NHTSA Complaint #10078699 — 2002 FORD EXPLORER

AFTER I PARKED THE EXPLORER AT THE MALL, I OPENED THE REAR LIFTGATE GLASS TO TAKE OUT THE STROLLER. AFTER I SET THE STROLLER UP, I REACHED UP TO CLOSE THE LIFTGATE GLASS. AT THIS POINT, WHILE MY HAND IS STILL ON THE LIFTGATE, THE GLASS SHATTERED AND EXPLODED WITH GLASSES FLEW EVERYWHERE. THE BABY STROLLER IS COVERED WITH GLASSES. UNFORTUNATELY, I HAD NOT PUT MY 8 MONTHS OLD BABY IS THE STROLLER OR ELSE HIS FACE WOULD BE COVERED WITH GLASSES. AT THIS POINT, I FELT A SHARP PAIN ON MY RIGHT HAND AND SAW THAT THERE WERE TWO CUTS AND I WAS BLEEDING EVERYWHERE. AFTER DROPPING THE EXPLORER AT A DEALER NEARBY, I WENT TO THE URGENT CARE AND GOT 12 STITCHES FOR THE CUTS. I CALLED FORD CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP CENTER ON MONDAY TO REPORT THE INCIDENT AND WAS TOLD TO WAIT FOR 2 BUSINESS DAYS FOR THE FORD CONSUMER AFFAIRS TO CALL ME BACK. AFTER TWO DAYS OF WAITING, I CALLED BACK AND THIS TIME I WAS TOLD THAT IT MIGHT TAKE UP TO 7 DAYS BEFORE THEY CAN CALL ME BACK. I DID SOME RESEARCH ON THIS PROBLEM AND FOUND OUT THAT THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS FILED WITH NHTSA REGARDING THIS PROBLEM AND THERE IS AN OPEN INVESTIGATION BY ODI (OPENED ON 06/02/2004). APPARENTLY, SHORTLY AFTER THE INTRODUCING THE 2002 EXPLORER FOR SALE, FORD ISSUED A SPECIAL SERVICE INSTRUCTION (SSI 01I-010) IN APRIL OF 2001 TO CORRECT A LIFTGATE LIFT CYLINDER MOUNT ISSUED IN 56,000 VEHICLES BUILT FROM 2/5/2001 TO 3/30/2001. ALL VEHICLES BUILT AFTER THAT PERIOD WERE TO HAVE AN IMPROVED LIFT CYLINDER MOUNTING DESIGN. MY EXPLORER WAS BUILT ON 04/20/2001. HOWEVER, I AM VERY SUSPICIOUS THAT THIS BUILD DATE MIGHT BE WRONG SINCE I KEPT THE WINDOW STICKER AND THE DEALER'S INVOICE WHEN I BOUGHT THE EXPLORER AND THE DATES ON THOSE IS 04/09/2001. WHY IS THIS DATE (04/09/2001) BEFORE MY EXPLORER'S PRODUCTION DATE (04/20/2001)? MY EXPLORER MIGHT HAVE BEEN BUILT DURING THIS 2/5/2001 - 3/20/2001 PERIOD SINCE THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON THIS PROBLEM WITH KNOWN BUILD DATES AFTER APRIL 2001 PERIOD. *AK PE04045.PCO