NHTSA Complaint #10058698 — 2000 FORD F-150

WINDSHIELD WIPERS, RADIO, DOOR LOCKS AND AIR CONDITIONING STARTED ACTING ERRATICALLY AFTER A HEAVY RAIN. EVEN AFTER TURNING VEHICLE OFF AND REMOVING THE KEY, THE PROBLEMS PERSISTED. WE HAD JUST PURCHASED THIS TRUCK FROM GOODSON ACURA OF IRVING, TX AND HAD IT TOWED TO PAYTON WRIGHT FORD IN GRAPEVINE, TEXAS DUE TO WARRANTY REQUIREMENTS. THE SERVICE MANAGER INFORMED US THAT GENERIC ELECTRONIC MODULE HAD BEEN DAMAGED DUE TO WINDSHIELD LEAK. A CARFAX REPORT INDICATED THAT TRUCK HAD NOT BEEN REPORTED TO HAVE ANY ACCIDENTS. THE MANUFACTURED WINDSHIELD WAS NOT COVERED IN OUR WARRANTY AND IT SEEMS WE HAVE NO RECOURSE BUT TO PAY OVER $1200.00 TO FORD TO FIX THIS SINCE THERE DOES NOT SEEM TO BE A MARKET FOR GENERIC ELECTRONIC MODULES. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE AND WE DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO FIX IT AT THIS TIME, SO WE ARE LEFT WITH A DANGEROUS VEHICLE THAT COULD HAVE INJURED US OR OTHERS HAD WE NOT BEEN NEAR OUR HOME AT THE TIME OF OCCURRENCE. AFTER RESEARCHING THIS GENERIC ELECTRONIC MODULE, I HAVE FOUND THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SOME RECALLS ON OTHER FORD VEHICLES MADE IN 1996-2001. MANY CUSTOMERS HAVE HAD SAME COMPLAINT OF WINDSHIELD DEFECT LEADING TO CORROSION OF FUSE SYSTEM AND MODULES. I WOULD LIKE TO REGISTER THIS COMPLAINT BECAUSE FORD OFFERS NO SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM WHEN I BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE WELL AWARE OF THIS DEFECT. *ANOTHER THING WE NOTICED WAS THAT THE CARFAX REPORT INDICATED THAT VEHICLE HAD 31,000 MILES ON IT IN JULY OF 2003; HOWEVER, WHEN WE PURCHASED VEHICLE THE MILEAGE WAS DIFFERENT LISTED AT 30,933. THE CARFAX REPORT WAS GIVEN TO US BY DEALERSHIP AND I AM LOOKING INTO THIS DISCREPANCY CURRENTLY. *JB