2012 Ford Explorer Visibility & Wipers Problems

Plastic trims on both sides of the windshield are recalled and ford has not fixed yet. Safety hazard driving and both pieces are loose on vehicle.

See attached document for complaint

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the front windshield trim detached from the vehicle. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with needing the front windshield trim to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

Driving south/west on US301 in MD, from NY, and the driver side windshield frame came off at highway speed. There was no other traffic nearby. I ordered a replacement frame off Ebay and installed but it does not fit as well as the original. Heard on the radio there had been other reports of this, hence why I am making this report now. The incident took place before Christmas. There were no warning signs of this potentially happening. I am the only owner of this vehicle, purchased it new

After seeing in the news that trim parts had come off explorers while driving we wanted to report the same issue that we have had. Last year the trim piece on the front passenger door came off while traveling at highway speed. About one year before that the driver side windshield trim piece also came off while traveling on the highway. The driver side far rear trim piece has also been cracked for a couple years. We replaced the two pieces that cam off with aftermarket replacements. The vehicle is available for inspection. The trim pieces coming off startled us while driving and could cause injury or accident to vehicles travelling on the highway behind us. The problem has not been reported to, reproduced or confirmed b a dealer or independent service center. The vehicle or component has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others. There was no warning of the impending failures.

Driver side Pillar trim molding flew off multiple times while driving on the interstate causing safety issues to the other drivers.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 75 MPH, the contact heard an abnormal snap and saw the trim panel of the front windshield detach from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an auto glass shop and the vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The manufacturer was contacted and stated that the vehicle was out of warranty and that there was no recall for the failure. The failure mileage was 90,000. The contact stated that the trim panel has been replaced 3 times now. The fourth set of trim panel is now cracked and will have to be replaced again. All sets of trim panel were purchased from and installed by the same two companies each time. The contact also stated that the failure mileage was 50,000.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving approximately 35-60 MPH, the front passenger's side vertical rubber gasket of the windshield detached and was slapping against the windshield. The contact continued driving. Upon arriving to her destination, the contact pushed the part into place; however, the failure recurred. The contact stated that the front passenger's side vertical rubber gasket of the windshield was scuffing the windshield. The contact also stated that the failure was distracting and obstructed her vision while driving. The dealer was notified of the failure and advised the contact to take the vehicle into the dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the side fasteners on the driver's and passenger's side of the front windshield detached and separated from the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CONTACT OBSERVED AN ABNORMAL ODOR THROUGH THE AIR CONDITIONING UNIT WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 27,000.

TRAVELED TO FLORIDA FROM PENNSYLVANIA FOR VACATION. WINDOW ON PASSENGER SIDE DEVELOPED LINE OF SMALL BUBBLES VERTICALLY WHILE SITTING IN HOTEL PARKING LOT. WINDSHIELD THEN CRACKED IN MIDDLE IN A "Z" FORMATION. ITS A RATHER LARGE CRACK AND MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO SEE OUT FRONT WINDOW. I BELIEVE THE WINDOW IS DEFECTIVE LIKE THE FORD E SERIES WINDSHIELDS. I CONTACTED FORD BUT AS USUAL THEY WOULD NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY. THIS CAR HAS BEEN RECALLED TWICE ALREADY. *TR

REAR WINDOW SHATTERED WHILE PARKED IN PARKING LOT. NO EXPLANATION FOR THE SHATTERED GLASS. TEMPERATURE WAS APPROXIMATELY 15 DEGREE F. *TR

I WAS DRIVING AT 55 MILES PER HOUR AND THE MOLDING FROM AROUND THE RIGHT SIDE WINDSHIELD FLEW OFF AFTER DRIVING ANOTHER 10-15 MILES THE LEFT HAND MOLDING ON THE WINDSHIELD ALSO BLEW OFF THIS COULD HAVE BEEN TROUBLE FOR ANY ONE BEHIND ME OR TO THE SIDE OF ME. *TR

FUMES IN PASSENGER COMPARTMENT

THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS DO NOT TURN OFF. THEY CONTINUE TO RUN UNTIL THE VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH, THE WINDOW GUARD ON THE FRONT PASSENGER WINDSHIELD DETACHED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE WINDOW GUARD PART NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED ON THE THIRD OCCASION BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 49,000. UPDATED 09/03/15*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED TWICE AND NO ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE HAS OCCURRED ON BOTH THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AND DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. UPDATED 12/16/2015 *JS

SLUSH ON THE WINDSHIELD PULLED THE WIPER FROM THE WIPER ARM ON THE PASSENGER SIDE MAKING ME PULL OVER ON A BUSY STREET. THE MANUFACTURED ARM IS THE CHEAPEST AND MOST UNRELIABLE ARM I'VE EVER SEEN. I CHECKED WITH OTHER 2012 FORD EXPLORERS AND THEY HAVE THE SAME ARM. THE 2013 AND 2014 HAVE DIFFERENT STYLE ARMS THAT HOLD THE WIPER ON SECURELY. I'M GOING BACK TO THE DEALER TO SEE IF THEY CAN PUT DIFFERENT ARMS ON BUT THIS DEFINITELY IS A SAFETY ISSUE. JUST BY RAISING THE WIPER ARM UP AND GRABBING THE BOTTOM OF THE BLADE THE WIPER SNAPS OFF. I WAS LUCKY NOT TO BE ON THE INTERSTATE HWY WHEN THIS HAPPENED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THE SPEEDOMETER DESIGN DOES NOT SHOW YOU THE LOWER RANGE WHILE DRIVING AND THAT CAUSED THE CONTACT TO EXCEED THE SPEED LIMIT. THE HIGHER NUMBERS WERE ON THE TOP OF THE SPEEDOMETER WHICH WERE SHAPED LIKE A "C" AND THE NUMBERS SHOULD BE AT THE BOTTOM TO AVOID SPEEDING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE FORD MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, A CLAIM WAS FILED AND THEY INFORMED HER TO CONTACT NHTSA. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78. UPDATED 12/28/11*LJ THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED IT WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO SEE OUT OF THE REAR WINDOW, AS THE WINDOW WAS TOO SMALL. UPDATED 12/28/11

THIS FORM DOES NOT ALLOW ENTRY OF MULTIPLE DATES. THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH MYFORDTOUCH WITH THIS VEHICLE THAT IS CONTINUAL. PUTTING IN ONE DATE IS POINTLESS. THE CLIMATE (DEFROSTER, ETC) SYSTEM AND THE NAVIGATION SYSTEM ARE PART OF THIS MODULE, ALONG WITH PHONE AND AUDIO FEATURES. THIS MODULE LOCKS CONTINUALLY AND IT IS DANGEROUS BECAUSE YOU CAN'T CONTROL THE DEFROSTER OR NAVIGATION SYSTEM MANUALLY WHEN THIS OCCURS. REPEATED TRIPS TO THE DEALER HAVE BEEN FRUITLESS AND MY WIFE WAS IN DANGEROUS SITUATIONS SEVERAL TIMES IN HEAVY TRAFFIC CORRIDOR CONDITIONS IN NORTHERN NEW JERSEY. IT IS UNCONSCIONABLE THAT FORD IS SELLING THESE VEHICLES FOR NEARLY $50,000 THAT ARE DEFECTIVE AND THEY KNOW THEY ARE DEFECTIVE.