Associated Press, "Ford Explorer owners report stuck throttles, vent system fires and smoke"

A federal safety agency is investigating dozens of complaints of fires or heavy smoke in some earlier-model Ford Explorer sport utility vehicles. About a million Explorers from model years 1992 to 1994 are on the road. A report released this week by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said there were 135 complaints of fire, smoke or burning smells coming from the ventilation system after leaves or other material entered through the Explorers' fresh air vent at the bottom of the windshield.

Two-thirds of the complaints involved fires or heavy smoke. A heated portion of the blower assembly can ignite debris that collects in the venting system, the report said. "Dealers can only advise consumers to avoid parking under trees," it said. Ford provided about 3,830 complaints to the agency, and they typically said the throttle or gas pedal got stuck. However, it was unclear whether the throttle stuck in the open position, causing acceleration, or the closed position, making it difficult to accelerate.