NHTSA Complaint #10363684 — 2002 FORD EXPLORER

WHILE RAISING THE GLASS SECTION OF THE LIFTGATE ON MY 2002 FORD EXPLORER, THE LEFT STRUT BECAME DISENGAGED, AND THE BACK GLASS EXPLODED. WE WERE VERY LUCKY THAT NO ONE WAS HURT, AS MY BROTHER LITERALLY HAD THE GLASS IN HIS HANDS WHEN IT EXPLODED, AND MY DAUGHTER AND I WERE STANDING RIGHT NEXT TO HIM. PLEASE NOTE, THE GLASS DID NOT MERELY SHATTER. IT EXPLODED. I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE FROM CARMAX LAST YEAR, AND FOUND THAT THERE WERE A COUPLE OF RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE THAT HAD NOT BEEN TAKEN CARE OF, ONE OF WHICH INCLUDED THE REPLACEMENT OF THE STRUT BRACKETS AND HINGES ON THE LIFTGATE. UPON REVIEWING MY SERVICE INVOICE, I FOUND THAT ONLY THE LIFTGATE HINGES WERE REPLACED; THE STRUT BRACKETS WERE NOT. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP WHO PERFORMED THE RECALL SERVICE ORIGINALLY, AND THEY NOTIFIED FORD. FORD CLAIMED THAT THE STRUTS HAD BEEN REPLACED IN 2002 ~ WHICH WAS TWO YEARS BEFORE THE RECALL EVEN OCCURRED. THEREFORE, THEY WOULD NOT COVER ANY OF THE REPAIR. HOW DO I KNOW THAT FAULTY STRUTS WERE NOT INSTALLED IN 2002, SINCE THE RECALL DIDN'T EVEN OCCUR UNTIL 2 YEARS LATER? I HAVE READ OTHER COMPLAINTS ONLINE ABOUT THIS, AND IT IS AMAZING THAT FORD GETS AWAY WITH THIS! THIS IS MY LAST FORD, THAT'S FOR SURE! THIS IS MY SECOND EXPLORER, AND I HAVE BEEN A VERY LOYAL CUSTOMER, BUT NO MORE! FORD DOES NOT STAND BEHIND IT'S PRODUCT AND THEY APPARENTLY DO NOT CARE ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THEIR CUSTOMERS. *TR