INCREASING NUMBER OF HEATER CORES ARE FAILING IN SOME FOREIGN CARS

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Event Date(s): 04/01/1992 | Event Location(s): Washington D C;Today New York Studio;Springfield;California;Ohio | Description: INCREASING NUMBER OF HEATER CORES ARE FAILING IN SOME FOREIGN CARS THOMPSON REPORTS LIVE ON-CAMERA FROM D.C. CARS& TRUCKS DRIVE ALONG HIGHWAY. CLOSEUP OF HANDS ON STEERING WHEEL;& OVERHEAD SHOT OF HIGHWAY TRAFFIC AT NIGHT SEEN. IN DAYLIGHT DEBBIE HARLOWE POINTS INTO HER RENAULT ALLIANCE IN SPRINGFIELD; OHIO. IN INDOOR INTERVIEW HARLOWE RECALLS A NOISE HAPPENED; THE CAR FILLED WITH STEAM;& HOT WATER BEGAN TO POUR ON HER LEGS; NOTING IT WAS EXCRUCIATINGLY PAINFUL. SHE POINTS TO BURN SCARS ON HER FOOT. THOMPSON REPORTS ON-CAMERA FROM DRIVERS SEAT OF CONVERTIBLE THAT THE PLASTIC CAP ON THE HEATER CORE HAD RUPTURED;& SAYS THERE ARE ALSO REPORTS OF FAILURES IN VOLKSWAGON JETTAS& GOLFS; AS WELL AS ISUZU TROOPER IIS& BMW 325S. IN INTERVIEW CENTER FOR AUTO SAFETYS CLARENCE DITLOW SAYS THEY HAVE 150 COMPLAINTS WITH 60 INJURIES& ONE FATALITY FROM THIS DEFECT; SAYS THE PROBLEM IS INCREDIBLY WIDESPREAD;& CHARGES THE GOVERNMENT HASNT DONE ENOUGH TO ALERT CONSUMERS. CLOSEUP OF LETTER FROM CENTER FOR AUTO SAFETY HIGHLIGHTING AN INVESTIGATION ON THE 1985 AMC-RENAULT ALLIANCE SEEN. GRAPHIC OF TRANSPORTATION DEPT LOGO OVER LETTER WITH EXCERPT NO SAFETY RELATED TREND EXISTS AT THIS TIME HIGHLIGHTED SEEN. DITLOW SAYS THEY COULDNT UNDERSTAND IT BECAUSE THEY HAD ALREADY HAD SEVERAL COMPLAINTS& STRESSES IF THERE IS JUST ONE COMPLAINT OF PLASTIC HEATER CORE RUPTURE THEN THAT SHOWS THERE IS A DESIGN FLAW& ALL OTHER CORES COULD RUPTURE. CARS PARKED OUTSIDE AMC-JEEP-RENAULT DEALERSHIP SEEN. GRAPHIC STILL OF LETTER WITH CHRYSLER LOGO SEEN AS SUPERS SAFETY RECALL: URGENT: THE ENGINE COOLANT BOTTLE CAP MUST BE REPLACED; HEATER CORE MAY RUPTURE IF THE ENGINE IN YOUR CAR SEVERELY OVERHEATS SCROLLS UP SCREEN. DEBBIE HARLOWE STANDS WITH GROWN SON CARY HARLOWE (WHO HAD REPLACED THE CAP) NEXT TO THE RENAULT. CLOSEUP OF AREA AROUND STEERING WHEEL INSIDE CAR SEEN. CARY ASKS HOW MANY PEOPLE DIDNT GET NEW CAPS;& NOTES IT DIDNT EVEN SOLVE THE PROBLEM. THOMPSON WALKS OVER TO ISUZU TROOPER II IN PARKING LOT. CLOSEUP OF BMW LOGO ON SIGN; BMW CARS IN LOT;& BMWBEING DRIVEN THROUGH LOT SEEN. CLOSEUP PANNING SHOT OF THE BURNED LEG OF CINDY CORBIN (PH) AS SHE LIES IN CALIFORNIA HOSPITAL BED SEEN. CLOSEUP OF ISUZU LOGO ON SIGN SEEN. CLOSEUP ISUZU TROOPER II IN LOT SEEN. DITLOW LOOKS OVER DOCUMENT AT DESK. CLOSEUP OF GOLF ON BACK OF VOLKSWAGEN; JETTA GL IN LOT;& CLOSEUP OF VW LOGO UNDER D.C. LICENSE PLATE ON CAR IN GARAGE SEEN. CLOSEUP OF HANDS PLACING HEATER CORE INTO PLASTIC CASING SEEN. DITLOW SAYS A METAL CORE SHOULD BE PUT IN. DEBBIE SAYS HOPEFULLY THEYLL DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT SO NO ONE ELSE HAS TO GO THROUGH WHAT SHE DID. THOMPSON REPORTS LIVE ON-CAMERA FROM D.C. THAT NO ONE KNOWS OF A RUPTURE IN A US CAR PROBABLY BECAUSE THEY HAVE METAL HEATING CORES. IN LIVE X-TALK WITH COURIC IN STUDIO THOMPSON SAYS WARNING SIGNS TO LOOK FOR INCLUDE A MAPLE SYRUP SMELL& STEAM. TA; UNABLE TO ESTABLISH OR VERIFY ALL IDS OR LOCATIONS Producers: NBC;THOMPSON