NHTSA Complaint #10233683 — 2002 FORD EXPLORER

MY HUSBAND OPENED THE LIFTGATE TO MY 2002 EDDIE BAUER FORD EXPLORER TO BRING OUR HURRICANE SUPPLY KIT INTO THE HOUSE. AFTERWARDS, HE WENT TO CLOSE THE LIFTGATE, JUST AS NORMAL, AND THE GLASS, WITHOUT ANY WARNING, EXPLODED INTO HUNDREDS OF PIECES AND THE FRAME BELOW THE GLASS CRASHED TO THE GROUND. GLASS WAS FOUND HALFWAY DOWN THE DRIVEWAY, UNDER THE CAR, INSIDE THE CAR, AND ON TOP OF THE CAR. THE HINGES WERE CLEARLY BOTH BROKEN AND WIRES WERE SEPARATED FROM THE LIFTGATE. MY HUSBAND WAS STANDING TO THE SIDE OF THE CAR WHEN HE CLOSED THE LIFTGATE AND LUCKILY ONLY HAD A MINOR CUT ON HIS TOE. THE LIFTGATE DID NOT TOUCH ANYTHING AND WAS NOT HIT BY ANYTHING OR FORCED TO CLOSE IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO IT EXPLODING. I ESSENTIALLY HAVE A THREE-SIDED CAR RIGHT NOW. FORD ISSUED A RECALL (04S20) ON THE LIFTGATE GLASS HINGE AND BALL STUD BRACKET EARLIER AND I HAD THAT REPAIR COMPLETED ON 09/25/07. THE DESCRIPTION OF THE EXPLOSION IS VERBATIM OF WHAT WAS DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL, HOWEVER FORD CUSTOMER CARE DENIES ANY RESPONSIBILITY STATING THAT PART IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY AS DOES THE DEALER WHO ORIGINALLY REPAIRED THE RECALLED PART. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY DISASTROUS IF MY HUSBAND HAD NOT BEEN STANDING OFF TO THE SIDE OR IF ANYONE HAD BEEN INSIDE THE CAR, ESPECIALLY CHILDREN. FORD SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO PAY FOR ANY INCIDENTS THAT HAPPEN INVOLVING THE HINGE AND BALL BRACKET EVEN IF THE REPAIR WAS MADE AS THEY REQUESTED PER THE RECALL. DOORS DO NOT JUST 'COME OFF' FOR NO REASON. THEIR METHOD OF 'REPAIRING' THE RECALL IS NOT SUFFICIENT AS THERE ARE BLOGS ONLINE WITH MANY OTHER EXACT COMPLAINTS. *TR