NHTSA Complaint #11444496 — 2017 FORD EDGE

While driving on August 8, 2021, I heard a pop on my 2071 Ford Edge panoramic tempered glass roof. I subsequently found a crack/break when I was cleaning the glass roof. I notified the Ford Dealership (FD) (Lithia Ford of Fresno California) on my next oil change on December 15, 2021. Based on my ocular inspection the crack/break appears to emanate from a bubble in the tempered glass roof as opposed to FD’s opinion that object impact caused the cracking. In my online research, cracking, popping and even exploding without impact have happened to tempered automotive glasses have occurred across different vehicle models across different vehicle manufacturers. The presence of bubbles in the manufacturing process have caused weak points across the surfaces of many tempered automotive glass resulting in cracking, breaking, popping and exploding. When this occurs, vehicle occupants as well as other moving motorists could be injured. The tempered automotive glass that exhibit bubbles should not be installed by vehicle manufacturers like Ford. Intensified quality control of tempered automotive glass should be done by vehicle manufacturers before these are installed. Tempered panoramic glass roofing ( sunroof & moonroof) found with bubbles that are installed in all vehicles should be inspected and replaced if necessary to prevent injury to vehicle occupants and moving motorists.