NHTSA Complaint #11170852 — 2012 FORD F-150

01/18/2019 AT APPROXIMATELY 3:45 PM EST, MY WIFE AND I WERE TRAVELING ON NB ROUTE 301 IN THE CROFTON, MARYLAND AREA. DUE TO THE RECENT SNOW AND COLD TEMPERATURES WE ARE EXPERIENCING HERE IN THE EASTERN PORTION OF THE UNITED STATES, WE HAD THE REAR DEFROSTER ACTIVATED IN OUR 2012 FORD F-150 XLT PICK UP TRUCK. WHILE ACTIVELY DRIVING THE VEHICLE, BOTH MY WIFE AND I HEARD AN EXTREMELY LOUD "POP" SOUND WHILE RIDING INSIDE OF THE CABIN OF THE TRUCK. I PROCEEDED TO LOOK IN THE REAR VIEW MIRROR TO SEE IF I COULD DETERMINE WHERE THE NOISE ORIGINATED FROM AND THAT'S WHEN I OBSERVED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE GLASS WAS SHATTERED. AFTER STOPPING THE VEHICLE, I DID NOT OBSERVE ANY OTHER OBVIOUS DAMAGE AND WAS CONFUSED AS TO WHY THE WINDOW SUDDENLY CRACKED WITHOUT AN OBVIOUS CAUSE. AT THIS POINT I WAS QUITE PERPLEXED. I SUBSEQUENTLY TURNED TO GOOGLE IN AN ATTEMPT TO FIND A SOLUTION AND THAT'S WHEN I FIGURED OUT WHAT HAD OCCURRED. IT HAS BEEN BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION THROUGH VARIOUS FORUMS AND ONLINE SITES THAT MULTIPLE OTHER FORD F-150 OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS SAME EXACT ISSUE WITH THE SAME EXACT CIRCUMSTANCES IN PLACE (REAR DEFROSTER ACTIVATED, LOUD "POP" SOUND, OBSERVED A BROKEN REAR WINDOW). THE ARTICLES GO ON TO PROVIDE NIGHTMARISH EXCHANGES BETWEEN FORD F-150 OWNERS AND FORD DEALERSHIPS WHERE THEY ARE FORCED TO PAY FULL PRICE FOR THE REPAIRS DUE TO WARRANTIES BEING EXPIRED. BASED ON THE AGE OF THE TRUCK AS WELL AS IT'S MILEAGE, I TOO AM OUT OF WARRANTY. I DO NOT BELIEVE FORD IS RECOGNIZING OR HANDLING THESE ISSUES PROPERLY. THIS APPEARS TO STRICTLY BE A DESIGN DEFECT AND NO FAULT OR NEGLIGENCE ON THE PART OF THE OWNER/OPERATOR. MY SAFETY CONCERNS ARE DECREASED VISIBILITY AND SHARP TEMPERED GLASS SHARDS INSIDE OF THE CABIN. I HAVE SUBMITTED AN INSURANCE CLAIM AND AM RESPONSIBLE FOR MY DEDUCTIBLE. I AM LOOKING TO THE NHTSA FOR ASSISTANCE IN LOOKING INTO THIS MATTER.