2012 Ford F-150 Visibility Problems

The rear-window defroster over heated on the passenger side causing that window to chatter. At one spot at the bottom, the rubber frame around the glass started to melt and burn just before the window chattered. If I had not been standing close to see what was happening, and turn the control off, I believe this could have started a fire that could have burned the entire truck and areas around it threating people and property. This is also a safety concern for anyone sitting in the back seat at the time of window chattering, as small shards of glass could hit passengers possibly causing eye and other injuries. Due to my incident, I did research on YouTube an other Ford forums that document many others being a victim of this same problem over several years including 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and maybe more. Owners over the years have documented and informed Ford about this problem, apparently without any trucks being recalled or getting much help from Ford about this problem. Ford and NHTSA should be concerned and Ford held accountable for this defect. Many owners were told buy the service men that replaced their back glass because of this issue, that this was quote a "common problem caused by the defroster" on this trucks. If there are "safety concern" that yell "RECALL!", this is for sure one of them.

NHTSA ID

11505967

Incident

Feb 4, 2023

Rear window shattered with no warning or impact.

NHTSA ID

11483679

Incident

Sep 9, 2022

The contact owns a 2012 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH with the defroster engaged, the contact heard a loud popping sound coming from the rear of the vehicle. The contact noticed that the rear passenger's side window had shattered. The contact was able to continue driving. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 149,000.

NHTSA ID

11470647

Incident

Jun 17, 2022

Mileage

149,000 mi

Wipers will not turn off, they will continue to wipe while driving for days even in the off position, had to pull the fuse in order to stop the intermittent wipe, when it rains i have to re install the fuse. After months of dealing with this problem I drilled a hole in the dash, mounted a switch and ran a wire to the fuse box so I didn't have to open the hood just to get the morning doo off, the switch works great.

NHTSA ID

11469560

Incident

Jun 16, 2022

There was frost on the rear window. While the car was in park and warming up I turned on the rear defroster. I started to smell a burning smell. There was a loud bang and back left window panel completely shattered. No one was injured thankfully, but if the glass would have blown out and we had our baby or passengers in the back there could have been injury. I am not only concerned about the glass shattering, but the fact that there was a burning smell. I have found several forums where people report the same issue across many years of F150s (2010-2019). Defroster is turned on and the back window shatters. I contacted Ford and they will not do anything because the vehicle is out of the warranty period. Sounds like there is something faulty that they need to fix or issue a recall. I reached out to my insurance company and after I get a few quotes I may file a claim depending on the replacement cost and my deductible amount. Only other "symptom" was the smell of burning right before the glass shattered.

NHTSA ID

11453881

Incident

Feb 24, 2022

I turned on the rear defrost and my rear window exploded on the passenger side.

NHTSA ID

11445885

Incident

Jan 1, 2022

Driver's side stationary rear window (three window w/slider) shattered while driving.

NHTSA ID

11443849

Incident

Dec 14, 2021

The contact owns a 2012 Ford F-150. The contact stated while using the defroster, the rear windshield shattered. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to a glass repair shop and was informed that the rear windshield needed to be replaced. The contact called and notified the local dealer of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 91,000.

NHTSA ID

11439843

Incident

Nov 7, 2021

Mileage

91,000 mi

I TURNED ON MY DEFROSTER ON MY VEHICLE AND THE BACK PASSENGER GLASS BACK WINDSHIELD SHATTERED...THE VERY BACK WINDSHIELD

NHTSA ID

11366627

Incident

Oct 27, 2020

Mileage

82,000 mi

I WAS LOADING UP TO GO TO THE DUMP IN MY 2012 F150 AND I TAPPED THE BACK WINDOW JUST SLIGHTLY WITH A PIECE OF GARBAGE AND IT SHATTERED MY BACK WINDOW INCLUDING MY SLIDER AND THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE REAR WINDOW, THIS WAS NO HARSH IMPACT IT WAS THE SLIGHTEST TAP ALMOST LIKE IT SHATTERED WITH NO FORCE.

NHTSA ID

11362794

Incident

Oct 3, 2020

Mileage

163,289 mi

THE REAR DEFROSTER FAILS WHICH CAUSES THE HEATED SIDE VIEW MIRRORS TO CEASE WORKING AS THEY ARE ON THE SAME CIRCUIT OR WIRED IN SEQUENCE. THIS CAUSES AN UNSAFE DRIVING VISIBILITY AND SHOULD BE WORKING CORRECTLY. THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE WITH ALL 2009-2014 F-150'S AND SHOULD BE A RECALL TO BE CORRECTED. THE ISSUE CAN HAPPEN AT ANYTIME IN THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

11362243

Incident

Sep 1, 2020

Mileage

135,000 mi

REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER IS INOPERATIVE. THIS WINDOW HAS A CENTER SLIDING WINDOW. REPLACING MY 4TH REAR WINDOW. 47000 MILES ON VEHICLE. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR F150 TRUCKS THAT FORD WON'T RECOGNIZE. FOG, HIGH HUMIDITY, FREEZING RAIN/SNOW STICK TO THE WINDOW AND CANNOT BE REMOVED CAUSING A SAFETY HAZARD. CANNOT SEE OUT OF MY REAR WINDOW. THIS WILL HAPPEN WHILE DRIVING OR SITTING STATIONARY. THE PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED 4 TIMES OVER THE COURSE OF 7 AND A HALF YEARS. *TR

NHTSA ID

11324515

Incident

Nov 15, 2019

Mileage

45,000 mi

BRAKES MAKE SCRAPPING NOISE WIPER MOTOR. SPEED OF WIPERS DOES NOT CHANGE AFTER 2ND ADVANCE

NHTSA ID

11321862

Incident

Jul 1, 2019

Mileage

157,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE PASSENGER'S SIDE REAR WINDOW SHATTERED. NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT AN AUTOGLASS FACILITY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,000.

NHTSA ID

11312081

Incident

Feb 17, 2020

Mileage

78,000 mi

DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD EARLY THIS MORNING WHEN I HEAR A SUDDEN *POP* AND MY REAR GLASS SHATTERED. CAR WAS GOING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH AND IN A STRAIGHT LINE, WITH NO OTHER VEHICLES OR OBJECTS NEAR. THE CAR WAS SITTING IN THE SHADE IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE OVER NIGHT. FROST HAD BEEN ON THE WINDOWS, SO NATURALLY THE HEAT AND DEFROSTERS WERE ON. NO IMPACT. NO OTHER SIGNS OF CONCERN WHATSOEVER. THE ONLY THING HOLDING IT TOGETHER IS THE WINDOW TINT FILM.

NHTSA ID

11306433

Incident

Feb 1, 2020

Mileage

85,555 mi

THE RIGHT REAR GLASS IN THE REAR WINDOW OF MY 2012 FORD F150 SUDDENLY SHATTERED AS I WAS PULLING INTO MY DRIVEWAY AFTER A TRIP TO THE STORE. NOTHING APPEARED TO HIT IT; IT JUST MADE A LOUD POP AND SHATTERED. THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN FOR ME.

NHTSA ID

11298209

Incident

Jan 3, 2020

Mileage

99,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER WINDOW FRACTURED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDOW WAS NOT STRUCK BY A FOREIGN OBJECT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER WAS PREVIOUSLY BEING USED PRIOR TO THE FRACTURE. PUNDMANN FORD (2727 W CLAY ST, ST CHARLES, MO 63301, (636) 946-6611) WAS CONTACTED BY PHONE AND INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000. *LN*JB

NHTSA ID

11290165

Incident

Dec 18, 2019

Mileage

105,000 mi

I REMOTE STARTED MY TRUCK IN THE MORNING TO TAKE THE KIDS TO SCHOOL, AND NOTICED MY DRIVER'S SIDE BACK WINDSHIELD SHATTERED. THERE WAS NO IMPACT TO THE WINDOW WHAT SO EVER. THE BACK DEFROST WAS ON BECAUSE IT IS 4 DEGREES OUTSIDE AND THERE WAS FROST ON THE WINDOWS. MY VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY IN MY DRIVEWAY. WHEN LOOKING IT UP VIA THE INTERNET IT SEEMS THERE ARE MULTIPLE F150 OWNERS IN THE SAME SITUATION AS I AM IN.

NHTSA ID

11290076

Incident

Dec 19, 2019

THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL COME ON WITHOUT BEING ACTIVATED BY THE SWITCH. (THIS IS ON THE NON-RAIN SENSING MODEL). THEY SEEM TO BE STUCK ON THE LOWEST INTERMITTENT SETTING. I'VE COME ACROSS FORUMS ONLINE THAT STATE THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE MULTIFUNCTION SWITCH NEEDING REPLACED. T

NHTSA ID

11268467

Incident

Oct 10, 2019

Mileage

99,500 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO BYERS FORD (1101 COLUMBUS PIKE, DELAWARE, OH 43015, (888) 350-4405) WHERE IT WAS REPAIRED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V075000 (POWER TRAIN). WHILE LEAVING THE DEALER, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE GEAR SHIFTING WAS DIFFERENT AND IT WOULD SLOWLY SHIFT INTO GEAR. THE CONTACT ALSO NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL FELT SPONGY AND DIFFICULT TO DEPRESS. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. WITHIN THE PAST THREE MONTHS, THE CONTACT HAD TO ADD FOUR BOTTLES OF ANTIFREEZE TO THE TRANSMISSION AND THE ENGINE OVERHEATED. IN ADDITION, THE SERVICE BRAKE, ENGINE HOT, AND TRANSMISSION HOT WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. OCCASIONALLY, WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED OR IDLING, THE AIR CONDITIONER BLEW HOT AIR AND THE WINDOWS FAILED TO FUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE SAME DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A FAILURE DUE TO MANUFACTURER RECALL NUMBER: 19S07 (POWER TRAIN). THE REPAIR WAS INCOMPLETE AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VACUUM PUMP FAILED AND THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKES OPERATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,000.

NHTSA ID

11257346

Incident

May 16, 2019

Mileage

115,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK ON 5/3/19 ON ON A COUNTY ROAD ( KATY HOCKLEY CUTTOFF ) AND WAS COMING TO A STOP BEHIND A SCHOOL BUS THAT WAS STOPPED AND PICKING UP SOMEONE WHEN I HEARD A LOUD POP. AFTER I CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP I LOOKED BACK AND SAW THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR WINDSHIELD HAD SHATTERED. I DID HAVE MY REAR DEFROST ON AT THE TIME AND WHEN I LOOKED BACK AT THE A/C CONTROLS THE LIGHT FOR THE REAR DEFROST HAD WENT OUT.

NHTSA ID

11205456

Incident

May 3, 2019

Mileage

61,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK ON 5/3/19 ON ON A COUNTY ROAD ( KATY HOCKLEY CUTTOFF ) AND WAS COMING TO A STOP BEHIND A SCHOOL BUS THAT WAS STOPPED AND PICKING UP SOMEONE WHEN I HEARD A LOUD POP. AFTER I CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP I LOOKED BACK AND SAW THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR WINDSHIELD HAD SHATTERED. I DID HAVE MY REAR DEFROST ON AT THE TIME AND WHEN I LOOKED BACK AT THE A/C CONTROLS THE LIGHT FOR THE REAR DEFROST HAD WENT OUT.

NHTSA ID

11205455

Incident

May 3, 2019

Mileage

61,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK ON 5/3/19 ON ON A COUNTY ROAD ( KATY HOCKLEY CUTTOFF ) AND WAS COMING TO A STOP BEHIND A SCHOOL BUS THAT WAS STOPPED AND PICKING UP SOMEONE WHEN I HEARD A LOUD POP. AFTER I CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP I LOOKED BACK AND SAW THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR WINDSHIELD HAD SHATTERED. I DID HAVE MY REAR DEFROST ON AT THE TIME AND WHEN I LOOKED BACK AT THE A/C CONTROLS THE LIGHT FOR THE REAR DEFROST HAD WENT OUT.

NHTSA ID

11205454

Incident

May 3, 2019

Mileage

61,000 mi

I WAS SITTING AT A STOP LIGHT WITH MY TWO KIDS IN THE CAR AND I HEARD A LOUD BANG AND CRACKING. MY INFANT IN THE BACK STARTED SCREAMING AND I LOOKED BACK AND THE WHOLE RIGHT REAR WINDOW ABOVE WHERE MY BABY HAD COMPLETELY SHATTERED. THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO ONE BY US SO I KNOW A ROCK WASN'T THROWN. I DID HAVE THE REAR DEFROSTER ON. I PULLED INTO MY SON'S SCHOOL PARKING LOT AND GOT OUT OF THE CAR TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED AND THERE WAS JUST A CRACK ON THE OUTSIDE BUT NOTHING THAT WOULD SHOW IT WAS HIT BY ANYTHING. I WILL HAVE MORE DOCUMENTS FROM GETTING OUR WINDOW FIXED ON MONDAY.

NHTSA ID

11203873

Incident

Apr 25, 2019

Mileage

60,000 mi

REAR WINDOW EXPLODED. I WAS DRIVING AND THERE WERE NO OTHER VEHICLES AHEAD OF ME OR BEHIND ME. THERE IS NO INDICATION OF ANYTHING STRIKING THE WINDOW.

NHTSA ID

11203176

Incident

Apr 19, 2019

Mileage

164,890 mi