NHTSA Complaint #11139693 — 2018 FORD EDGE

MY VEHICLES SHARK FIN ANTENNA CAME OFF THE CAR DURING A CAR WASH. THIS ANTENNA IS NOT REMOVABLE. AFTER THE CAR WASH WAS COMPLETE, THE BLOWERS TURN ON TO DRY THE CAR. I WAS LOOKING THE REARVIEW MIRROR AND HAPPENED TO SEE SOMETHING FLY OFF MY CAR. I PULL OUT CAR WASH AND LOOK AT THE TOP OF MY CAR AND SEE THAT THE SHARK FIN IS MISSING FROM THE ANTENNA. I RETRACED MY PATH THROUGH THE CAR WASH AND FOUND IT ON THE GROUND. I HAD TO DRIVE HOME SLOWLY NOT TO LOSE THE CIRCUIT CARD THAT WAS EXPOSED. I AM GLAD IT WAS NOT RAINING THAT DAY OR THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN A DANGEROUS SITUATION I HAD TO REATTACH MYSELF BECAUSE A CIRCUIT CARD WAS EXPOSED. THERE ARE SIX CONNECTION POINTS INSIDE THE ANTENNA THAT HOLDS IT IN PLACE. I GLUED THE ANTENNA BACK ON AND SEALED WITH ELECTRICAL TAPE TO HOLD IN PLACE. I COULD NOT LEAVE THE ANTENNA SHARK FIN OFF DUE TO THE CIRCUIT CARD EXPOSED. IF WATER WOULD HAVE GOTTEN TO THE CIRCUIT CARD, IT WOULD CAUSED A SHORT CIRCUIT OR FIRE TO TOP OF MY CAR OR DAMAGE THE RADIO. I AM GLAD THE SHARK FIN BROKE OFF AT THE CAR WASH BECAUSE IF I WAS DRIVING AT NORMAL SPEEDS OR THE HIGHWAY, THIS COULD CAUSED DAMAGE TO RADIO CIRCUITRY AS WELL AS DAMAGE ANOTHER VEHICLE. FORD DOES NOT WANT TO REPLACE IT. THIS IS A DEFECT. I HAD THE VEHICLE, 2015 FORD EDGE, GOING THROUGH CAR WASHES AND THE ANTENNA NEVER CAME OFF. DO OTHER OWNERS OF 2018 MODEL HAVE TO BE CONCERNED WITH THE ANTENNA BREAKING OFF GOING THROUGH CAR WASHES? I TALKED WITH FORD CUSTOMER RELATIONS AND THEY THINK IT IS MY FAULT SOMEHOW. HOW DID I KNOW THAT I CANNOT GO THROUGH AUTOMATED TOUCHLESS CAR WASHES DUE TO A DEFECTIVE ANTENNA? FORD SAID IT IS NOT WARRANTABLE.