2001 Ford F-150 Visibility & Wipers Problems

I WAS DRIVING TO WORK THIS MORNING AND AROUND 7:00 AM. IT WAS APPROXIMATELY 20 DEGREES OUTSIDE AND I TRIED THE REAR DEFROSTER. THE REAR DEFROSTER HAS WORKED ONLY ABOUT 20% OF THE TIME FOR THE LAST FEW MONTHS AND NOT AT ALL FOR THE LAST 3 WEEKS; SO NEEDLESS TO SAY I WAS VERY SURPRISED WHEN IT ACTUALLY TURNED ON TODAY. 10 MINUTES AFTER TURNING ON THE DEFROST I WAS DRIVING APPROX 30MPH THROUGH TOWN WHEN I HEARD A LOUD BANG INSIDE THE TRUCK. IT WAS LOUD ENOUGH THAT I SWERVED AND LOOKED AROUND TO SEE IF PEOPLE WERE THROWING ICE CHUNKS AT CARS OR SHOOTING BB GUNS. A FEW MINUTES LATER I NOTICED THAT THE REAR WINDSHIELD ON THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE TRUCK HAD COMPLETELY SHATTERED. THE ONLY THING HOLDING THE GLASS TOGETHER IS THE TINT TAPE. THE WINDOW WILL NEED A COMPLETE REPLACEMENT.

THE HEATER CORE LEAKS COOLANT INTO THE INTERIOR COMPARTMENT FOGGING THE WINDOWS AND PREVENTING USE OF THE HEATER SYSTEM TO DEFOG/DEFROST WINDOW PROVIDING AN UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITION DURING FROSTY OR RAINY DAYS. CORE HAS BEEN REPLACED NOW 4 TIMES USING MANUFACTURER PARTS OR AFTERMARKET PARTS. ALL TECHNICAL BULLETINS HAVE BEEN FOLLOWED TO TRY AND COMPLETE THE REPAIR SUCCESSFULLY. THE FIX HAS NOT LASTED. DATE LISTED BELOW FOR WHEN OCCURRED IS DATE OF LAST OCCURANCE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER'S SEAT BELT WOULD NOT ATTACH INTO ITS BUCKLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO HAVE THE FAILURE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE REAR WINDSHIELD WAS LEAKING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ADDRESSING THE FAILURES. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,000.

BLEND DOOR FAILURE, I DO NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO CONTROL MY HEAT / COOL SETTINGS. ONE DAY IT WORKED AND NOW IT DOES NOT. THE DEALERSHIP WANTS $800 TO FIX THE PROBLEM. *TR

MATCHING NHTSA RECALL ID: 01V258000 SNOW ON WINDSHIELD, ATTEMPTED TO USE WIPERS BUT IMMEDIATELY SHUT THEM OFF SINCE THEY DID NOT MOVE. WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR CAUGHT FIRE AND PRODUCED A LARGE AMOUNT OF SMOKE WHICH FILLED THE CAB AND ALSO CAME OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF AND FIRE AND SMOKE CLEARED ON ITS OWN. SNOW WAS REMOVED BY HAND FROM WINDSHIELD. VEHICLE WAS PLACED BACK IN THE ON POSITION (BUT NOT STARTED) AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD NOT TURN OFF EVEN IN THE OFF POSITION. FUSE WAS PULLED TO TURN THEM OFF. WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR WAS REPLACED BUT WAS NOT COVERED BY A RECALL PER THE DEALERSHIP. MY VEHICLE IS FROM THE KANSAS CITY PLANT - WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR PART NUMBER: F6DU-17B571-AB DATED: 06/12/0000:11:12N12V. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD F150 SUPER CAB. DURING A TROPICAL STORM, RAIN ENTERED THE VEHICLE THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND A NEW WINDSHIELD WAS INSTALLED BECAUSE THE OLD ONE HAD A DEFECTIVE SEAL. THE REPAIR WOULD COST $1,300. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 69,000.

I AM HAVING THE EXACT PROBLEM DESCRIBED IN EA0515. THE DEALERSHIP HAS SAID IT HAS SEEN THE PROBLEM BEFORE. MY LEAK HAS RUINED THE GEM MODULE ACCORDING TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE TOTAL DAMAGE $980.00. MY INSURANCE COMPANY HAS THE BELIEF THIS IS A MANUFACTURES DEFECT AND IS NOT RESPONSIBLE EITHER. *TR

THE VEHICLE WAS IDLING WITH THE WIPERS ON SLOW SPEED. SMOKE BEGAN TO COME OUT OF THE VENT BETWEEN THE WINDSHIELD AND THE HOOD. THE PLASTIC VENT BURST INTO FLAMES AND MELTED. THE FLAMES WERE EXTINGUISHED WITH MINIMAL DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. THE WIPERS ARE THE ONLY THING THAT DOESN'T OPERATE NOW. *TR

THE WIPER MOTOR MELTED AND HARNESS AND CONNECTOR MELTED COWL. *NM CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE #01V258000. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN FOR SERVICE ON THE WIPER MOT0R. THE CONSUMER WAS MADE TO PAY FOR THE SERVICE RENDERED ON THE WIPER MOTOR. TWO YEARS LATER THE WIPER MOTOR CAUGHT FIRE AND DID CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. *TC

THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED TO WORK CONSISTENT BASIS. *JB *CB *JB

ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, WHEN USING MY RIGHT TURN SIGNAL WITH THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS RUNNING, THE WINDSHIELD WASHER FLUID COMES ON AND STAYS ON CAUSING A BLINDING TURN. THE DEALER COULD NOT MAKE IT FAIL DURING SERVICE, HOWEVER IT HAS HAPPENED AT LEAST FIVE TIMES.*JB

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM AS STATED IN RECALL #01V258000, HOWEVER THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL.*JB

WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM NEW HAMPSHIRE, SUDDENLY THERE WAS A FIRE IN THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR. I HAD THE WIPERS ON AT A SLOW SPEED AS IT WAS MISTING OUTSIDE. I PUT THE FIRE OUR WITH SNOW FROM THE ROADSIDE. AS WE CONTINUED HOME THE RADIO WENT DEAD, THE BATTERY WENT TO LOW AND THE LIGHTS STARTED FLICKING ON AND OFF. AS A RESULT OF THE FIRE THE WINDSHIELD CRACKED, AND CONTINUED ALL THE WAY ACROSS FROM ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER. I LUCKILY FOUND AN OPEN FORD DEALER THAT GAVE US A SMALL RENTAL AND REPAIRED THE TRUCK. *JB

WHEN ENGAGING AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS, THEY COME DOWN. IF PASSENGER OR DRIVER HAS ARM OVER LOCK,ARM GETS PINCHED AND BRUISED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AKI

WE (ABRA AUTO BODY AND GLASS--APPLE VALLEY LOCATION) ARE REPLACING THE WINDSHIELD IN A 2001 F150 THAT WAS CRACKED IN AN ACCIDENT. WE FOUND THAT THE CLEAR COAT ISN'T STICKING TO THE BASE COAT, WHERE THE URETHANE IS. THERE IS ADHESION BETWEEN THE CLEAR COAT AND URETHANE, BUT NOT CLEAR COAT AND BASE COAT. IT IS PEELING OFF IN CHUNKS, CREATING A WINDSHIELD ADHESION PROBLEM WHICH CAN POTENTIALLY CAUSE THE WINDSHIELD TO COME OUT OF THE VEHICLE IN A SEVERE CRASH OR A ROLL OVER ACCIDENT. THIS IS A POTENTIAL FOR A DEADLY SITUATION IF THIS WERE TO HAPPEN. THIS COULD POSSIBLY BE A PROBLEM FOR MANY TRUCKS OUT THERE. IS THERE STILL A PROBLEM WITH ADHESION BETWEEN BASE AND CLEAR COATS IN SILVER COLORS??? THIS PROBLEM SHOULD BE ADDRESSED IMMEDIATELY FOR THE SAFETY OF YOUR VEHICLE DRIVERS. I CONTACTED THE FORD HOTLINE (800-392-3673) AND SPOKE WITH ARIAL (EMPLOYEE NUMBER 2141) AND HE TOLD ME THAT BECAUSE WE ARE NOT A FORD DEALER, THERE IS NOTHING THAT HE COULD DO TO LOOK INTO THIS PROBLEM. THE CUSTOMER WOULD NEED TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO A FORD DEALER TO HAVE INSPECTED. I LET HIM KNOW THAT THE WINDSHIELD WAS OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE ISN'T DRIVEABLE BECAUSE OF THIS. I ALSO LET HIM KNOW THAT WE COULDN'T INSTALL THE WINDSHIELD WITH THIS PROBLEM STILL THERE. HE TOLD ME THAT THE CUSTOMER WOULD NEED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A DEALER THEN TO HAVE IT INSPECTED. I VERIFIED THAT HE WANTS ME TO HAVE THE CUSTOMER PAY TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A FORD DEALER TO CHECK OUT THE WINDSHIELD ADHESION PROBLEM?? HE SAID "YES". I THANKED HIM FOR HIS TIME AND CONTACTED RANDY KAISER AT APPLE VALLEY FORD IN APPLE VALLEY MINNESOTA FOR FURTHER ADVISE INTO THIS ISSUE. *AK

CONSUMER STATES THE WIPERS WORK INTERMITTENTLY IN BAD WEATHER CONDITIONS. THE PROBLEM HAS PROGRESSED FOR OVER 9 MONTHS. DEALER CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*JB

CONSUMER HAD CANOPY INSTALLED ON VEHICLE. WHEN CONSUMER WENT TO SHUT BACK GLASS ,IT SHATTERED. LOCKING MECHANISM FELL ON VEHICLE, AND SCRATCHED UP VEHICLE. CONTACT DEALER. DEALER WAS DOING NOTHING.*AK

WHILE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH IN RAIN, WINDSHIELD WIPERS FAILED TO OPERATE. THIS WAS CAUSING A LOSS OF VISIBILITY. DEALERSHIP HAS NOT EXAMINED VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS. *AK

MIRROR ON DRIVERS SIDE IS DEFECTIVE, DRIVER CANNOT SEE OUT OF THAT GLASS, THERE IS A BLIND SPOT, DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK CONSUMER STATED THE FACTORY INSTALLED A MIRROR THAT IS INADEQUATE FOR THE VEHICLE, CONSUMER STATED WHILE IN A LEFT LANE, A VEHICLE IN THE RIGHT LANE CAN NOT BE SEEN BECAUSE OF THE TYPE OF MIRROR.*JB

WINDSHIELD WIPERS WORK, BUT WILL NOT CLEAN GLASS, CONSUMER UNABLE TO SEE IN RAIN. BEEN TO DEALER TWICE SO FAR, COULD NOT REMEDY PROBLEM. *AK