Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VISIBILITY - GLASS, SIDE/REAR | |||||
| TSB-11-2-9 | 02/11/2011 | 10039080 | Ready | 07/07/2011 | |
| TSB-11-2-9 | 02/11/2011 | 10039080 | Ford: the liftgate window glass may break in cold temperatures. 2010-2011 escape/mariner. *rm | 07/07/2011 | |
Investigations
| NHTSA ID | Manufacturer | Date open | Date close | Subject | Recall campaign | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VISIBILITY | ||||||
| PE11016 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY | 04/27/2011 | 08/18/2011 | Rear Liftgate Window Glass Breakage | ||
| In its response to the agency, ford acknowledged a higher than normal level of glass breakage incidents in the model year (my) 2010 to early-build my 2011 subject vehicles.the incidentsoccurred when the liftgate glass was being opened, or more typically while being closed, but in both cases while the vehicle was stationery, i.e., not moving on the roadway.additionally failures often occurred during early morning hours when ambient and/or liftgate glass temperatures may have been lower.ford advised that it investigated the failures but failed to identify an anomaly in the glass manufacturing process (which is often a factor in glass breakage trends odi investigates) that could explain the reports.it did however identify a potential thermal expansion/compression condition in the mounting of the rear wiper motor to the liftgate glass.starting at my 2008 vehicle production the motor was attached to the glass using an adhesive.ford revised that design to a nut and bolt type attachment in october 2010, during my 2011 vehicle production.odi's review of ford data indicates that vehicles built after this change exhibit lower glass breakage rates.among the 296 consumer complaints on the subject vehicles, odi identified 15 injury incidents resulting in a total of 18 alleged injuries.all the injuries were minor in nature and consisted mainly of superficial skin cuts or minor lacerations, with two of the injury incidents occurring when vehicle owners were cleaning up broken glass.additionally both the injury rate and report rate (including warranty claims) are low in comparison to similar investigations resulting in safety recalls (see pe04-045, my 2002 ford explorer liftgate glass failure, which resulted in nhtsa safety recall 04v442). in november 2010 ford issued technical service bulletin (tsb) 10-22-10 to address reports of liftgate glass breakage on all my 2010 vehicles, and my 2011 vehicles built through 10/15/2010, the date the above design revision was implemented.the tsb enables owners of affected vehicles to have a broken liftgate glass replaced under normal vehicle warranty, which would not otherwise be a warrantable failure, with the revised design liftgate glass.a safety-related defect has not been identified at this time and further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.accordingly, this investigation is closed.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by nhtsa that a safety-related defect does not exist.the agency will monitor this issue and reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances. | ||||||
| PE11016 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY | 04/27/2011 | Liftgate Window Glass Breakage | |||
| Odi has received eighteen consumer complaints concerning liftgate window glass breakage on 2010-2011 ford escape and mercury mariner vehicles. the complaints alleged that the liftgate window glass shattered spontaneously, while opening the liftgate or while closing the liftgate. in one alleged injury incident, the complainant and her 10 year old son were cut by glass fragments.many of the incidents occurred during cooler temperature operation.ford issued tsb 10-22-10 dated november 22, 2010 titled broken liftgate window glass - built on or before 10/15/2010 for the subject vehicles.the issue section of the tsb states some 2010-2011 escape and mariner vehicles built on or before 10/15/2010 may experience the liftgate window glass breakage, typically when colder ambient temperature are present.this pe investigation is opened to ascertain the extent of the issue. | ||||||
| VISIBILITY - GLASS, SIDE/REAR | ||||||
| PE11016 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY | 04/27/2011 | 08/18/2011 | Rear Liftgate Window Glass Breakage | ||
| In its response to the agency, ford acknowledged a higher than normal level of glass breakage incidents in the model year (my) 2010 to early-build my 2011 subject vehicles.the incidentsoccurred when the liftgate glass was being opened, or more typically while being closed, but in both cases while the vehicle was stationery, i.e., not moving on the roadway.additionally failures often occurred during early morning hours when ambient and/or liftgate glass temperatures may have been lower.ford advised that it investigated the failures but failed to identify an anomaly in the glass manufacturing process (which is often a factor in glass breakage trends odi investigates) that could explain the reports.it did however identify a potential thermal expansion/compression condition in the mounting of the rear wiper motor to the liftgate glass.starting at my 2008 vehicle production the motor was attached to the glass using an adhesive.ford revised that design to a nut and bolt type attachment in october 2010, during my 2011 vehicle production.odi's review of ford data indicates that vehicles built after this change exhibit lower glass breakage rates.among the 296 consumer complaints on the subject vehicles, odi identified 15 injury incidents resulting in a total of 18 alleged injuries.all the injuries were minor in nature and consisted mainly of superficial skin cuts or minor lacerations, with two of the injury incidents occurring when vehicle owners were cleaning up broken glass.additionally both the injury rate and report rate (including warranty claims) are low in comparison to similar investigations resulting in safety recalls (see pe04-045, my 2002 ford explorer liftgate glass failure, which resulted in nhtsa safety recall 04v442). in november 2010 ford issued technical service bulletin (tsb) 10-22-10 to address reports of liftgate glass breakage on all my 2010 vehicles, and my 2011 vehicles built through 10/15/2010, the date the above design revision was implemented.the tsb enables owners of affected vehicles to have a broken liftgate glass replaced under normal vehicle warranty, which would not otherwise be a warrantable failure, with the revised design liftgate glass.a safety-related defect has not been identified at this time and further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.accordingly, this investigation is closed.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by nhtsa that a safety-related defect does not exist.the agency will monitor this issue and reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances. | ||||||
| PE11016 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY | 04/27/2011 | Liftgate Window Glass Breakage | |||
| Odi has received eighteen consumer complaints concerning liftgate window glass breakage on 2010-2011 ford escape and mercury mariner vehicles. the complaints alleged that the liftgate window glass shattered spontaneously, while opening the liftgate or while closing the liftgate. in one alleged injury incident, the complainant and her 10 year old son were cut by glass fragments.many of the incidents occurred during cooler temperature operation.ford issued tsb 10-22-10 dated november 22, 2010 titled broken liftgate window glass - built on or before 10/15/2010 for the subject vehicles.the issue section of the tsb states some 2010-2011 escape and mariner vehicles built on or before 10/15/2010 may experience the liftgate window glass breakage, typically when colder ambient temperature are present.this pe investigation is opened to ascertain the extent of the issue. | ||||||
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| VISIBILITY | |||
| 12/11/2010 | 20000 | ||
| Vin in this form would not let me add the 17th digit. the 17th digit is a 6. i shut rear door of mercury mariner and rear window shattered-exploded into little pieces no larger and 1 inch. temperature 40 degrees. cloudy. no one was injured. shattered pieces fell onto a parking lot. | |||
| VISIBILITY - GLASS, SIDE/REAR | |||
| 01/19/2013 | 96000 | 1 | |
| Went to shut back door on vehicle and the back glass just exploded. glass went every where me and my children were hit with glass but no injuries. *tr | |||
| 02/20/2010 | 3800 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2010 mercury mariner. the contact stated that rear window on the lift gate had suddenly exploded . a glass company replaced the window on 03/07/2010, one week later after closing the rear lift gate the rear window exploded again. she took the vehicle to the dealership and was informed that the failure could not be repaired. the contact then took the vehicle to a collision center and she was informed that the rear window shock was broken and was replaced. the current mileage was approximately 4,500 and the failure mileage was approximately 3,800. | |||