NHTSA Complaint #10132897 — 2002 FORD EXPLORER

REAR HATCH WINDOW LIFT FAILED AND CAUSED REAR GLASS TO SHATTER (LUCKILY NO ONE WAS HURT). THE WINDOW WAS LIFTED TO REMOVE ITEMS FROM THE REAR AND THE LIFT ARM APPARENTLY WAS WEDGED UNDER THE GLASS AND IT EXPLODED SO LOUDLY THAT NEIGHBORS 2 HOUSES AWAY RAN OVER AND PEOPLE WALKING DOWN THE STREET CAME TO MAKE SURE NO ONE WAS INJURED. WE HAD THE GLASS REPLACED BY A GLASS COMPANY--THIS TOOK 4 DAYS DUE TO THE UNAVAILABILITY OF THE GLASS. THEY ALSO INDICATED THEY HAD JUST (THE SAME DAY) REPLACED ANOTHER WITH THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM AND THEY HAD SEEN SEVERAL IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS. THE STRUTS WERE NOT REPLACED AND WE WERE ADVISED NOT TO USE THE HATCH DOOR UNTIL THEY ARE. OUR DEALER WAS NOT RESPONSIVE ON THIS MATTER BUT I BELIEVE THERE NEEDS TO BE AN INVESTIGATION. THE GLASS CO SAID THAT THE WINDOW DESIGN WAS CHANGED IN OR AFTER 2002 SO THE STRUTS ARE LOWER AND SUPPORT THE GLASS CORRECTLY. *JB