NHTSA Complaint #10455188 — 2005 FORD EXPLORER

WHILE SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY IN A PARKED POSITION, THE UPPER TAILGATE PANEL, DIRECTLY TO THE RIGHT AND RUNNING RIGHT NEXT TO THE OVAL FORD EMBLEM, A 1/4" WIDE CRACK THAT RUNS VERTICALLY ON THE BACK PANEL APPEARED. THIS UPPER PANEL OF THE TAILGATE ALSO OPENS UP JUST THE WINDOW PART OF THE TAILGATE. THE TAILGATE ON THIS EXPLORER CAN OPEN UP TWO WAYS. ONE WAY BEING THE ENTIRE TAILGATE IS LIFTED SO THAT IT IS OPEN LIKE FOR A DOG TO JUMP IN AND IS THEN LEVEL WITH THE INTERIOR BACK PART (WITH THE SEATS DOWN), AND IT ALSO OPENS UP WITH JUST THE WINDOW PART WHICH IS WHERE THE CRACK IS. THIS CRACK IS SO WIDE THAT IT ALLOWS MOISTURE, SNOW, WATER, RAIN, SALT, ETC. TO SEEP INTO THE COMPONENTS WHICH HOUSE THE ELECTRICAL AND TAIL LIGHT, STOP LAMPS AND TURN SIGNALS. IT ALSO COMPROMISES THE BODY STRUCTURE AND SAFETY FEATURES. THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS OF THIS HAPPENING AS I DID A GOOGLE SEARCH. THIS IS CLEARLY A DEFECT IN MANUFACTURING AND/OR PARTS OR COMPONENTS AND BECAUSE OF THE LARGE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS, THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL NOTICE. AT THE TIME OF THIS OCCURRENCE, MY BACK TAILGATE WAS FACING WEST WITH THE SUN SHINING ON IT. COULD IT HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE COMPONENTS SHRINKING AND EXPANDING? I HAVE PICTURES OF THIS ISSUE THAT I CAN E-MAIL TO YOU. UPDATED 9/13/12 *CN UPDATED 09/20/12