NHTSA Complaint #10372594 — 2005 FORD ESCAPE

THE REAR WINDOW IN OUR 2005 FORD ESCAPE SPONTANEOUSLY EXPLODED AS I WAS DRIVING ALONG THE ROAD. THE TEMPERATURE WAS ABOUT 5 DEGREES CELSIUS AND IT WAS RAINING. I WAS USING THE WINDOW DEFOGGER AND THE REAR WIPER. THE EXPLOSION SOUNDED LIKE A SHOTGUN BLAST AND A LARGE AMOUNT OF GLASS FLEW INTO THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS ALSO GLASS ON THE REAR BUMPER. MY DAUGHTER AND TWO OF HER FRIENDS WERE IN THE BACK SEAT WHEN THIS HAPPENED, AND GLASS FLEW IN TOWARD THEM. I MAINTAINED CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, BUT WAS QUITE STARTLED BY THE LOUD EXPLOSION! THE DRIVER'S SIDE HYDRAULIC LIFT WAS HANGING OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND THE PASSENGER SIDE LIFT WAS STILL ATTACHED TO A CHUNK OF GLASS AND IN PLACE IN THE FRAME OF THE WINDOW. MY GUESS IS THAT THE HYDRAULIC LIFT FAILED, EXERTED PRESSURE ON THE WINDOW, AND CAUSED THE EXPLOSION. *TR