NHTSA Complaint #730445 — 2000 FORD EXPEDITION

SUNROOF ASSEMBLY BROKE IN THE OPEN POSITION. DEALER RECEIVED VEHICLE FOR REPAIR ON 8/21/00. ON 8/24/00, REPLACEMENT PART ARRIVED AT DEALER IN A DAMAGED CONDITION. SERVICE TECHINICIAN STATED IT WAS COMMON FOR FORD TO KNOWINGLY SHIP DEFECTIVE PARTS WHEN INVENTORY OF 1ST QUALITY PARTS IS DEPLETED. THIS PRACTICE WOULD DEMONSTRATE TIMELY DELIVERY OF REPLACEMENT PARTS TO THOSE WHO REVIEW SHIPPING RESPONSE TIME. SECOND REPLACEMENT SUNROOF ASSEMBLY ARRIVES AT DEALER APPROXIMATELY 8/28. IT IS ALSO DEFECTIVE. THIRD REPLACEMENT SUNROOF ASSEMBLY UNAVAILABLE AT THIS TIME. FORD NATIONAL RELATIONSHIP CENTER ADVISES ME THAT PART IS ON "NATIONAL BACKORDER" AND CAN GIVE NO PROMISE DATE FOR AVAILABILITY. ALSO ADVISED THAT FORD ENGINEERING HAS BEEN NOTIFIED OF THIS PARTS SHORTAGE. SPOKE TO DEALER THIS AFTERNOON (9/6/00) AND THEY HAVE NO INFORMATION AS TO WHEN PART MIGHT BECOME AVAILABLE. THE 2000 MODEL YEAR WAS THE FIRST YEAR THAT FACTORY INSTALLED SUNROOFS WERE AVAILABLE ON EXPEDITION EQUIPPED WITH REAR A/C VENTS. ONE COULD CONCLUDE FROM THE "NATIONAL BACKORDER" SITUATION THAT THERE IS AN ENGINEERING DEFECT WITH THE SUNROOF ASSEMBLY THAT I WOULD LIKE THE NHTSA TO INVESTIGATE AND/OR PUBLICIZE. I'D LIKE TO KNOW HOW MANY OTHER EXPEDITION OWNERS HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO USE THEIR VEHICLES WHILE WAITING FOR PARTS FOR OVER 19 DAYS. THANK YOU. REX DYER