Another Ford F-150 Owner Claims The Rear Window Shattered Despite No Impact
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For some time, a number of Ford F-150 owners have alleged that the trucks rear window glass is susceptible to breaking with no obvious cause. Recently, the suspected defect found its latest victim: Patricia Jones of Houston, Texas.
Houston ABC affiliate KTRK reports that Jones was on her way to school recently in her 2016 Ford F-150 when, out of nowhere, the rear window shattered. “All of a sudden we heard a big bang and the glass shattered and we stopped,” Jones told KTRK. “[I] got out to look to see if anything had hit us and nothing. There [were] no marks, no anything, just shattered glass.”
Both Ford Motor Company and Jones’ local Ford dealer dispute her on that; after examining the truck, they claim there is evidence of an impact that caused the glass to break. Despite the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration receiving several other complaints just like this one for the 2016 Ford F-150, with dozens of similar claims stretching back to the 2010 model year or before, the automaker has never issued a recall for the alleged defect.
Many of the complaints out there seem to note that the rear defroster was activated at the time of the glass breakage, and Jones says that when she encountered the issue, she smelled something akin to burning electronics.
For the time being, if you have a newer Ford F-150 and the rear window glass breaks without any obvious provocation, make extensive note of the circumstances surrounding the breakage, keep all receipts and other documentation from any repair work you need to have done, and file a complaint with NHTSA.
Stopped at red light and heard what sounded like a gunshot. Defrost was on. Rear window just shattered. Could cause someone to have a wreck, I thought I was being shot at. Read many other exact complaints but apparently the Ford company is a piece of crap and won’t own up to their responsibility. Hope it happens to one of your family members.
I was a proud owner of a 2012 Ford F-150 until a particular incident. Prior to owning my Ford, I had only ever owned Chevy vehicles, after I bought my new Ford truck I was so happy that I made the switch. While driving my truck this past week, 5 min. after I turned on my auto defrost, my back window shattered. I happen to have a cap on my truck, so I know that there was nothing that could have caused the window to break. I usually don’t use the back window auto defrost, because I to have a cap on the truck, but due to the substantial amount of snow that Wasilla, Alaska had received the past few days the was a build up of snow that had been able to get between the small amount of space between the cab of the truck and the cap. I am assuming that because I do not use the auto defrost in the back window often is why this may not have happened sooner.
I was concerned, and did not understand why the window just shattered like that, and at a time when I had my children in the truck. I then decided to look it up online to only discover that there have been numerous cases of this happening in the lower 48 states. I then proceeded to contact my local Ford dealership to see if there were any recalls on the faulty auto defrost with no help really given. They told me that the window was not recalled and that my truck was no longer under warranty. I then proceeded to contact the Ford dealership where I bought my truck in the lower 48 and I was as well told that there was nothing that they could do for me except call the Ford customer service. But he also told me that they have had a few other cases of the same thing happening at there dealership that have come in for repair.
I then proceeded to call the Ford Customer service and was told by them that they know there is a potential problem with the auto defrost but there is no recall on it at this time. They from there proceeded to tell me that there was nothing that they could do for me. I then asked if I could speak to a manager and she refused to let me speak to a manager.
I am extremely frustrated with the customer service at Ford and and lack of care to solve my problem with the faulty auto defrost. I don’t know if I will ever purchase a vehicle from Ford again.
This just happened to me too. 2011 F150 Supercab, i was driving down my road and heard what sounded like a gunshot or a LOUD pop, no one at all near me and was only driving about 35 miles per hour. I looked back and the right side of my passenger side back window was shattered. It literally exploded for no reason that I could see. I called my local Ford dealer and they told me that this wasn’t something Ford will fix under warranty. WTH!? A window can just shatter on it’s own and they don’t consider this a defect that should be covered under warranty?
Happened to me too. Why is ford not fixing this?
Same thing happened to me
Ford isn’t fixing this because they don’t have to. This problem needs to go viral and cost them more money in sales than they’d lose in replacing the windows before they’ll do anything.
30 minutes after parking my truck my rear window popped and shattered just sitting in the driveway. Ford refused to fix it. Their customer service has always been poor. They earned the one star out of five rating. Will probably try a Chevrolet next time.
My just happen on this pasted Thursday on my 2018 f 150
Ford doesn’t care. They’ve known about this for years and have neither fixed the design nor took care of their customers. If you ask nicely they might be willing to sell you a new truck. I or one am not fixing mine, I’m leaving it there and when people ask about it I’m telling them the situation and warning them about buying an F150. I think I’m going to go so far as the out white lettering on the unbroken side warning others as well. When Ford loses enough sales maybe they’ll do the right thing.