2006 Ford Explorer Wipers & Visibility Problems

THIS HAPPENED TO OUR 2006 FORD EXPLORER (EDDIE BAUER EDITION, V8 4WD). THE REAR LIFTGATE GLASS EXPLODED INTO A MILLION TINY PIECES WITH NO EVIDENCE OF EXTERNAL TRAUMA. THE CAR WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY AT THE TIME AND THE TEMPERATURE WAS ABOVE FREEZING (LOW 40S) AND IT WAS NOT IN THE SUN. APPROXIMATELY HALF THE GLASS WAS SCATTERED ACROSS THE DRIVEWAY - 10+ FEET AWAY. THE REST OF THE GLASS WAS IN THE BACK OF THE SUV. FORTUNATELY NO ONE WAS AROUND WHEN THIS HAPPENED - AND WE WERE NOT DRIVING THE CAR AT THE TIME. THIS COULD HAVE RESULTED IN SERIOUS INJURY TO A BYSTANDER - OR AN ACCIDENT AS I CAN ONLY IMAGINE HOW MUCH THAT WOULD ALARM THE DRIVER. I WILL BE CLEANING GLASS BITS FROM THE DRIVEWAY AND BACK OF THE SUV FOR A LONG TIME TO COME! AT LEAST IT IS NOT TOO WARM OUT SO NO IS TEMPTED TO WALK BAREFOOT ON THE DRIVE. *TR

WAS DRIVING WHEN TILT GATE GLASS AJAR WARNING CAME ON, AT THE SAME TIME HEARD A WHISTLING NOISE. UPON STOPPING NOTICED THE LIFT GATE WAS AJAR WITH AND AWAY FROM THE HATCH BY SEVERAL INCHES. TIED TO CLOSE IT AND IT DID NOT CLOSE PROPERLY UPON INSPECTION THE HINGE WAS BROKE THAT HOLDS THE GLASS TO THE VEHICLE. MANAGED TO GET THE GLASS SOMEWHAT BACK IN PLACE AND DROVE GINGERLY HOME ALL WHILE THE LIFT GATE AJAR LIGHT WAS ON. THERE IS A LOT OF WHITE RESIDUE PACKED IN PART OF THE HINGE NOT KNOWN IF IT IS ROAD SALT OR NOT AND THE HINGE HAS A CRACK WHERE IT SEPARATED. MY CONCERN IS THE FAILURE IS RELATED TO SALT AND FREEZING AND THAWING, AND IF THAT IS THE CASE HOW LONG BEFORE THE OTHER ONE FAILS... ALSO IF DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WITH WINDOWS OPENED COULD IT HAVE CAUSED THE GLASS TO SHATTER SCARING THE DRIVER OF OTHER TRAFFIC CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE CONTACTED FORD ABOUT IT IN CASE THEY WANTED TO SEE IT AND GOT THE NORMAL BASIC REPLY CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND BASICALLY WE DON'T' CARE AT THIS TIME. *TR

I OWN A 2006 FORD EXPLORER EDDIE BAUER MODEL. SIX MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE, THE REAR WIPER BLADE STOPPED WORKING. I CALLED THE DEALER WHICH I PURCHASED IT FROM AND THEY TOLD ME IT IS NOT COVERED AND A NEW MOTOR WOULD COST $300 PLUS LABOR. I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE WITH THE HEAVY SNOWS AND RAIN IN MY AREA, A MALFUNCTIONING REAR WIPER COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. I KNOW OF 4 OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE SAME VEHICLE. I CALLED FORD HEADQUARTERS TO FILE A COMPLAINT AND THEY SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS PROBLEM AND I AM SURE I AM NOT THE ONLY PERSON COMPLAINING OF THIS ISSUE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MADE A POPPING NOISE AND DISCONNECTED FROM THE MOTOR WHICH CAUSED A LOSS OF VISIBILITY. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS NORMAL. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO STATED THAT THEY WOULD PASS THE INFORMATION ON. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY THE DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,101 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 50,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH IN THE RAIN, THE REAR WINDSHIELD WIPER SUDDENLY MALFUNCTIONED WHICH MADE IT DIFFICULT TO SEE OUT OF THE REAR WINDOW. THE CONTACT REFERENCED RECALL 05V520000 (VISIBILITY: WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER: MOTOR) BUT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 82,000.

WHILE TRYING TO TURN ON THE AIR CONDITIONING, A CLICKING CAN BE HEARD AND THE AIR FLOW DOES NOT CHANGE OVER. THEN DURING COOLER DAYS THE HEAT IS INOPERATIVE, (IT STAYS ON COLD AIR) THE CLICKING IS PERSISTENT. *TR

1. THE EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE FAILURE ARE SIMPLE. IT WAS A QUIET SATURDAY AFTERNOON (4:30 PM ON 7/18/09). I WAS ON A TWO WAY STREET ON THE WAY TO MY SWEETHEART'S HOUSE IN OVERLAND PARK, KS . I WAS GOING AT ABOUT 25 MPH. THERE WAS ONE OTHER CAR IN MY VISION ABOUT 75 FEET BEHIND ME. NO ONE WAS COMING AT ME. TO MY RIGHT WAS AN EMPTY BASEBALL DIAMOND FOR THE LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL AND TO MY LEFT WAS A LARGE ( AT LEAST 10 FEET TALL) CONCRETE WALL ENCLOSING AN UPSCALE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT. 2. WITHOUT WARNING I HEAR AN EXPLOSION FOLLOWED IMMEDIATELY BY SHATTERING GLASS FROM MY SUNROOF CASCADING DOWN UPON ME. THE EXPLOSION WAS JUST THE SOUND OF THE SUNROOF SHATTERING. AS GOD IS MY WITNESS, I SWEAR TT JUST SHATTERED FROM CAUSES BEYOND MY KNOWLEDGE. 3. THE FOLLOWING MONDAY MORNING I TOOK IT TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP WHERE I HAD PURCHASED IT AND REPLACED THE SUNROOF. MY BUMPER-TO-BUMPER WARRANTY WAS STILL IN FORCE BUT FORD MOTOR REFUSED TO HONE UP ON THIS ONE. THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID THAT FORD DOESN'T KNOW BUT WHAT IT WAS SHOT OUT ACCIDENTALLY BROKEN OUT OR IF SOMEONE HAD PUT THEIR FIST THROUGH IT. THE STRANGE THING WAS THE SUNROOF GLASS THAT WAS STILL IN THE SUNROOF FRAME WAS ANGLING UPWARD AS IF IT HAD BEEN STRUCK FROM INSIDE. THE SERVICE MANAGER POINTED THIS OUT TO ME. THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP DID SPLIT THE COST OF REPLACEMENT WITH ME THOUGH. *TR

POWER WINDOW WILL NOT WORK ON THE REAR DRIVER SIDE OR THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THEY FIRST STOPPED, STARTED AGAIN THEN STOPPED COMPLETELY. ALSO, CANNOT BE OPERATED FROM THE DRIVER'S DOOR. ALSO, THE CABLE ON THE LIFTGATE WINDOW WILL FALL EVERY TIME THE WINDOW IS LIFTED. *TR

VEHICLE ACCIDENT TWO OCCUPANTS BOTH HAD SEATBELTS ON, BOTH HAD AIRBAG DEPLOYED AND BOTH STILL STRUCK WINDSHIELD. ACCIDENT OCCURRED IN NOVEMBER AND AS OF MAY ONE OCCUPANT IS STILL REMOVING GLASS FROM ARMS AND LEGS. FORD WILL NOT RESPOND TO E-MAILS REQUESTING WHY SEATBELT AND AIRBAGS DID NOT PREVENT OCCUPANTS FROM STRIKING WINDSHIELD. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GLARE FROM THE DASHBOARD REFLECTS ONTO THE WINDSHIELD, MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE THE ROAD. THE FAILURE WAS NOTICED WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH. THE MANUFACTURER ACKNOWLEDGED THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DESIGNED IN THAT MANNER. THEY ALSO ADVISED THE CONTACT TO BUY AN AFTERMARKET MAT TO PLACE ON THE DASHBOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER FOR EITHER A REFUND OR AN EXCHANGE FOR ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 59.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DASHBOARD PRODUCES AN EXTREME AMOUNT OF GLARE ON THE WINDSHIELD. THE FAILURE ONLY OCCURS DURING THE DAYTIME. THE DEALER STATED THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE IS A RECALL AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO FILE A COMPLAINT. HE SUBMITTED A COMPLAINT TO FORD. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 18,500 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18,100.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THERE IS A SEVERE WINDSHIELD GLARE COMING FROM THE DASHBOARD. THE DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THE VEHICLE FUNCTIONS PROPERLY. UPDATED 5/10/2006 - THE DASHBOARD REFLECTED ONTO THE WINDSHIELD AND COVERED ABOUT 70% OF THE WINDSHIELD. *NM