NHTSA Complaint #10172893 — 2002 FORD EXPEDITION

WE BOUGHT OUR 2002 EXPEDITION FEB/2006. SINCE THEN, EVERY TIME IT RAINS, WE EXPERIENCE WATER DRIPPING FROM THE VISOR HINGES. WE WERE CONCERNED THAT OUR ROOF WILL RUST SO WE TOOK IT TO OUR MECHANIC BUT HE COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. WE CONTINUED TO DRIVE IT BUT BECAME MORE CONCERNED ABOUT THE POTENTIAL PROBLEMS SO WE TOOK IT BACK TO OUR MECHANIC AND TOLD HIM TO KEEP IT UNTIL HE FINDS THE PROBLEM ON OCT 30, 2006. WE ALSO NOTICED OUR DASH LIGHTS FLASHING. WE TOLD HIM TO ALSO FIND OUT WHAT IS CAUSING THIS PROBLEM ALSO. WE RECEIVED A CALL FROM HIM LATER IN THE DAY AND HE ADVISED US THAT HE CALLED THE DEALERSHIP WHO ADVISED HIM THAT THERE'S AN OVERLAYMENT OF METAL BEHIND THE WINDSHIELD THAT FORD FAILED TO SEAL CORRECTLY AND THE WINDSHIELD WASN'T SEALED CORRECTLY SO WHEN IT RAINS OR SNOWS, THE WATER SEEPS THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD AND FILLS THE PILLARS WITH WATER. THE OVERFLOW OF WATER FROM THE PILLARS IS WHAT DRIPS THROUGH THE VISOR HINGES. SOME OF THE WATER LEAKS INTO THE WIRING IN THE DASHBOARD AND OTHER PLACES. FORD ADVISED THERE IS NO RECALL FOR THIS. WE FOUND SOMEONE ELSE HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM FROM A PETRINA COMPTON @ MY3CENTS.COM WHICH SHE ADVISED OF A "SPECIAL MESSAGE" SENT DIRECTLY FROM FORD TO ALL FORD DEALERSHIPS IN APRIL OF 2002 WHICH STATES 1997-2002 EXPEDITIONS MAY EXHIBIT ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS DUE TO WATER LEAKING IN THROUGH INCORRECTLY SEALED WINDSHIELDS. SPECIAL MESSAGE #15773. IF FORD IS ALREADY AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND THEY ADMIT THEY ARE AWARE OF IT IN SO MANY YEARS OF MODELS, WHY HAS THERE NOT BEEN A RECALL ON THIS? I FEEL THAT THIS DEFECT WILL BE A POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD WHILE OPERATING VEHICLE WHEN THE ELECTRICAL FAILS OR CAUSES A SHORT IN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND CAUSES A FIRE. PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO INVESTIGATE THIS DEFECT. I'M SURE THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER OWNERS WHO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM BUT DON'T KNOW WHERE TO TURN OR HAVE BEEN TOLD BY THEIR MECHANICS AND DEALERSHIPS THAT THEY CANNOT LOCATE THE PROBLEM. *JB