NHTSA Complaint #10126169 — 2000 FORD EXPEDITION

6-12 MONTHS AGO, 2000 FORD EXPEDITION STARTED HAVING ERRATIC ELECTRICAL BEHAVIOR. WINDSHIELD WIPERS QUIT WORKING DURING RAINSTORM WHILE AWAY ON VACATION. WAS VERY HAZARDOUS TO HAVE HAPPEN WHILE DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY DURING A DOWNPOUR! RADIO WOULD GO ON AND OFF WHILE SHIFTING THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. TOOK TO DEALER (STILL UNDER WARRANTY AT THIS TIME), THEY "TIGHTENED UP SOME THINGS", PROBLEM WENT AWAY, UNTIL NEXT RAIN STORM! DUE TO NEEDING THE VEHICLE, I COULD NOT GET IT BACK TO DEALER BEFORE FACTORY WARRANTY EXPIRED. I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE OK THOUGH, BECAUSE I HAD PURCHASED A "PREMIUM" EXTENDED WARRANTY. TOOK TO DEALER A SECOND TIME, NOW TRUCK TRIES TO START ITSELF WITH NO KEY IN IGNITION, WIPERS AGAIN FAIL WHILE DRIVING DURING RAINSTORM, HEATER BLOWER MOTOR REMAINS RUNNING AFTER EXITING VEHICLE. THIS DRAINS THE BATTERY IF LEFT OVERNIGHT, AND RESULTS IN AN INOPERABLE VEHICLE. TRUCK FOUR WHEEL DRIVE INDICATORS FLASH ON AND OFF AT TIMES WHILE DRIVING. NOT A GOOD FEELING WHEN TRAVELING 70 MPH ON THE FREEWAY. AFTER INSPECTION, DEALER INFORMS ME THAT WATER HAS INTRUDED INTO THE DASH COMPONENTS DUE TO A LEAKING WINDSHIELD. THEY STATE THE EXTENDED WARRANTY WONT COVER IT BECAUSE THEY DONT COVER "WATER INTRUSIONS". GEM MODULE, FUSEBOX NEED REPLACED, WINDSHIELD RESEALED TO FIX PROBLEM. QUOTE OF ABOUT $1000.00 I DECLINED REPAIRS AT THE TIME. WENT HOME AND RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM. SEEMS MANY, MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I CALLED FORD AND AFTER MANY PHONE CALLS, THEY DECLINED TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH FORD. HAVE ALWAYS BOUGHT THEIR PRODUCTS BECAUSE I BELIEVED THEY STOOD BEHIND THEIR RELIABILITY AND WORKMANSHIP. HERE IS A FACTORY INSTALLED WINDSHIELD THAT STARTED LEAKING BEFORE THEIR 3/36 WARRANTY EXPIRED, THEIR DEALER "BAND-AIDED" THE PROBLEM INSTEAD OF FIXING THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM WHILE STILL UNDER WARRANTY. NOW I HAVE AN INOPERABLE VEHICLE IN MY DRIVEWAY THAT FRANKLY, SEEMS TO BE A MAJOR SAFETY RISK TO PUT MY FAMILY OF SIX IN.