NHTSA Complaint #10067699 — 2002 FORD EXPLORER

ON A HOT DAY, I OPENED THE GLASS LIFTGATE & THE PASSENGER SIDE STRUT GLUE CAME UNDONE, CAUSING THE LIFTGATE TO NOT SHUT PROPERLY. I THEN REMOVED THE STRUT SO THAT I COULD CLOSE THE LIFTGATE WITHOUT BREAKING THE GLASS, & CONTINUE TO DRIVE. I NEVER OPENED IT AGAIN. A MONTH LATER, THE GLUE ON THE HOLDING STRUT & THE GLASS ON THE DRIVER SIDE BECAME UNDONE. (ALSO, ON THE FIRST WARM DAY OF THIS SPRING SEASON, I POWERED DOWN THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT SEAT WINDOW, BUT I WAS UNABLE TO GET IT TO GO BACK UP, ALTHOUGH THE POWER WAS WORKING. IT BECAME EVIDENT THAT THIS IS ALSO ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE INFERIOR BONDING PRODUCT USED ON THIS WINDOW. THE INTERIM REMEDY WAS THAT I TAPED THE WINDOW UP WITH DUCT TAPE TO PROTECT THE VEHICLE FROM THE ELEMENTS & THEFT.) IT'S CLEAR THAT SINCE THIS HAS HAPPENED IN 2 SECTIONS OF MY NEW VEHICLE THAT THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE BONDING PRODUCT USED ON THESE WINDOWS. I FOUND THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS VERY PROBLEM ON MY VEHICLE. (RECALL NO. 01I010000.) THERE IS ALSO A PHONE NO. TO CALL REGARDING THIS PROBLEM AS FORD HAS DECIDED TO CONDUCT A SPECIAL SERVICE CAMPAIGN TO INSPECT AND TORQUE THE LIFTGATE GLASS BRACKET ON AFFECTED VEHICLES. I CALLED THIS NUMBER AND WAS ADVISED THAT, ALTHOUGH I HAVE THE EXACT VEHICLE AND PROBLEM AS THE RECALL REQUIRES, MY VIN NUMBER DOES NOT RENDER ME ELIGIBLE FOR THE RECALL. IN ADDITION, ALTHOUGH I CLEARLY HAVE AN AFFECTED VEHICLE,  I WAS NOT OFFERED THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THE BENEFIT OF THE SPECIAL SERVICE CAMPAIGN.GIVEN THE NATURE OF THE PROBLEM, THE NEWNESS OF THE VEHICLE & THE FACT THAT IT HAS HAPPENED ON TWO WINDOWS, THIS IS CLEARLY A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. IN ADDITION, THERE IS A RECALL FOR THE EXACT PROBLEM (ON THE BACK WINDOW) ON MY EXACT VEHICLE. IF FOR SOME REASON MY VIN NUMBER IS NOT INCLUDED, IT OBVIOUSLY SHOULD BE INCLUDED. AFTER ALL, HOW DO THEY INITIALLY DETERMINE WHICH GROUPS OF CARS HAVE BEEN AFFECTED IF NOT BY THE CONSUMERS COMPLAINING OF THE PROBLEM? BEING FIXED TOMORROW FOR $800.*AK PE04045.PCO