NHTSA Complaint #10162791 — 2003 FORD EXPEDITION

MY 2003 EXPEDITION HAD A CRACK IN THE OVERHEAD CONSOLE WHEN I PURCHASED IT USED IN 2004. I DIDN'T SEE IT AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE AND DIDN'T THINK THAT MUCH OF IT WHEN I DID DISCOVER THE CRACK. IN THE PAST YEAR AND A HALF THE CONSOLE HAS SIMPLY CRACKED APART AND THE PLASTIC IS VERY BRITTLE. I'VE GLUED IT A NUMBER OF TIMES BUT IT KEEPS CRACKING APART IN DIFFERENT PLACES. I'VE CALLED THE PARTS DEPARTMENT AT MY LOCAL FORD DEALER AND THEY TELL ME THAT I CANNOT PURCHASE THE HOUSING FOR THE OVERHEAD CONSOLE SEPARATELY. THEREFORE, I MUST PURCHASE AN ENTIRE NEW CONSOLE PACKAGE INCLUDING THE LIGHTS, SWITCH, ETC. ACCORDING TO THE DEALER, THIS PART WILL COST ME APPROXIMATELY $450.00 NOT INCLUDING ANY INSTALLATION LABOR. I DON'T NEED THE LIGHTS, SWITCH, MIRROR, ETC., BECAUSE THOSE PARTS ARE ALL FUNCTIONAL AND FINE. ALL I NEED IS THE HOUSING. THE PART CANT BE WORTH MORE THAN $10.00, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU CONSIDER HOW EASILY IT BROKE INTO PIECES. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS PROBLEM IS PREVALENT IN OTHER EXPEDITIONS, BUT I SHOULD NOT BE FORCED TO PAY OVER $500.00 (PARTS AND LABOR) FOR A SMALL, CHEAP PIECE OF PLASTIC. *NM