NHTSA Complaint #10865055 — 2012 FORD EXPLORER

I WAS DRIVING ON I30 EASTBOUND IN TEXAS ON OCTOBER OF 2015 WHEN WITHOUT WARNING MY PASSENGER SIDE WINDSHIELD MOLDING CAME OFF AND HIT THE CAR BEHIND ME. AFTER STOPPING AND CHECKING BOTH VEHICLES NO INJURIES OR DAM AGE TO THE OTHER VEHICLE AND WE WENT ON OUR WAY. I CONTACTED MY FORD DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS NOT WARRANTED AND THE COST TO REPAIR WOULD BE AROUND $400. I EXPRESSED MY DISPLEASURE WITH THIS AND HAD IT REPAIRED.I CHALKED IT OFF TO A FLUKE, ON MAY 10 2016 WE WERE COMING BACK FROM AN EVENT DOING ABOUT 65MPH WHEN I HEARD SOMETHING "POP" AND REALIZED SOMETHING WAS WRONG. THE FREEWAY WAS BUSY AND IT WAS AT NIGHT SO THE DECISION WAS MADE TO KEEP DRIVING AS WE WERE ONLY A COUPLE OF MILES FROM HOME. UPON ARRIVING AT HOME OUR INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THIS TIME THE WINDSHIELD MOLDING ON THE DRIVERS SIDE HAD COME OFF. KNOWING THE COST OF REPAIR I DECIDED TO SEARCH THE INTERNET AND SEE IF I COULD BUY THE PARTS MYSELF AND REPAIR. WHILE DOING THE SEARCH I FOUND THAT THE WEB WAS LOADED WITH HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME RE-OCCURRING PROBLEMS. THE COST OF THESE PARTS ARE OVER $200 BUT MORE THAN THAT IS THE SAFETY ISSUE THAT IS INVOLVED. IF THIS DEFECTIVE PART HAD COME OFF AND HIT A MOTORCYCLE RIDER IT COULD HAVE CAUSED SERIOUS INJURY POSSIBLY EVEN THE DEATH OF THE RIDER. THIS IS AND ONGOING PROBLEM THAT IS COSTING CONSUMERS MONEY AND RISKING INJURY TO TO ANYONE WHO HAPPENS TO BE IN THE WRONG PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME. FORD MOTOR COMPANY KNOWS ABOUT THE DEFECT YET REFUSES TO ACT. I FEEL THAT THEY ARE INTENTIONALLY PUTTING MOTORISTS AT RISK BY THEIR COMPLACENCY ON THE PROBLEM.