NHTSA Complaint #10936757 — 2012 FORD F-150

THIS IS NOT A DEFECTIVE GLASS OR FRAME ISSUE. THIS IS STRICTLY AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE ON THE DEFROSTER. FROM WHAT I'VE LEARNED ABOUT IT, IT SEEMS TO BE A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM, NOT JUST FREAK COINCIDENCE. IF MORE PEOPLE LIVED IN COLDER CLIMATES THERE WOULD BE MORE COMPLAINTS. FRIDAY DEC. 16, 2016, AROUND 8 PM. I STARTED MY FORD F150 AND TRIED TO TURN REAR DEFOGGER ON. HIGH THAT DAY WAS 32, LOW 22. AT THAT TIME OF DAY I WOULD EXPECT IT WAS CLOSER TO 22 THAN 32. THE INDICATOR LIGHT LIGHT FOR THE DEFROSTER FLASHED ON, THEN WENT OUT. I TRIED AGAIN, THIS TIME IT STAYED ON FOR 15 OR 20 SECS. I BACKED OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY AND WHEN SHIFTER FROM REVERSE TO FORWARD I NOTICED INDICATOR LIGHT WAS OFF AGAIN. I DROVE 50 TO 100 YARDS WHEN I HEARD A LOUD POP. THE STREET IN MY SUBDIVISION ARE ASPHALT AND HAVE NO POTHOLES, IT WAS REPLACED LAST SUMMER. I THOUGHT I SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING, AND REALIZED THE REAR WINDOW ON PASSENGER SIDE WAS SHATTERED. THE WINDOW WAS STILL IN FRAME, NO HOLES AND THERE WERE NO CHIPS. JUST A SHATTERED PIECE OF GLASS IN THE FRAME. NOTHING HIT THE WINDOW OR THERE WAS NO OTHER REASON THE WINDOW WOULD SHATTER, OTHER THAN THE REAR DEFROSTER HEATING THE WINDOW TO A POINT IT CRACKED. I TALKED WITH A SHOP ABOUT REPAIRING THE WINDOW, AND OWNER TOLD ME HIS SUPPLIER SAID THERE ARE ROUGHLY 500 OF THESE UNITS THAT GET REPLACED EVERY WEEK IN MICHIGAN ALONE. I BELIEVE THIS IS A FAR MORE WIDESPREAD PROBLEM BUT ONLY THOSE STATES THAT HAVE FREEZING TEMPS AND IT ONLY AFFECTS VEHICLES IN 2-3 MONTHS A YEAR.