2006 Ford Fusion Wipers & Visibility Problems

WINDSHIELD CRACKED HORIZONTALLY ON A 20 F DAY (NO ICE OR WATER INVOLVED). CAR HAD WARMED UP FOR APPROX. 10 MINS. BEFORE DRIVING. DROVE HALF A SUBURBAN BLOCK, HEARD A POPPING SOUND AND NOTICED A CRACK THAT DEVELOPED ABOUT 4 INCHES ABOVE THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND IS ABOUT 24 INCHES LONG. *TR

I PURCHASED A 2006 FUSION ON 8-12-06 AFTER AN INITIAL TEST DRIVE. THE CAR APPEARED TO BE FREE FROM ANY COSMETIC DEFECTS. WHEN PICKING UP THE VEHICLE AFTER THE PAPERS WERE SIGNED. HOWEVER, THE MORE I DROVE THE CAR, THE MORE I NOTICED A DEFECT IN THE WINDSHIELD GLASS. I WAS NOT ABLE TO PUT MY FINGER ON THE PROBLEM UNTIL READING A POST HERE FROM ANOTHER FUSION OWNER. IT IS MOST NOTICEABLE WHEN MAKING A TURN IN THE VEHICLE, AS THE DEFECT IS MOST PRONOUNCED WHEN LOOKING THROUGH THE GLASS AT AN ANGLE, SUCH AS LOOKING TO THE RIGHT THROUGH THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE GLASS. I ALSO SAT IN THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND LOOKED THROUGH THE GLASS AT AN ANGLE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE AND CAN SEE THE DEFECT THERE AS WELL. IT DOES NOT SEEM TO BE A PROBLEM WHEN LOOKING STRAIGHT AHEAD THROUGH THE GLASS. THE DEFECT IS A SERIES OF 'LINES' VERTICALLY THROUGHOUT THE GLASS SO THAT THE GLASS LOOKS WARPED. I HAVE NOT CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT THIS YET BUT WILL BRING IT TO THEIR ATTENTION WHEN THE FIRST SERVICE IS DUE. *JB

LOW VISIBILITY OUT OF THE REAR WINDSHIELD CAN POSE A DANGER WHEN BACKING UP IN PARKING LOTS OR OUT OF DRIVEWAYS SINCE SOMETIMES THE ROAD CANNOT BE SEEN AND DISTANCE TO OTHER VEHICLES CANNOT BE ESTIMATED. NO BACKUP WARNING SYSTEM WAS AVAILABLE AS AN ADD-ON LIKE THE FORD EXPLORER AND OTHER FORD MODELS. THIS SHOULD BE A STANDARD FEATURE IN ALL MODELS OF THE VEHICLE AS IT WOULD PROVIDE SAFETY IN BACKING OF THE VEHICLE IF NOT AT LEAST AN OPTION TO ADD TO THE PURCHASE. *JB

MY WINDSHIELD HAD SERIOUS DISTORTIONS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE GLASS. VARYING DEGRESS OF MAGNIFICATION CAUSED EYE STRAIN AND HEADACHES. IT WAS DANGEROUS DRIVING THE VEHICLE IN THIS CONDITION AND NOT A PLEASANT EXPERIENCE. MY DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE WINDSHIELD ONLY TO HAVE THE NEW ONE BE EVEN WORSE. THE NEW WINDSHIELD IS SO BAD IT'S AS THOUGH I'M LOOKING THROUGH A WET WINDSHIELD THAT HAS NOT BEEN WIPED. THE DEALERSHIP HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THE REPLACEMENT IS BAD AND THAT IT MIGHT BE INDICATIVE OF A LARGER PROBLEM. THEY PLAN ON CONTACTING FORD. I'VE HAD THE CAR FOR ONLY ONE WEEK AT THE TIME OF TYPING THIS. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE EXTERIOR MIRRORS ON THE VEHICLE DO NOT ALLOW VISION OF THE REAR END, NO MATTER HOW THE MIRRORS ARE POSITIONED. THE DEALERSHIP SUGGESTED MOTION SENSORS BE INSTALLED AND THE MANUFACTURER STATED THIS IS HOW THE VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED AND NO REPAIRS WERE AVAILABLE. UPDATED 03/09/06

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE EXTERIOR MIRROR ON THE VEHICLE DOES NOT ALLOW YOU TO SEE THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE. NO MATTER HOW THE MIRRORS ARE TURNED THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE CANNOT BE SEEN. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN ALERTED. UPDATED 3/9/2006 - *NM