Air Conditioner problems of the 1998 Chevrolet Astro

Air conditioner controls overheated.

We noticed a smell of burning wires. We were parked, so I pulled the rear a/c switch out of the dash. I found that this switch, which is all plastic, had been shorted and partially melted. I disconnected the switch. The scary part for me is that the fuse never blew. I am an aircraft mechanic and feel that I was able to avoid an electrical fire by having some mechanical ability. If my wife had been in the van alone with our children this would have been a very serious and possibly devastating problem. I contacted the manufacturer and lodged a complaint with Chevrolet customer assistance ( file # c01463026 ). Chevrolet told me that no recall had been issued on this switch and that all I could do is take it to the dealer. The dealer wants to put in a replacement switch, same type. This type of switch, in my opinion, is unsafe and a hazard, and I refuse to put this type of switch back into my vehicle.