NHTSA Complaint #10450558 — 2006 FORD FREESTAR

MY FORD FREESTAR HAD BEEN OUTSIDE OVERNIGHT AND THE WINDOWS WERE ICY AS THE TEMPERATURE WAS APPROX 30 DEGREES. I STARTED THE CAR AND PUT THE REAR DEFROSTER ON HIGH FOR ABOUT 10 MIN BEFORE LEAVING FOR WORK. SOON AFTER, I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY DRIVING 60 MPH WHEN SUDDENLY THERE WAS A LOUD IMPLOSION AS THE REAR WINDOW SHATTERED AND MOST FELL IN! STUNNED AND NOT KNOWING INITIALLY WHAT HAD HAPPENED, I PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE FREEWAY AND QUICKLY REALIZED THAT I NEEDED ALTERNATE TRANSPORTATION TO WORK AND RETURNED HOME TO FURTHER ASSESS MY NEWLY 'AIR CONDITIONED' VAN. I CONTACTED MY DEALER SEVERAL DAYS LATER AND GOT THE REAR WINDOW REPAIRED AT MY EXPENSE. DESPITE A COUPLE OF MECHANICS SUGGESTING THAT THE COMBINATION OF THE ICY CONDENSATION ON THE WINDOW AND THE DEFROSTER RUNNING ON HIGH CAUSED THE WINDOW TO SHATTER, FORD MOTORS WOULD NOT REIMBURSE ANY OF THE EXPENSE ($260) FOR REPAIRS. THIS VAN HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT AND FORTUNATELY HAS OTHERWISE BEEN RELIABLE. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED THAT FORD WOULD NOT COVER WINDOW REPLACEMENT AND EXAMINE THE CAUSE ESPECIALLY AFTER READING THAT THIS IS A PREVALENT PROBLEM WITH MANY OF THEIR VEHICLES. THANK YOU FOR TAKING MY CONCERNS INTO CONSIDERATION TO CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN SAFE VEHICLES FOR ALL ON THE ROAD. *TR