This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
As I was driving down the highway to work at 4:45 am (and nobody else on the road), I pressed the rear defroster button to clear the frost from the windows and side view mirrors. It was about 30 degrees that morning. The defroster button did not light up. A few seconds later the light flickered. Immediately following, I heard a loud bang like a gunshot. When I got to work I noted the right side of my 3-piece rear window was in place but shattered. I believe the defrosting system or rear window to be faulty. I am currently waiting to hear back from Ford's customer service to see if they're going to cover it. In the meantime, the window is barely in tact. The truck had 30,700 miles on it at the time of the incident. The dealership said they have never heard of this happening. However, I learned three of my coworkers had the same experience with trucks dated 2011, 2012, and 2014. Online research shows we are not the only ones. Come on Ford own this problem!
It was 15 degrees outside. I used my electric start. Let the truck warm up for about 10 minutes. Went out to truck and opened the front driver door. I heard a loud noise from the back of the truck. I inspected the car and found that the back window had shattered. After doing some research online I discovered that lots of other owners are reporting this from a malfunction in the rear defrost. I was not driving and there was no other thing that could have caused my window to shatter. I live in the suburbs of minneapolis and my truck was parked in the driveway. I am just thankful this did not happen when driving down the road with my three boys. I believe Ford needs to recall the rear window with slider with power defrost as this is a safety hazard.
While driving my 2011 F150 supercrew cab on a 30 degree evening, I turned on the rear defroster. Within a few minutes, a passenger in the back seat heard a crackling sound and then a loud pop, the passenger side of the 3 section rear window had shattered, within a few hours the glass from this window had started to fall out and enter into the cab, and onto the seats. This happened on 12/30/2016 at approximately 6pm, speed was about 35 mph and no other traffic was on the road.
Rear sliding window exploded from electric defrosters could not see out of rear window the bang was so loud I lost control for a moment there was glass everywhere in the back seat Ford refuses to even look at it and the extended coverage wont cover the repair I can use the defroster when having small children in the back seats when its cold for the fear of injury to the children this is a option the cost big $$$$ and cant be used when it cold and having my grandchildren in the back seats Ford needs to step up on this one its not safe for many reasons I was driving on a highway and if the children were with me it could have been deadly.
Rear glass window on 2011 F150 with power slider- driver side back quarter glass shattered, while driving. Rear defroster was on. I have researched this issue and have seen many complaints reported online. I am glad my children weren't in the back seat at the time this happened and it stayed in the frame and did not blow out/into the rear vehicle passenger area
- Dover, PA, USA
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The contact owns a 2011 Ford F-150. While driving approximately 5 mph, the rear driver's window shattered without warning. The dealer stated that the vehicle was no longer under warranty. The contact had the window replaced. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 83,000.
Warming my truck up to leave for work this morning. Turned on windshield defroster and rear window defroster to remove heavy dew. Rear defroster turned on for about 10 seconds and shut off by it self. While driving I noticed it had turned off, pushed the button again and it did not turn on. About 2 minutes later I heard a loud "pop" and looked in my rear view mirror to see that the right rear window had shattered.
After rear defrost was activated while driving to work in the morning there was a very loud bang and the drivers side rear window broke and spidered. This occurred on April 15 2016. Temp was about 35 deg F. note rear window was replaced once already in 2013 for the rear defrost not working.
Rear window shattering due to rear defrost temp in the 30's, started my truck, turned on the front & rear defrost for a few minutes before leaving the driveway. Heard a loud pop from behind me. My drivers side rear window was shattered. I immediately turned off the defrost, and turned off my car. Good thing I hadn't put my child in the car seat before the defroster caused the glass to shatter. I never put the vehicle in gear, stayed stationary.
On March 24, 2016 I started my vehicle and activated rear defrost as there had been some light snow build up. Within a few moments I was traveling down the road at approx 45 mph. About two minutes later I heard a loud bang that sounded like a gun shot. This was a bit startling and my reaction immediately caused me to swerve into the adjacent lane of traffic. I quickly pulled to the side of the road and noticed that the right rear window had shattered. The slider and left side did not break, only the right. This could have turned out much worse had there been a vehicle driving next to me at the time. Very scary experience and potentially very dangerous.
The contact owns a 2011 Ford F-150. The contact stated while entering the vehicle and closing the front driver side door, the rear passenger side window fractured without any impact. The contact informed the dealer, who stated that the window needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 120,000.
Passenger side rear window exploded due to the window defroster. This seems to be common among F150's with a rear slider window. This happen on the way to work one morning. Speed 35 mph on smooth pavement. There was frost on the window but the light on the defroster was not on. Heard a loud bang and did not immediately notice the broken glass until later in the day when the sun defrosted that glass. No response from Ford customer service
I turned on the truck with the remote starter. This is apparently tied into the auto defroster on the back window. As soon as I got in the car and started to drive the back window blew out for no reason. I did a search on the web and apparently this is an extremely common problem. The noise was so loud I actually thought someone shot out my window!!
Rear passenger side of rear slider window shattered when operating defroster when approx. 27 deg. F. no impact, but loud gunshot like sound and glass was simply shattered while driving. Luckily the glass didn't separate as I had 3 children in rear in child seats, one rear facing. This appears to be a common problem.
The contact owns a 2011 Ford F-150. The contact stated that when the vehicle was turned on and the defrost system for the rear window was activated, the rear window's electric sliding window shattered. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 56,000.
Rear defroster quit working for awhile. Turned on the truck today. It was about 26F outside. I tried to turn on my rear defroster button again. It did not turn on. I was driving down the road about 35-40 mph. Heard a loud bang, noticed my drivers side rear sliding window is now shattered. Called the Ford dealership they had no idea of this happending. Called Ford customer care, they had no idea of this either. It seems like everyone else on the internet knows of this issue except Ford and their dealers.
Takata recall I have a 2011 F-150 FX4. Noticed the rear defrost wasn't coming on all the time, but it did come on and it must of gotten to hot...driving to work 11/24/15 getting on the freeway I heard a loud noise like something hit my truck on the roof. When I got to work...I looked on the roof...no damage. I noticed later that day that the back passenger side window had shattered...it must of gotten to hot from the defroster. Looking on the internet...there are very many complaints about this problem.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Brooklyn, MI, USA