NHTSA Complaint #10339722 — 2002 FORD EXPLORER

RE NHTSA # 04V-442. 2002 FORD EXPLORER. LIFTGATE GLASS HINGE SHEARED AND GLASS FELL ON ME. I WAS TOLD BY SERVICE DEPT THAT FORD RECALL 04S20 (PERFORMED IN 2004) WAS ONLY WARRANTEED FOR 1 YEAR, SO I PURCHASED NEW HINGE KIT (2L2Z-78420A68-AA) AND INSTALLED MYSELF. AFTER EXAMINING OLD PARTS, I NOTICED SIGNIFICANT REDESIGN. AFTER DISCUSSION WITH A FORD SERVICE MANAGER IT APPEARS THAT INITIAL RECALL REPAIRS WERE INSUFFICIENT AND BY HIS ESTIMATE THE HINGES LAST ABOUT 3 YEARS. THERE WERE SEVERAL MODIFICATIONS TO THE RECALLED PARTS AND PROCEDURES SINCE 12/04. MY VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED 12/20/04 SO THE MOST RECENT PROCEDURE WAS NOT FOLLOWED AT THE TIME AND MOST RECENT PARTS WERE NOT INSTALLED. FORD WILL NOT COMPENSATE FOR ADDITIONAL EXPENSES ONCE ANY RECALL REPAIR WAS COMPLETED. I WAS NOT INJURED BECAUSE I WAS OPENING THE HATCH SLOWLY AND HAD NOT LET GO BEFORE THE HINGE BROKE AND THE GLASS FELL. I BELIEVED THAT THE SAFETY DEFECT HAD BEEN REPAIRED. THIS IS NOT THE CASE. THE DANGER STILL EXISTS. I SUGGEST A WARNING NOTICE BE SENT TO ALL OWNERS THAT HAD RECALL PERFORMED BEFORE THE FINAL PROCEDURES (RCRIT-04V442-7848) WERE DEVELOPED. IT WOULD ALSO ENCOURAGE FORD TO COVER THE COST OF REPAIRS FOR THE DEFECTIVE RECALL REPAIR - INCLUDING GLASS BREAKAGE - AS THEY DID FOR THE ORIGINAL RECALL. *TR