Complaint 601518

Complaint Summary

EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER

Owner Narrative

VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED ON OR AROUND SEPTEMBER 2003. ON MAY OF 2005 WE BEGAN TO HAVE MULTIPLE PROBLEMS CONCERNING THIS VEHICLE. THE MOST SIGNIFICANT OF THESE PROBLEMS IS AIR CONDITIONING COMPRESSORS LOCKING UP AND BREAKING THE DRIVE BELT. THIS VEHICLE IS AN AMBULANCE SO A FAILURE COULD CONTRIBUTE TO THE DEATH OF A PATIENT. WE HAVE TRIED VARIOUS REPAIRS TO THIS VEHICLE AS IT HAS FALLEN OUT OF WARRANTY AT THIS TIME. FIRST WE REPLACED THE COMPRESSOR, ACCUMULATOR AND ORIFICE TUBE AND THE BELTS THEN FLUSHED THE SYSTEM. THE 2ND OCCURRENCE WE REPLACED THE COMPRESSOR, ACCUMULATOR AND ORIFICE TUBE THEN FLUSHED THE SYSTEM, THE 3RD OCCURRENCE WE REPLACED THE COMPRESSOR,CONDENSER, ACCUMULATOR AND ORIFICE TUBE THEN FLUSHED THE SYSTEM. AT THIS TIME WE TRIED PLACING EXTERNAL FANS TO HELP LOWER THE HEAD PRESSURES THEN REPLACED THE FAN CLUTCH WITH A SNOW PLOW FAN CLUTCH AS DIRECTED BY OUR FORD DEALER. THE 4TH INCIDENT WE REPLACED THE COMPRESSOR THEN EXTENDED THE EVACUATION PERIOD FOR FEAR OF A POSSIBLE OIL OVERCHARGE. THE 5TH OCCURANCE ON 10/25/2006 WE REPLACED THE COMPRESSOR,CONDENSER, ACCUMULATOR AND ORIFICE TUBE THEN FLUSHED THE SYSTEM. WE ARE NOW IN THE PROCESS OF TRYING A BETTER GRADE REFRIGERATION OIL IN PLACE OF THE USUAL PAG OIL. WE HAVE BEEN TRYING EVERYTHING WE CAN THINK OF TO COMBAT THIS PROBLEM WITH NO SUCCESS. *NM

Owner-submitted narrative on file with NHTSA. Complaint narratives are self-reported and have not been verified.