NHTSA Complaint #10114731 — 2002 FORD EXPLORER

I OWN A 2002 FORD EXPLORER. ON 3/20/05 I NOTICED A CRACK ON THE BACK PANEL JUST BELOW THE UPPER LIFT GATE. THE CRACK IS TO THE RIGHT OF THE FORD EMBLEM AND EXTENDS FROM THE TOP TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS PLASTIC PANEL. UPON CONTACTING MY DEALER, I WAS INFORMED BY THEIR BODY SHOP THAT THIS REPAIR WAS COVERED BY THE ORIGINAL WARRANTY. WHEN I WENT TO THE BODY SHOP AT THE DEALERSHIP I WAS TOLD THAT THE ORGINAL WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED, MY ORIGINAL WARRANTY STARTED 6/29/01. I HAVE ONLY JUST REACHED 36,128 MILES TO DATE. I HAD PURCHASED AN ESP PREMIUM CARE CONTRACT, BUT WAS TOLD THAT IT WOULD NOT COVER THE REPAIR MY VEHICLE REQUIRED EVEN THOUGH I WAS TOLD AT THE TIME I PURCHASED THE ESP THAT IT OFFERED "BUMPER TO BUMPER COVERAGE." IF I WANT THIS CRACK REPAIRED IT WILL HAVE TO BE OUT OF MY POCKET TO THE TUNE OF $450. IN ANY EVENT, I FEEL THAT THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL ITEM AS IT SEEMS AS THOUGH IT WILL INEVITABLY WEAKEN THE UPPER LIFTGATE WINDOW FRAME. I ONLY LEARNED ABOUT THE UPPER LIFTGATE HINGE RECALL WITH THIS VISIT TO THE BODY SHOP. I HAVE NEVER RECEIVED ANY RECALL INFO. FROM FORD. THIS CRACK SEEMS AS THOUGH IT COULD ONLY ADD TO THE DANGEROUS SITUATION ONLY READY IMPOSED BY THE UPPER LIFTGATE. AT THE VERY LEAST, I FEEL THAT MY EXTENDED SERVICE PLAN SHOULD COVER THIS REPAIR ENSURING THE SAFETY OF MY UPPER LIFT GATE WINDOW. I PAID OVER $900 FOR THE ESP COVERAGE.*AK