This heater has the potential to be a serious safety issue. The defroster will not work properly because only hot air will exit the vents, which leads to a foggy windshield. This problem appears to be very well documented and Ford has a tsb for it, 99-8-8 and 97-24-25.

- Concord, NC, USA

Defogger/defroster will not operate as blend door is stuck on air conditioner.

- Boca Raton, FL, USA

The temperature control does not control the temperature of the A/C-heater that results in a failure to defog/defrost the windshield.

- Tempe, AZ, USA

I feel that Ford should address the issue of the air blend door / HVAC system at a safety level due to the fact this these problems could result in hazardous driving conditions.

- Shepherdsville, KY, USA

Ford has been well aware of the blend door breaking problem for several years now and still is doing nothing to appease their customers. Mine is stuck blowing cold air, so should I need it to defog or defrost my windows during a rain or snowstorm (of which we have many in Minnesota) I cannot. I've found numerous reports of this part failing and complaints written to Ford all over the internet. The problem is prevalent in several Ford models, yet they refuse to compensate their customers for a part that is obviously defective.

- Lake City, MN, USA

1995 thru 1999 Explorer and 1997-99 Mountaineer, built through 4/98 were manufactured with a plastic air blend door which breaks due to poor design and prevents temperature regulation. Ford revised this plenum using nylon as a reinforcement, which is stronger and less susceptible to breakage. If the air blend door breaks and the system is locked in the A/C mode, defogging/defrosting the windshield is a challenge. This is a safety issue that should be addressed. Thank you.

- Phoenix, AZ, USA

Heater defroster/defogger is blowing out cold air, .dealer and manufacturer were notified. Feel free to provide any further information.

- Lebanon, OH, USA

This is an example of very poor design; this part should never fail - it is a simple part, subjected to very minor loads. Worse, the entire dashboard must be disassembled to replace it, and rather than replacing just the blend door (a little flapper that controls the mix of hot and cold air), you have to replace the entire heater plenum assembly.

- Manitowoc, WI, USA

Defroster is not working properly. Contacted dealer, and the dealer is not willing to do anything.

- Baden, PA, USA

Heater plenum hot/cold air blend; door breaks, causing no temperature control for heater & defroster.

- Fort Wayne, IN, USA

In middle of a snow storm, defroster would not work, causing vehicle not to have any heat and poor visibility to drive. Consumer found a technical service bulletin, NHTSA SB618546 relating to the problem. Dealer was contacted to resolve the issue.*akjg

- Booneville, AR, USA

The heater and defroster stopped working because of a plastic part on the heater door that fails after to much use. The part has to be replace by a part called the actuator value.Ford must have know about this problem, because it has a replacement part already to go when the part fails. (nylon blend door and plenum #F87Z-18471-da.) the problem beening that it cost $784.40 in labor to put the part in. If Ford new it had this problem, why wasn`T it on a recall list to replace"?"

- Milford, CT, USA

Broken air blend door, causing no heat for defrosters or heater.

- Fresno, CA, USA

Heater will not control due to manufacturers wrong part installed from the factory. This is the third one we have had to replace

- Fonddulac, WI, USA

The throttle body was replaced at 17,000 miles and at 30,000 miles I was told by Ford I needed an air induction cleaning. At 37,000 miles I now have the same gas pedal problem and was told it was the throttle body again.

- Safety Harbor, FL, USA