESTERDAY AND TOLD ME IT WAS THE IDLE AIR CONTROL VALVE, WHICH WILL COST $332 TO REPLACE. I CHECKED ONLINE AND FOUND THAT THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE (TSB 0335, FEB. OF 2003). I NEED THIS VEHICLE SO I WILL HAVE TO GET IT REPAIRED, BUT THINK FORD SHOULD TAKE SOME KIND OF RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE DEFECT. I HOPE IT DOESN'T TAKE SOMEONE HAVING A SERIOUS COLLISION DUE TO THE DEFECT FOR SOMETHING TO BE DONE. THANK YOU FOR ANYTHING YOU CAN DO. *TR

OUR FORD EXPLORER SHUT DOWN WITHOUT WARNING IN AN INTERSECTION. PEOPLE BEGAN PUSHING MY WIFE, BABY SON, AND TWO OTHER SONS OUT OF THE INTERSECTION WHEN THE TRUCK BEGAN SMOKING AND THEN THE ENGINE BURST INTO FLAMES. WE LOST THE TRUCK (WHICH ONLY HAS TWO PAYMENTS LEFT AND WHICH WAS IN PERFECT WORKING ORDER), OUR CAR SEATS, AND A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF PERSONAL ITEMS TO SMOKE, FIRE, AND WATER DAMAGE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD TO BE SUMMONED TO PUT THE FIRE OUT. *TR

NO NOISE/WARNING. THE CAR HAD BILLOWING BLACK SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. ON INSPECTION OIL WAS GUSHING FROM A VALVE AT THE BACK OF THE ENGINE AND BURNING, IT NEARLY BURST INTO FLAMES. IT WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC, WHO FOUND THE TIMING CHAIN HAD BROKEN, SLASHING A VALVE COVER AND CUTTING INTO THE BACK OF THE ENGINE. IT CAN BE FIXED FOR $3,000 PLUS TAX ESTIMATE, BUT THE FORD DEALERSHIP RECOMMENDS AGAINST THIS AND SAYS IT NEEDS A NEW ENGINE /REFURBISHED ENGINE $5,000 PLUS TAX. FORD REFUSE TO ACCEPT THIS IS A DEFECT, DESPITE MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS I HAVE SEEN ON THE INTERNET. THE CAR WAS A FORD EXPLORER 2003 WITH ONLY 60,720 ON THE CLOCK. I BOUGHT IT NEW AND MAINTAINED IT WELL. I STILL HAVE PAYMENTS ON IT SO AM SELLING IT FOR $2000 TO COVER THE PAYMENTS. IT WAS A $34,000 CAR. *TR

I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK WHEN I NOTICED MY VEHICLE STARTED TO MAKE THIS TAPING NOISE. I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO SEE WHAT IT COULD BE THEN NOTICED IT WAS COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I DIDN'TTT FEEL SAFE CONTINUING TO DRIVE ON THE HIGHWAY SO DROVE TO THE NEXT EXIT AND GOT OFF. THE NOISE STARTED TO GET LOUDER SO I PULLED INTO A GAS STATION AND WAITED FOR SOMEONE TO COME PICK ME UP BECAUSE I DIDN'T FEEL THE VEHICLE WAS SAFE TO DRIVE. AS I WAS SITTING THERE WITH THE CAR TURNED OFF, SOMETHING ON THE DRIVER SIDE UNDER THE HOOD BURST INTO FLAMES. FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD TO COME OUT AND PUT VEHICLE FIRE OUT. *TR

2003 FORD EXPLORER 4.0 SOHC ENGINE RATTLE NOISE.I GUESS THERE IS ALOT OF ISSUES DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. TIMING CHASIS *TR

MY 2003 FORD EXPLORER HEATING SYSTEM STARTED MAKING A CLICKING SOUND WHEN I TURNED IT ON, THEN I FOUND THAT IF I TURNED IT TO COOL SIDE THE CLICKING STOPPED, NOW THERE IS NOT HEAT AT ALL ONLY COLD AIR. I AM TOLD BY A FORD MECHANIC THAT IT IS A BROKEN BLEND DOOR, AN EXTREMELY COMMON & COSTLY REPAIR SINCE THE BLEND DOOR IS IN A RIDICULOUS SPOT BEHIND THE DASHBOARD THAT TAKES 6-8 HOURS OF REPAIR TO REMOVE & REPLACE THE $20 PART. I FOUND THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER FORD OWNERS DATING BACK TO THE 1993 FORD RANGER MODEL WITH THE SAME PROBLEM...WHY IS THIS NOT FORCED TO BE A RECALL FOR FORD TO TAKE CARE OF THIS PROBLEM? THE PIN THAT BREAKS ON THE BLEND DOOR IS PLASTIC, ANY NIMROD KNOWS HEAT AND COLD WILL CAUSE PLASTIC TO BECOME BRITTLE AND BREAK, THUS YOU WOULD THINK THAT MAKING THE PIN METAL WOULD HAVE BEEN A SOLUTION YEARS AGO, IT IS ONLY A 3-4 INCH PIN...NOT THAT EXPENSIVE TO FIX BUT SURE IS COSTLY TO FIX THIS NUTTY ERROR FOR FORD. *TR

RE: FORD MOTOR COMPANY FORD MOTOR COMPANY IS ILLEGALLY CHARGING CUSTOMERS FOR COMPUTER ENGINE UPDATES. IN JULY OF 2008 MY SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON IN MY 2003 FORD EXPLORER 2003. . I WAS TOLD BY THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT BUERGE FORD THAT MY ENGINE CODES HAD TO BE UPDATED PER FORD MOTOR COMPANY. THEY UPDATED THE ENGINE CODES IN 15 MINUTES AND CHARGED ME $128.00 DOLLARS FOR UPDATING FORDS NEW ENGINE COMPUTER CODES. THE PROBLEM I HAVE WITH FORD MOTOR COMPANY IS THAT IF THE ENGINE CODES ON MY FORD EXPLORER XLT 2003 NEEDED TO BE UPDATED TO FORDS NEW ENGINE CODES A RECALL SHOULD BE IMPLEMENTED, OR THE CHARGE SHOULDN'T BE PASS ON TO THE CONSUMER. A RECALL WAS NEVER DONE, AND FORD MOTOR COMPANY HAS BEEN ILLEGALLY PASSING ON THIS CHARGE TO THE CONSUMER FOR YEARS, WITHOUT A RECALL NOTICE. NOTHING WAS AT FAULT AT MY END. I HAVE A COPY OF MY BILL FOR YOUR RECORDS ON THIS ILLEGAL CHARGE. PLEASE INVESTIGATE FORD MOTOR COMPANY FOR NOT IMPLEMENTING A RECALL NOTICE FOR THIS PROBLEM WITH THEIR SUV'S, CAR'S AND TRUCKS. SINCERELY. JEFFREY ROTH *TR

I HAVE A FORD EXPLORER 2003 WITH 93000 MILES AND THE O/D LIGHT AS WELL AS THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT IS ON. FROM MY RESEARCH IT SEEMS THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM THAT FORD REFUSES TO ADDRESS ON THE CAR MENTIONED. *TR

AS MY DAUGHTER AND I WERE BACKING OUT OF A PARKING STALL, MY VEHICLE ALL OF A SUDDEN CAUGHT OFF. WE WERE UNABLE TO GET IT RESTARTED. AFTER MECHANICS CHECKED IT OUT, I WAS TOLD IT WAS THE MOTOR. DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND, BECAUSE WE HAVE ONLY 38,208 MILES ON OUR 2003 FORD EXPLORER; AND A WEEK BEFORE THAT WE HAD A COMPLETE OIL CHANGE. I CONTACTED OUR LOCAL FORD DEALER AS WELL AS FORD IN DETROIT AND EXPLAINED THE PROBLEM TO THEM. I TOLD THEM WE HAD NO WARNING OF A PROBLEM, THE INDICATOR NEVER CAME ON AND THERE WAS NO INDICATION AT ALL THAT WE HAD A PROBLEM, NO NOISE OR ANY SIGNS OF TROUBLE. WITH ONLY A FEW MILES ON THE CAR, I TOLD THEM I FELT IT WAS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. BECAUSE THEY HAD NOT RECEIVED ANY CALLS SINCE MY COMPLAINTS, THEY FELT IT WAS NOT A FORD'S PROBLEM AND THAT IT WAS A SITUATION I HAD TO TAKE CARE OF. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE AND I THINK FORD SHOULD HANDLE THIS PROBLEM. NO WAY SHOULD I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH MY MOTOR WITH LESS THAN 40,000 MILES. IT'S NOT FAIR THAT I HAVE TO PAY FOR A JOB THAT I BELIEVE FORD IS RESPONSIBLE FOR. TELL ME, WHAT DO I DO? *TR

THERE WAS A CLICKING NOISE IN THE DASH WHEN I TURNED THE HEAT ON. ONE DAY THERE WAS ONE MORE HARD CLICK AND AFTER THAT NO MORE HEAT. SO NOW WHEN I TURN THE HEAT ON THERE'S A CLICKING NOISE AND NO HEAT, WHEN I TURN IT ON COOL THE CLICKING NOISE STOPS. *TR

I HAVE A 2003 FORD EXPLORER AND HAS A FLEX FUEL SYSTEM 4.0L 114,000 MILES AT TIMES NOT ALL THE TIME ONCE IN AWHILE I WILL GO TO TURN AND SLOW DOWN THE IDLE JUMPS UP AND DOWN YOU WILL BE ABLE TO SEE THE RPS GO NUTS AND THE ENGINE SHUTS ITSELF OFF I ALMOST HIT ANOTHER CAR NOT BEING PREPARED FOR THE SHUT DOWN THE BRAKES THE STEERING ALL GOT HARD TO HANDLE... HAS ANYONE BEEN LOOKING INTO THIS PROBLEM AT ALL? I HAVE CHANGED SPARK PLUGS THE FUEL FILTER AIR FILTER AND STILL DOES THIS IN WARM WEATHER AS IT DOES IN COLD WEATHER.. ANY CLUE AS TO WHAT I CAN DO? VARY UNSAFE. I HAVE NEVER HAD A CAR OR TRUCK DO THIS MORE THAN ONCE. *TR

SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED, MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE NOTICED THE ENGINE MAKES A WHISTLING NOISE IN COLD WEATHER BETWEEN 25-40 MPH. THE NOISE USED TO GO AWAY AFTER DRIVING FOR APPROXIMATELY 15-20 MINUTES. IT NO LONGER DOES. SO FAR THIS WINTER, I HAVE NOTICED THE ENGINE CONTINUING TO MAKE THE WHISTLING SOUND ENTIRE 35-45 MINUTE COMMUTES. THE SPEED NOW RANGES FROM 25-70 MPH AND COMES AND GOES THROUGHOUT THE DRIVE. THE DEALERSHIP HAS KEPT THE CAR FOR A FEW DAYS (IN PREVIOUS YEARS) AND HAVE NOT HAD A FIX FOR THIS ISSUE.*CN

SAT. JAN. 19, 2008; APPROX. 99,780 MILES - ENGINE STALLED WHILE WE WERE TURNING OFF THE HIGHWAY TO A SIDE STREET. WE HAD JUST DRIVEN APPROX. 20 MILES, SO THE ENGINE WAS WARM. THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP WHEN THE ENGINE TURNED OFF, WHICH CAUSED US TO GO INTO THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC LANE. FORTUNATELY NO ONE WAS COMING TOWARDS US SO WE COULD STOP, PUT IT IN PARK, AND RESTART THE ENGINE. THIS IS ABOUT THE FIFTH OR SIXTH TIME IT HAPPENED. *TR

THE FORD RECALL FOR ENGINE STALLING DOES NOT APPEAR TO APPLY TO THE 2003 EXPLORER, BUT I HAVE DEFINITELY HAD THE ENGINE STALL 5 OR 6 TIMES WHILE I'VE BEEN DRIVING. IT HAS HAPPENED WHILE I'VE BEEN DECELERATING, EITHER FOR A STOP SIGN, TRAFFIC LIGHT, OR TURN. THE ENGINE WAS WARM EACH TIME. I WAS ALWAYS ABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE QUICKLY ENOUGH SO THAT NO ACCIDENTS OCCURRED, BUT THE CLOSEST CALL WAS WHEN IT HAPPENED AT A BUSY TRAFFIC LIGHT. I DID NOT WRITE DOWN THE EXACT DATES WHEN IT HAPPENED, SO THE INCIDENT DATE BELOW IS ONLY APPROXIMATE. I BELIEVE THE RECALL SHOULD BE EXPANDED. *TR

I WAS GOING BACK HOME TO MIAMI AND MY CAR 2003 FORD EXPLORER SPORT TRAC CAUGHT ON FIRE AT THE EXIT OF THE MIDTOWN TUNNEL IN NEW YORK CITY. THE FIRE STARTED IN THE FRONT MOTOR AT THE PASSENGER SIDE. THE POLICE USED 3 FIRE EXTINGUISHERS BUT ALL THE EFFORT THEY DID WAS NOT ENOUGH. MY CAR WAS COMPLETELY ON FIRE. THE MOTOR, THE SEATS , ALL THE INTERIOR WAS COMPLETELY DESTROY BY THE FIRE. THE FIREMAN ARRIVED AFTER A FEW MINUTES, BUT IT WAS TO LATE. I BOUGHT THIS CAR CASH BRAND NEW FROM SAWGRASS FORD IN FT LAUDERDALE FLORIDA. I DID NOT HAVE FULL COVER AND I LOST EVERY THING.. I WAS IN NEW YORK WITH MY FAMILY AND WITH NO CAR TO GO BACK HOME.. I CALLED FORD AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANYTHING THAT HAPPEN TO THAT CAR. I AM SURE THIS IS NOT FAIR TO ME OR TO ANYBODY. THE CAR WAS A 2003 AND ONLY HAD ABOUT 46,000 MILES. *JB

CONSTANT LOUD SQUEAL COMING FROM SERPENTINE BELT, REPLACED BY DEALERSHIP AND I HAD TO PURCHASE, STILL SQUEAL, WARRANTY AND REPLACED, STILL SQUEALED DEALERSHIP CALLED FORD, FORD SUGGESTED STRONGER BELT THAT NORMALLY DOES NOT GO IN THIS TRUCK. CURRENTLY NO SQUEAL. TOTAL BELTS: 4 *TR

WHEN WE STARTE D OUR CAR FOR THE FIRST TIME AFTER IT HAD SAT AT AN AIRPORT PARKING LOT FOR A WEEK, WE HEARD A TICKING NOISE UPON START UP OUF OUR VEHICLE (2003 FORD EXPLORER EDDIE BAUER WITH V8 ENGINE). UPON TAKING IT TO A REPAIR SHOP THEY STATED THE NOISE IS COMING FROM THE VALUE GUARD AREA IN THE WOULD NEED TO REPLACE BOTH CYLINDER HEADS (PER FORD NEED TO REPLACE BOTH & CANNOT REPLACE JUST ONE). THE COST OF THIS REPAIR WOULD BE $4,000.00. UPON FURTHER RESEARCH, IT APPEARS THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR OUR MODEL & YEAR. WITH ALL THE OTHER PROBLEMS WE HAVE HAD TO PAY OUT OF POCKET FOR, IT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE FORD LOOK INTO THIS ISSUE AND POSSIBLE HAVE A RECALL. THANK YOU.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START AND WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS BAD AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE PART WAS SUPPOSED TO BE AVAILABLE ON MAY 10, 2007, BUT IT STILL HAS NOT ARRIVED. THE REPAIR IS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THE ENGINE SIZE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 56,000.

IN FEBRUARY OF 2006, I TOOK MY 2003 FORD EXPLORER IN TO HAVE IT FIXED. AT THE TIME, MY VEHICLE ONLY HAD APP. 36,300 MILES ON IT. I HAD TO HAVE ALL THE SPARK PLUGS REPLACED BECAUSE THEY HAD GONE BAD. I WAS TOLD THE SPARK PLUGS SHOULD HAVE LASTED FOR 90,000 TO 100,000 MILES. IN APRIL OF 2007, WITH APP. 43,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I TOOK IT IN FOR REPAIR AND WAS TOLD THE SPARK PLUG WIRES WERE ARCING AND WERE BURNED. I WAS TOLD THAT THE WIRES WERE ROUTED BADLY AND THAT THEY LAY AGAINST HOT AREAS OF THE CAR. I NOW HAVE TO REPLACE ALL THE WIRES. THE GARAGE HAS CALLED ALL THE DEALERS AND DISTRIBUTORS IN MY AREA FOR THE WIRES AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY CAN'T GET THE WIRES, THAT THEY SEEM TO HAVE BEEN PULLED OFF OF THE SHELF. IF THE WIRES ARE ROUTED BADLY AND LAY AGAINST HOT THINGS, I WOULD THINK EVENTUALLY THAT WOULD START A FIRE. THE GARAGE IS GOING TO GIVE ME THE OLD WIRES JUST IN CASE I NEED THEM. I WOULD THINK AN INVESTIGATION NEEDS TO BE DONE TO SEE IF, IN FACT, THE WIRES ARE ROUTED BADLY AND COULD START A FIRE. *TR

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD & STARTED SLOWING DOWN AS I CAME INTO TOWN. I WAS COASTING ALONG AND MY CAR STALLED OUT. I DIDN'T EVEN REALIZE IT HAD CUT OUT, I STILL HAD STEERING & BRAKES BUT I HAD TO RESTART MY VEHICLE. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER (I HAD JUST BOUGHT IT 6 DAYS PRIOR) AND ASKED THEM TO LOOK AT IT. THEY WORKED WITH THE LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP AND CAME BACK WITH "NOTHING IS WRONG WITH IT". THEY SAID THERE WASN'T EVEN A RECORD OF THE INCIDENT TAKING PLACE. *JB

1 HISTORY OF ENGINE SURGE, VERY FAST IDLE UPON STARTING SINCE VEHICLE ACQUIRED.-ALL REPORTED TO DEALER.---------------------------------------------------------------- 2.CAR STOPPED, MOTOR OFF. STARTED, PLACED IN REVERSE-TOUCHED ACCELERATOR AND CAR JUMPED BACK FULL SPEED. VERY NARROW PARKING AREA (HAVE PICTURES). HAD TO TURN CAR RAPIDLY TO AVOID LARGE HILL AND TREES -TOO SHORT A DISTANCE TO TURN COMPLETELY AND HIT FRONT LEFT FENDER AND BUMPER GLANCING BLOW OFF TWO TREES. WAS ABLE TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL AND GOT STOPPED AFTER GOING IN A SEMICIRCULAR AND BACKING OVER CONCRETE PARKING BARRIER.-MOTOR STILL RACING--UNABLE TO TURN OFF WITH KEY UNTIL FOURTH OR FIFTH TRY AND THAN MOTOR BUCKED SEVERAL TIME TRYING TO STOP. 3.NO CORRECTIONS TO DATE. REPORTED TO FORD! !*JB

WHILE DRIVING THE 2003 FORD EXPLORER EDDIE BAUER 4.0L V6 THE ENGINE STOPS RUNNING WITH NO WARNING. THIS HAS HAPPENED THREE TIMES RANDOMLY. TWO TIMES WERE ON A HIGHWAY COASTING TO A TOLL BOOTH. EACH OF THOSE TIMES I WAS ABLE TO PUT THE VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL AND RESTART THE ENGINE. THE THIRD TIME WAS ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET. THE ENGINE COULD NOT BE RESTARTED. *NM

VEHICLE SHUTS DOWN WHEN DRIVING---BOTH LOW AND HIGH SPEED--BRAKES, STEERING, ELECTRICAL, GAS--ALL QUIT. AFTER A FEW MINUTES THE CAR WILL START AGAIN. HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES. DEALER, VISTA FORD, SAYS NOTHING WRONG/CAN'T DUPLICATE. *NM

EXCESSIVE ENGINE COOLING FAN NOISE UPON MORNING FIRST USE. IF YOU LET THE CAR SIT OVERNIGHT AND THEN STARTUP THE CAR, BACK UP OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY, AND ACCELERATE NORMALLY DOWN THE RESIDENTIAL STREET, THE COOLING FAN SOUNDS LIKE AN AIRPLANE PROPELLER CHOPPING THE AIR. THE PERFORMANCE OF THE VEHICLE (A V8) SEEMS SLUGGISH AS THE ENGINE FIGHTS TO SPIN THE FAN AT EVERY INCREASING ENGINE RPM. THE NOISE IS EXCESSIVE AND UNNERVING. ONCE YOU COME TO A STOP SIGN AND THE ENGINE SLOWS TO IDLE, THE FAN RESUMES NORMAL OPERATING MODE AND NO LONGER SPINS AT ENGINE RPM SPEEDS. THIS IS A VERY REPEATABLE EVENT. 3 OUT 5 MORNINGS I HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS. FORD MOTOR CUSTOMER SERVICE SAYS THEY CANNOT DO ANYTHING UNTIL THE DEALER IDENTIFIES THE PROBLEM. THE CAR HAS BEEN AT THE DEALER FOR SEVERAL DAYS AND THEY ARE UNABLE TO EXPERIENCE THE PROBLEM. THERE IS ONLY ONE THING THAT CAN BE WRONG HERE IS THE FAN CLUTCH. BUT UNTIL THE PROBLEM STAYS BROKEN, AND IT WONT AS IT GOES AWAY ONCE YOU GO TO IDLE, THEY WILL NOT REPAIR THE PROBLEM UNDER WARRANTY. MY CONCERN IS MULTIFOLD. I AM CONCERNED FOR THE SAFETY OF OTHERS AS IT IS UNNATURAL FOR THE COOLING FAN TO BE SPINNING AT ENGINE RPM. IF THE FAN WERE TO DISINTEGRATE, WHO WILL BE IN THE WAY OF THE HIGH SPEED FRAGMENTS? I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE DAMAGE THAT WOULD OCCUR TO THE VEHICLE IF THE FAN WERE TO LET LOOSE. I AM CONCERNED THAT THE FAN'S LIFE IS BEING REDUCED AND WILL SUFFER PREMATURE FAILURE. THE DEALER REFUSES TO REVIEW TSB 17163 -- EXCESSIVE ENGINE COOLING FAN NOISE. *TT (NHTSA ID #10004057) UNTIL THEY EXPERIENCE THE PROBLEM. THE DEALER SEEMS TO BE UNCOOPERATIVE AND CHOOSES TO IGNORE THE CUSTOMER'S COMPLAINT. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH SMOKE EMITTED FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OFF THE ROAD AND TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE RADIATOR, FUEL FILTER, AIR FILTER, AND STEERING GEAR ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED, THE FRONT END WAS ALIGNED AS WELL. TWO DAYS LATER WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH SMOKE WAS NOTICED IN THE REARVIEW MIRROR. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OFF THE ROAD AND LESS THAN ONE MINUTE LATER THE ENTIRE VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT RESPONDED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE FIRE MARSHAL DETERMINED THIS FIRE WAS CAUSED BY A MECHANICAL FAILURE MALFUNCTION. THERE WAS A POLICE AND FIRE REPORT FILED.