2018 Ford Escape

On 01/25/2025 I discovered on my vehicle that my windshield weatherstripping and cowl was coming loose from the windshield. I contacted Ford Motor company of the issue after speaking with a glass repair company. I called Ford because my vehicle may have a manufacturing defect on the cowl (bottom seal of the windshield, as well as the side and top weather stripping used to seal the windshield in place). They informed me there were no recalls at the time however to fix the issue the entire windshield will have to be removed from the car in order to replace the cowl seal, weather stripping and seal coming off. If I am not to get this repaired this could cause leaking in my vehicle from rain or worse the eventual separation of the windshield unexpectedly which could be a safety issue. Please see the attached photos below as well as others online who have posted this issue, had it fixed, and it kept occurring. I believe it is a manufacturer defect either with the weatherstripping, sealing procedure or the overall windshield itself. The pictures of the other escape in the same area is showing that what I am describing is happening to others, this can be deemed a hazard or potential recall.

I bought the vehicle in July of 2019 with approximately 20,000 mi on it. I have never touched or adjusted the steering wheel, and I'm the only one to drive the vehicle. My daughter has gotten her temps and I allowed her to drive the vehicle last night. She adjusted the steering column as she is a bit shorter than I am. When I got back into the driver seat, and move the steering wheel back into the position that I keep it in, and then proceeded to turn out of the driveway And it felt as if all the tires were flat and it was very hard to steer. I assume I lost my power steering abilities. Also the windshield wipers started going off and the washer fluid just started flying out onto the windshield and would not stop. I immediately put the car into park and turn the vehicle off. I turned on the car, proceeded to make the turn again, and the car did the same thing. The only thing I could think of was possibly something got pinched inside the steering column with the wiring harness because that is the only thing that changed between her and I driving. When I started the car up this morning and went to turn out of the driveway it did the same thing. I loosened up the lock on the steering wheel and I moved it up and down and relocked it, and got to my destination without any more issue, but concerned there is something going on with the wiring harness now.

COMPLAINT REAR WINDOW SHATTER OF 2018 FORD ESCAPE: REAR WINDOW GLASS SHATTERED ON LIFTGATE PANEL DOOR, (UNKNOWN REASON) TWICE SINCE BOUGHT FROM FORD DEALERSHIP, FEBRUARY 2020. GLASS SHATTERED ON 11/28/20 (WAS REPLACED) AND AGAIN, ON 2/17/21. CAR WAS PARKED AND UNDISTURBED IN MY DRIVE WAY, BOTH OCCURRENCES. NOTHING AROUND IT OR IN IT TO POSSIBLY CAUSE ANY SHATTERING. THERE MUST BE SOME SORT OF ISSUE GOING ON WITH THE GLASS OR INTERIOR CABIN PRESSURE TO THE GLASS OF THIS MODEL, FORD DEFECT POSSIBLY?? BRAND NEW WINDOW INSTALLED ON 11/28/20, AND 2 1/2 MONTHS LATER, SAME TYPE OF SHATTER TO WINDOW, WHEN CLOSED MY CAR DOOR, HEARD THE NOISE OF GLASS SHATTERING, MOST ALL OF IT ALL CAVED IN AND FELL INTO THE CAR IN TINY PIECES, JUST LIKE THE FIRST OCCURRENCE.

COMPLAINT REAR WINDOW SHATTER OF 2018 FORD ESCAPE: REAR WINDOW GLASS SHATTERED ON LIFTGATE PANEL DOOR, (UNKNOWN REASON) TWICE SINCE BOUGHT FROM FORD DEALERSHIP, FEBRUARY 2020. GLASS SHATTERED ON 11/28/20 (WAS REPLACED) AND AGAIN, ON 2/17/21. CAR WAS PARKED AND UNDISTURBED IN MY DRIVE WAY, BOTH OCCURRENCES. NOTHING AROUND IT OR IN IT TO POSSIBLY CAUSE ANY SHATTERING. THERE MUST BE SOME SORT OF ISSUE GOING ON WITH THE GLASS OR INTERIOR CABIN PRESSURE TO THE GLASS OF THIS MODEL, FORD DEFECT?? BRAND NEW WINDOW INSTALLED ON 11/28/20, AND 2 1/2 MONTHS LATER, SAME TYPE OF SHATTER TO WINDOW, WHEN CLOSED MY CAR DOOR, HEARD THE NOISE OF GLASS SHATTERING, MOST ALL OF IT ALL CAVED IN AND FELL INTO THE CAR IN TINY PIECES, JUST LIKE THE FIRST OCCURRENCE.