NHTSA Complaint #10007828 — 2000 FORD EXCURSION

I OWN A 2000 FORD EXCURSION THAT RECENTLY EXPERIENCED THE EXACT SYMPTOMS DESCRIBED IN A RECALL ISSUED BY FORD ON 8/3/2001 (REF: NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID 01V258000). NAMELY, THE INTERMITTENT WINDSHIELD WIPER FUNTION STOPPED WORKING, FOLLOWED LATER BY COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE WIPERS FOLLOWING SNOW AND ICE OBSTRUCTION. THE WIPERS ARE CURRENTLY COMPLETELY INOPERABLE AND POSE A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY RISK. I BROUGHT THE VEHICAL TO THE FORD DEALER THAT IT WAS PURCHASED FROM (CAPISTRANO FORD IN SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, CALIFORNIA) AND WAS TOLD THAT OUR PARTICULAR VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL AND THAT IT WOULD COST NEARLY $500 TO FIX AND $88 TO DIAGNOSE. I FIND IT VERY DISTURBING THAT I OWN A VEHICLE WITH THE SAME YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL ADDRESSED IN THE RECALL WITH A KNOW SAFETY RISK, AND YET SOMEHOW IT IS NOT COVERED. OBVIOULSY THE PROBLEM I EXPERIENCED IS THE EXACT PROBLEM THAT THE RECALL WAS MEANT TO ADDRESS. THE ONLY TWO CONCLUSIONS THAT I CAN DRAW FROM THIS ARE: (1) FORD'S COMPUTER SYSTEM IS SOMEHOW NOT PULLING UP OUR VIN NUMBER UNDER THIS RECALL, OR (2) THE RECALL WAS NOT BROAD ENOUGH AND NEEDS TO BE EXPANDED.