NHTSA Complaint #10508562 — 2011 FORD ESCAPE

TIME OF INCIDENT: 7:45AM, DRIVING 40MPH, APPROX. OUTSIDE TEMP: 70 DEGREES, CONDITIONS: DRY 40 MINUTES INTO DRIVE TIME ON SMOOTH PAVEMENT, HEARD LOUD EXPLOSION OUTSIDE OF VEHICLE ON PASSENGER SIDE FRONT DOOR. THE PASSENGER SIDE MIRROR GLASS LITERALLY EXPLODED OFF THE MIRROR MOTOR AND IMPACTED THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW WITH SUCH FORCE THAT IT LEFT AN OUTLINE OF THE MIRROR ALONG WITH PUTTING GASHES IN THE WINDOW, A GASH IN THE RUBBER MOLDING AND A WHITE POWDER RESIDUE, AND THEN PROJECTED APPROX 6 FEET AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE. I WENT BACK TO LOCATE AND RETRIEVE THE MIRROR GLASS SO I COULD BRING IT TO THE ATTENTION OF MY DEALERSHIP. I AM ABSOLUTELY POSITIVE THERE WAS NO OBJECT THAT HIT THE MIRROR GLASS. THE SEPARATION OF MIRROR GLASS FROM THE MOTOR WAS CLEAN. NO REMNANTS OF MIRROR GLASS ON MOTOR ASSEMBLY OR WITHIN THE MIRROR HOUSING ITSELF. THE MIRROR HOUSING HAS NO DAMAGE TO THE OUTSIDE OR INSIDE. MY VEHICLE ALSO HAS NO DAMAGE OTHER THAN AT THE POINT OF IMPACT ON PASSENGER WINDOW - ALL CONFIRMED BY MY DEALERSHIP. DEALERSHIP SUBMITTED PICS W/DESCRIPTION TO FORD COMPANY. FORD COMPANY RESPONDED WITH "UNWARRANTED" STATING AN OBJECT HIT THE MIRROR PER THE GREEN ARROW POINTING TO THE PLACE OF IMPACT ON THE PICTURE. CLEARLY FORD COMPANY IS INCORRECT AND OUTLANDISHLY SO. THE ALLEGED POINT OF IMPACT IS AN AREA NO MORE THAN 3/16 INCH. THE PLACEMENT OF THE IMPACT IS SUCH THAT IT WOULD HAVE PROJECTED THE MIRROR GLASS IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION. THE SPEED OF THE ALLEGED OBJECT WOULD ALSO HAVE TO BE CONSIDERED. THE TRUTH IS, THERE WAS NO PHANTOM OBJECT. FORD COMPANY FURTHER REVIEWING AND WILL CONTACT ME THIS WEEK. *TR