NHTSA Complaint #10157592 — 2002 FORD EXPLORER

I POPPED THE LIFTGATE ON MY 2002 FORD EXPLORER WHILE IT WAS SITTING IN MY GARAGE (GARAGE DOOR WAS CLOSED AND IT WAS EARLY EVENING -- SO TEMPERATURES WERE MILD AND NO SUNLIGHT WAS HITTING THE TRUCK). AS I PULLED ON THE LIFTGATE TO FULLY OPEN IT, I HEARD A LOUD "BANG!" AND THE ENTIRE BACK WINDOW EXPLODED. BALLS OF GLASS WERE THROWN WITH SUCH FORCE THAT THEY EMBEDDED IN THE WALLS OF MY GARAGE. SEVERAL TINY SHARDS OF GLASS (EVEN THOUGH IT'S SAFETY GLASS, EDGES ARE STILL PRETTY SHARP) LODGED IN MY FEET. TODAY, I'M HAVING THE BACK GLASS REPLACED, BUT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THIS PROBLEM RECURRING. THERE HAD BEEN NO PREVIOUS DAMAGE TO MY REAR WINDOW, AND I HAD THE "LIFTGATE HINGE" RECALL WORK PERFORMED PROMPTLY. IT APPEARS THAT NUMEROUS OTHER FORD EXPLORER OWNERS ARE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THEIR BACK WINDOWS CRACKING OR EXPLODING: HTTP://WWW.AUTOBYTEL.COM/CONTENT/RESEARCH/FORUMS/INDEX.CFM/ACTION/POSTS/FID/200. *JB