NHTSA Complaint #10341630 — 2007 FORD EDGE

MY HUSBAND & I OWN A 2007 FORD EDGE. WE ARE A MILITARY FAMILY WITH MY HUSBAND SERVING IN THE USAF. NEEDLESS TO SAY WE TRAVEL VERY OFTEN BY CAR TO VISIT FAMILY MEMBERS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. SINCE HAVING OUR FIRST BABY 8 MONTHS AGO ON THIS LATEST CAR TRIP WE DECIDED TO USE OUR CARGO ROOF RACK FOR THE FIRST TIME. THIS ROOF RACK IS THE RACK THAT CAME ON THE FORD EDGE FROM THE MANUFACTURER. WE DECIDED TO BUY A SMALL 36"X30"X18" CARGO BAG (CLOTH) TO PUT A FEW ITEMS IN & CARRY ON THE ROOF. FIVE MINUTES INTO THE TRIP ON THE HIGHWAY IN THE HOV LANE WE HEARD A LOUD SNAP NOISE & THE ENTIRE ROOF RACK BROKE OFF WITH OUR CARGO BAG & WENT FLYING OFF BEHIND US IN EARLY AM RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC NEARLY CAUSING A CAR ACCIDENT. NO SHOULDER ON THE HIGHWAY MY HUSBAND AND I HAD TO GET A POLICE OFFICER TO HELP US BLOCK THE HOV LANE SO WE COULD GET THE CARGO BAG & BROKEN ROOF RACK. THE CARGO HAD NO MORE THAN 60 LBS. WORTH INSIDE SO WE KNOW WE DIDN'T EXCEED ANY WEIGHT LIMIT. I MYSELF @ 130LBS & 5'2" COULD PICK UP THE CARGO BAG MYSELF. WE DROVE STRAIGHT TO FORD DEALERSHIP WHERE WE WAITED THREE HOURS TO HEAR THAT FORD WOULD NOT REPLACE THE ROOF RACK BECAUSE IT WAS DAMAGED BY OUTSIDE CAUSES. I SHOULD MENTION THAT MY EDGE IS STILL COVERED UNDER THE 36,000.00 MILE BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY. TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE THERE ISN'T A STITCH OF INFORMATION IN THE OWNERS MANUAL AS TO WHAT THE ROOF RACK WEIGHT LIMITS ARE OR HOW CARGO SHOULD BE STRAPPED TO IT. I WILL BE FILING AN APPEAL COMPLAINT TODAY & IF I HAVE TO I WILL GO STRAIGHT TO ALLAN MULALLY MYSELF. I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT FORD WOULD NOT STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT ESPECIALLY WHILE UNDER WARRANTY THAT COULD HAVE CAUSED A FATAL ACCIDENT. EVEN MORE DESPICABLY TREAT A FAMILY SERVING THIS COUNTRY WHO PUT THEIR TRUST IN THE FORD MOTOR VEHICLE COMPANY & THEIR "WARRANTY" COMMITMENT SO POORLY. WE HAD STRONGLY CONSIDERED BEING FORD OWNERS FOR LIFE, ESPECIALLY AS OUR FAMILY GREW BUT TO HAVE TO PUT UP A FIGHT OVER A ROOF RACK UNDER WARRANTY HAS CHANGED OUR MINDS. *TR