NHTSA Complaint #10010113 — 2000 FORD WINDSTAR

I WENT OUT AND STARTED THE VAN SO IT COULD WARM UP AND THEN WENT IN TO GET MY DAUGHTER READY FOR HER DENTIST APPOINTMENT. THE VAN HAD WARMED APPROXIMATELY 25 MIN WHEN WE GOT IN. I WAS BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVE WAY AND NOTICED THERE WAS FROST ON THE REAR LIFT GATE WINDOW, NOT A LOT JUST ENOUGH TO DECREASE MY VISIBILITY, SO I TURNED ON THE REAR DEFROSTER. APPROXIMATELY 1 MILE DOWN THE HIGHWAY THERE WAS A LOUD EXPLOSION SOUND FOLLOWED BY GLASS SHATTERING, CAUSING ME TO SLAM THE BRAKES AND PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I THEN REALIZED THAT THE REAR LIFT GATE GLASS HAD SHATTERED OUT. FORTUNATELY NO OTHER CARS WERE ON THE ROAD AT THE TIME AND NO ONE WAS INJURED JUST FRIGHTENED. I CALLED FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE AND SPOKE WITH A GENTLEMAN THERE. I WAS TOLD HE COULD NOT DO ANYTHING THAT IT WOULD BE UP TO THE DEALER AS TO WHETHER THEY WOULD REPLACE IT OR NOT. I THEN CALLED THE LOCAL DEALER AND SPOKE WITH A GENTLEMAN THERE WHO SAID HE WOULD CONTACT THE SERVICE MANAGER AND GET BACK WITH ME. HE PHONED LATER THAT DAY AND SAID THAT THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE THE WINDOW, I WOULD HAVE TO HAVE IT DONE MYSELF. SO I DID. I DECIDED TO DO SOME INVESTIGATION ON THIS MATTER AND FOUND THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON SOME 2000 WINDSTAR'S CONCERNING THE BACK GLASS, AND MANY COMPLAINTS FROM OTHERS WHO HAD THEIRS TO SHATTER OUT AS WELL. SOME FOR NO APPARENT REASON. I HAVE SINCE CONTACTED THE FORD MOTOR CO. TO TELL THEM OF THE PROBLEM AND ASKED TO BE REIMBURSED THE MONEY FOR THE BACK GLASS AS I FELT THAT WE SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED A RECALL AND IF THAT MANY PEOPLE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM THAT IT WAS A SAFETY ISSUE. I WAS TOLD THAT THEY WOULD NOT REIMBURSE US FOR THE GLASS BECAUSE OURS DID NOT HAVE A RECALL ON IT. I HAVE ALSO FILED A CLAIM WITH THE DISPUTE SETTLEMENT BOARD AND I AM WAITING ON THEIR DECISION. IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE I CAN DO. FORD DOES NOT SEEM TO CARE. *JB