NHTSA Complaint #10936429 — 2012 FORD F-150

PASSENGER SIDE REAR WINDSHIELD EXPLOSION AND SMALL FIRE WHEN REAR DEFROSTER WAS ENGAGED. VEHICLE WAS IDLE IN SCHOOL CARPOOL LINE WHEN WHITE SMOKE APPEARED TO BE FORMING NEAR REAR WINDOW. THE VEHICLE BEHIND ME STARTED BEEPING AND POINTING TO MY REAR WINDOW. SUDDENLY THE WINDOW EXPLODED WITH A SOUND LIKE A RIFLE REPORT AND THE GLASS SPIDERWEBBED ON THE WINDOW. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF ALL CLIMATE CONTROLS AND INSPECTED THE DAMAGE. THE TRIM WAS SMOLDERING FROM THE ELECTRICAL FIRE AND AFTER GETTING HOME I TOOK PHOTOS AND STARTED TO INVESTIGATE THE PROBLEM AS WELL AS CONTACT THE DEALER. THE DEALER SAID THERE WERE NO RECALLS AND THE REPAIRS WOULD LIKELY BE OUT OF POCKET OR VIA INSURANCE CLAIM. THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS REPORTS INVOLVING THIS ISSUE AND THE MALFUNCTIONING REAR DEFROSTER SYSTEM. THERE IS A TSB ON THE FAULTY SYSTEM. YET THERE IS NO EFFORT TAKEN BY FORD OR THE NTSB ON MITIGATING CONSUMER SAFETY RISK. GLAD MY KIDS HAD EXITED THE VEHICLE MINUTES PRIOR OR THEY MAY HAVE BEEN HIT WITH SMALL GLASS SHARDS. THIS ISSUE REMAINS TODAY AS A POTENTIAL HAZARD TO CONSUMER AND PUBLIC SAFETY AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY. *TR