NHTSA Complaint #10362885 — 2004 LINCOLN AVIATOR

THE PLASTIC BRACKET THAT ATTACHES THE SUN VISORS TO THE CEILING IN MY 2004 LINCOLN AVIATOR HAVE DEGRADED AND SHATTERED WITH THE VISOR FALLING OUT OF THE CEILING INTO MY FACE AS I WAS DRIVING. THE SAME CRACKS ARE APPARENT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE VISOR BRACKET BUT ARE HOLDING AT THIS TIME. THIS FAILURE OCCURRED IN AUGUST '09 WHILE ON A TRIP TO VIRGINIA. WHEN I WENT TO THE LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP FOR ASSISTANCE I WAS ADVISED THAT THEY HAD THE SAME FAILURE IN ANOTHER AVIATOR A FEW DAYS EARLIER. THEY DID NOT HAVE THE PART OR A NEW VISOR. THE BRACKET IS ATTACHED DIRECTLY TO THE VISOR ARM AND CANNOT BE PURCHASED SEPARATELY. WORKING WITH A LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP THEY TRIED TO LOCATE A REPLACEMENT AT A LOCAL JUNK YARD, BUT WHEN IT WAS RECEIVED THE BRACKET EXHIBITED THE SAME CRACKING. I FEEL THIS IS DEFINITELY A DEFECTIVE PART SINCE IT IS PROTECTED FROM SUNLIGHT THAT MIGHT DETERIORATE IT. SINCE IT IS LOCATED IN THE CEILING OF THE VEHICLE IT COULD CERTAINLY BE AFFECTED BY THE EXTREME HEAT THAT DEVELOPS FROM THE SUN. THE FAILURE IS ALSO A SAFETY CONCERN AS THE VISOR CAN FALL IN YOU FACE AS MINE DID BLOCKING YOUR VIEW AS YOU DRIVE. NOW WITH THE MISSING VISOR YOUR VIEW IS IMPAIRED WHEN DRIVING INTO THE SUN AS YOU HAVE NOTHING TO BLOCK THE SUN. I BELIEVE THE FAILURE WOULD BE RECORDED AT LINCOLN AS SUN VISOR FAILURES RATHER THAN BRACKET FAILURES SINCE IT IS ATTACHED TO THE VISOR ARM AND HAS TO BE PURCHASED AS A WHOLE VISOR. I HAVE TRIED TO RESOLVE THIS MATTER WITH LINCOLN/FORD AS A PRODUCT DEFECT BY CONTACTING THE MAIN OFFICE IN DETROIT , BUT THEY HAVE DISALLOWED THE CLAIM. *TR