NHTSA Complaint #10179522 — 2000 FORD EXPEDITION

I TOOK OUR 2000 FORD EXPEDITION (EDDIE BAUER ED.) INTO JOPLIN FORD LINCOLN MERCURY BECAUSE OF VARIOUS ELECTRICAL ABNORMALITIES. INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO: WIPERS STOPPING WHILE DRIVING(1-20-07). I HAD THE DEALERSHIP RUN COMPUTER DIAGNOSTICS TO TELL ME WHAT THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEMS WAS. I WAS INFORMED THAT "WDS PERFORMED DIAGNOSTIC TESTS FOUND CENTRAL JUNCTION BOX, AND GEM MODULE CAUSING CONCERN, WATER INTRUSION CAUSED BY LEAKING WINDSHIELD." TOTAL ESTIMATE TO REPAIR BETWEEN $885 AND $948 (DEPENDING ON WHETHER WINDSHIELD COULD BE REUSED). I DECLINED TO HAVE REPAIRS MADE (COULDN'T AFFORD IT) BUT PRE-PAID ($503.04 FOR PARTS AND DIAGNOSTICS) SO THAT I COULD DO THE WORK MYSELF. IT WAS DURING AN INTERNET SEARCH FOR "GEM MODULE" THAT I HAPPENED UPON THIS (NHTSA) WEBSITE. I'VE READ ALL OF THE COMPLAINTS (EXPEDITION ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS) AND REALIZED THAT MINE IS NOT AN ISOLATED CASE, BUT QUITE COMMON. I WENT ON TO READ ( EA05015) BY THE ODI AND DOCUMENTS. UNLESS THEY WERE NOT PUBLISHED, THERE ARE SEVERAL FLAWS IN THE REPORT. 1. IS IT POSSIBLE THAT WIPERS FAILING IS NOT WIDESPREAD; BUT, THE RESULT OF FAULTY PRODUCTION AT ONE PLANT? THE REPORT I SAW DOESN'T INDICATE THAT ANY DISCERNMENT WAS ATTEMPTED IN THIS REGARD. 2. THE LEAK WAS IN THE UPPER LEFT CORNER OF THE WINDSHIELD BEHIND THE SUPPORT COLUMN. IT WAS OUT OF SIGHT, CONTRARY TO FORD'S ASCERTION. 3. ODI'S RATIONAL FOR NOT RECOMMENDING A RECALL IS THAT NOT ENOUGH PERCENTAGE COULD BE ESTABLISHED AS A RESULT OF SERVICE RECORDS AND CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS TO NHSTA. IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO CONTACT SOME OF THE OWNERS THAT HAD GEM PROBLEMS AND LEAKS; AND ASK THEM IF THEY HAD THEIR WIPERS STOP... BECAUSE, THOUGH I REPORTED THE WIPERS TO THE SERVICE MANAGER, WHAT WAS SHOWN ON THE REPAIR ORDER IS, "...A C/S THE BLOWER FAN RUNS ON HIGH WHEN THE KEY IS SHUT OFF. HEARD CLICKING NOISE FROM THE ABS WHEN THE VEH IS SHUT OFF..." MAYBE JUST A MISTAKE, MAYBE NOT. *JB