NHTSA Complaint #10153243 — 2002 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER

I OWN A 2002 MERCURY MTNR. 85,000 MI. NORMAL,EXPECTED USAGE..4 WKS AGO NOTICED A CRACK IN THE REAR LIFT UP DOOR PANEL ABOVE/BELOW THE CTR. OF THE MTNR. LOGO. CRACK THR/THR PLASTIC PANEL.. DOOR IS USED FREQUENTLY AS ACCESS TO THE REAR STORAGE AREA..2 DAYS LATER TOOK IT TO THE FORD/MERC. DEALER, SERV. MNGR. STATES THAT HE HAS RECENTLY SEEN ANOTHER "SAME" CRACK.. CONTACTED FORD WHO STATED THAT THEY WOULD NOT TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY AS THE VEHICLE HAD >100,000MI..SAME RESULT WHEN HE CONTACTED THEM FOR MY VEHICLE, SENT IN FOR RECONSIDERATION WITH PICTURES OF THE VEHICLE/CRACK... APPEARS TO BE AN ENGINEERING/MANUFACTURING PROBLEM, NOT SPECIFICALLY RELATED TO >MILEAGE AS MUCH AS RELATED TO FREQUENT USAGE OF THIS DOOR, AND A PLASTIC PANEL SUSCEPTIBLE TO BREAKAGE SECONDARY TO DESIGN/PLACEMENT OF LOGO, CREATING A "WEAK" AREA THAT IS EXPOSED TO FREQUENT "BANGING DOWN" AS THE DOOR IS CLOSED..FORD'S ANSWER THE SECOND TIME WAS A DENIAL OF RESONSIBILITY AND A SUGGESTION THAT THE OWNERS CONTACT THEIR INSURANCE COMPANY (NOT THE CORRECT OR CUSTOMER FRIENDLY RESPONSE, AS THIS WOULD ONLY RESULT IN CUSTOMER PAYING OUT A DEDUCTIBLE AND/OR BEING SUBJECTED TO INCREASED INSURANCE RATES)...I REALIZE THAT THIS IS NOT A FAILURE THAT RESULTED IN ACCIDENT, INJURY OR DEATH, BUT IT IS ONE MORE EXAMPLE OF HOW THE AMERICAN AUTOMOBILE MANUFACTURERS ARE NOT LISTENING TO THE CUSTOMERS AND CERTAINLY NOT STANDING BEHIND THEIR PRODUCTS, AS DEFECTS, FAULTS ARE IDENTIFIED SECONDARY TO LESS THAN EXCELLENT DESIGN, ENGINEERING, AND MANUFACTURING..WHEN WILL THE AMERICAN AUTO INDUSTRY REALIZE THAT THE AVERAGE CONSUMER IS NOT IMPRESSED WITH THE HIGH POWERED, DRAMATIC ADVERTISEMENTS SEEN TODAU, AND WOULD LIKE THEM TO BE INTERESTED IN PRODUCING A SAFE, STURDY, WELL ENGINEERED VEHICLE...I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT FORD HAS TAKEN NO INTEREST OR RESONSIBILITY FOR SUCH AN OBVIOUS PRODUCT DEFECT....I HAVE HAD THE PANEL ORDERED AND IT WILL PAY TO HAVE IT REPLACED...HAVE THERE BEEN OTHER SUCH INCIDENTS NOTED?....THANK YOU . *NM