NHTSA Complaint #10093244 — 2002 FORD EXCURSION

2002 FORD EXCURSION. REAR GLASS SHATTERED AND FELL ON THE GROUND WHEN OUR CHILD ATTEMPTED TO CLOSE THE REAR GLASS AND THE TWO REAR GATES IN THE INCORRECT ORDER. THIS IS A DESIGN DEFECT AND POSES A SIGNIFICANT RISK TO HUMANS SHOULD THE REAR GLASS FALL ONTO A PERSON WHILE ATTEMPTING TO CLOSE THE REAR GLASS AND GATES. THE DEFECT IS THAT THE REAR GLASS AND THE LOWER GATES ARE DESIGNED SUCH THAT IF THEY ARE OPERATED IN THE INCORRECT FASHION, WITH THE UPPER GLASS LOWERED FIRST AND THEN THE LOWER GATES ATTEMPTED TO BE SWUNG CLOSED, THE LOWER GATES IMPINGE WITH A VERY LONG TORQUE ARM ON THE GLASS OF THE UPPER WINDOW, AND THE RESULTANT FORCE LITERALLY CAUSES THE UPPER GLASS TO SHATTER. THE SHATTERED "SAFETY GLASS" THEN FALLS ON THE GROUND AT THE OPERATOR'S FEET, OR WORSE, SOME OF THE SMALL AND VERY SHARP GLASS FRAGMENTS FLY HORIZONTALLY AND LAND ON THE OPERATOR OR OCCUPANTS. IN OUR CASE, A ADOLESCENT CHILD WAS THE OPERATOR, AND LUCKILY AVOIDED INJURY. THERE WERE THREE OTHER CHILDREN INSIDE THE REAR COMPARTMENT OF THE VEHICLE, AND GLASS SHOWERED INTO THE COMPARTMENT AND ONTO THEIR LEGS, BUT NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED, BUT THERE IS NO RECOURSE AT THIS POINT. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NO RECALL IN EFFECT. CURIOUSLY, I PERSONALLY KNOW OF FOUR OTHER SUCH INCIDENTS IN THE TOWN IN WHICH I LIVE, AND THOSE FOLKS ALSO FOUND NO RECOURSE WITH THE FORD DEALER OR THE MANUFACTURER.*AK