NHTSA Complaint #10171106 — 2001 FORD SUPERCREW

BELOW IS A COPY OF CORRESPONDENCE I SENT TO FORD ON OCT. 17, 2006 REGARDING MY CONCERN WITH THE LACK OF REAR SEAT HEAD RESTRAINTS IN MY 2001 FORD F150 SUPERCREW. HELLO, I PURCHASED A NEW 2001 F150 SUPERCREW IN JUNE 2000. I HAVE A CONCERN WITH THE LACK OF HEADRESTS IN THE REAR SEAT. I DID NOT NOTICE THE LACK OF HEADRESTS WHEN I FIRST BOUGHT THE VEHICLE. THEN MY GRANDFATHER SUBSEQUENTLY PURCHASED A NEW SUPERCREW A YEAR OR SO LATER. THEN, WHEN COMPARING THE TWO TRUCKS I NOTICED THAT HIS TRUCK CAME WITH REAR HEAD RESTS. THE PROXIMITY OF THE REAR WINDOW TO REAR PASSENGERS HEADS IS ALARMING SHOULD THIS VEHICLE BE INVOLVED IN A FRONT OR REAR COLLISION. THIS DESIGN FLAW COULD RESULT IN SEVERE HEAD TRAUMA SHOULD SOMEONE''S HEAD IMPACT THE REAR GLASS IN SUCH AN ACCIDENT. SECONDARILY, REAR PASSENGER COMFORT IS COMPROMISED AS THERE IS NO HEAD SUPPORT. AS MY TWO SONS ARE NOW GETTING BEYOND CHILD SEATS, IT HAS BECOME VERY EVIDENT TO ME THAT THE REAR SEAT IS PERHAPS AS UNSAFE FOR A CHILD (AS WELL AS AN ADULT) AS THE FRONT SEAT (WHICH HAS A FRONT AIRBAG THAT I CANNOT TURN OFF). I SUSPECT THAT THIS OVERSIGHT WAS EVIDENT BEFORE THE MODEL WAS FIRST RELEASED IN 2000 AND WAS QUICKLY CORRECTED AS THE RUN BEGAN. WHILE I AM PURSUING PUTTING THE RESPONSIBILITY ON FORD MOTOR COMPANY FOR CORRECTING THIS ISSUE ON VEHICLES THAT WERE SOLD WITHOUT REAR HEADRESTS AND THE DEALER THAT SOLD THE VEHICLE, I MUST IN THE MEAN TIME SEEK OUT A SOLUTION TO ENSURE MY VEHICLE HAS A BASIC LEVEL OF PASSENGER SAFETY. I AM ASKING FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE IN IDENTIFYING ANY AFTER MARKET, RETROFIT OR ADD ON HEADREST THAT WOULD PROPERLY AND SAFELY AFFIX TO THE REAR SEAT BACK IN A MANNER SIMILAR TO A FACTOR HEADREST. I WILL AWAIT A TIMELY AND THOROUGH RESPONSE. SINCERELY, MICHAEL PETERSON 244 SKOPAS COURT ROSEVILLE, CA 95661 916-768-4951 [email protected]. *NM