NHTSA Complaint #10194140 — 2004 FORD EXPLORER

ON JUNE 21, 2007 I USED THE KEYLESS ENTRY REMOTE TO OPEN THE REAR WINDOW OF THE 2004 FORD EXPLORER FOR MY 11 OLD DAUGHTER TO PUT MY SON'S BABY BAG IN THE BACK. WHEN THE GLASS OPENED THE DRIVER'S SIDE HINGE FATIGUED AND BROKE, TWISTING THE GLASS HARD ENOUGH TO CAUSE A DENT IN THE WINDOW RECESS AND FALLING ON MY DAUGHTER'S HEAD, BENDING BOTH STRUTS. AFTER INVESTIGATING OTHER MODELS I DISCOVERED THAT MODEL YEARS UP TO 2003 WERE COVERED UNDER A RECALL ,BUT THE 2004 WAS NOT. I CONTACTED FORD MOTOR COMPANY AND EXPLAINED THE SITUATION ,AND THEY WERE ABSOLUTELY NO HELP, TELLING ME THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER ANY WARRANTY AT THE TIME. THE VEHICLE HAS 72,000 MILES ON IT. THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP WAS NOT MUCH MORE HELP, REPLACING MY HINGES WITH THE 2003 RECALL PACKAGE AND INFORMING ME THAT 33% OF THE TIME WHEN THEY REPLACE THE HINGES THE GLASS BREAKS AND THE REPLACEMENT COST WILL BE AT THE OWNER'S EXPENSE. THE PARTS WERE $102 AND THE LABOR $100. *AK