To think this can't be legal (brand new vehicle)

[Wafflesnaffler]

My friend bought a new (2022 model) van from a Ford dealership 2 months ago. About 2 weeks ago she smashed the rear windscreen while reversing. Incidentally, it happened because the parking sensor was still in the yellow (rather than red, to indicate she was getting very close to the obstruction). Her insurance company can't get the windscreen replaced because there aren't any spares anywhere - Ford stopped production of these windscreens until further notice, due to "a quality control issue". Ford have said this is indefinite, they can't even give an estimated date when production will restart. This is her sole vehicle and she uses it to transport equipment needed for her job, so while she waits she's having to hire vehicles, borrow friends' vehicles, turn down certain jobs etc.

This doesn't sound legal to me. Surely an official dealership shouldn't be allowed to sell brand new vehicles which cannot be repaired if necessary (she's been told that some people are even having to have cars written off which should be repairable)? I'm not even talking about the potential issue of whether there's a fault with the rear windscreen or rear parking sensor.

AIBU to think that this sounds like it's in breach of some sort of consumer right? This is a brand new model, under warranty - shouldn't the dealership or manufacturer have to shoulder the burden of repercussions from the vehicle being unrepairable within 2 months of purchase, due to a quality control issue? Surely she shouldn't just be stuck with the damage to her livelihood, without any solutions being offered or accepted (courtesy vehicle/taking the rear windscreen out of another vehicle on the forecourt/whatever), when the whole reason she bought new was to feel safe and be hassle-free?

[Lunde]

Apparently there is a major automotive glass shortage at the moment as the plants that make it were powered by Russian gas
paultan.org/2022/09/15/glass-shortage-in-europe-to-worsen-global-automotive-supply-issue-due-to-short-supply-of-natural-gas/

[YouSirNeighMmmm]

@Tiani4

I think most PPs haven't RTFT or understood your post OP

The model she bought is new out and ford have made it obsolete bf selling a van that you cannot get replacement back windows on. It's too new and unusual shape that there are no alternatives to ford manufacturered back windows for this model and they have stopped Pepsi uti on of it sue to a quality design issue. That makes me wonder if the window she had given it smashed so easily also had a quality design issue.
It's not a "production supply Brexit covid" issue that many car parts are facing, it's a Ford themselves have stopped production "due to their own quality" issues

They've made this model of van obsolete on a brand new model

No they should not be selling any model that has a window that cannot be replaced . I agree with you that there is some type of breach of contract and Legal matters topic board may be more helpful than AIBU (which is full of indignant MNers guessing)

I think this answer is pretty fair.

All the posters talking about insurance and blame and whatever - nonsense. It is about suppliers having to sell things that are fit for purpose. Selling something that is unrepairable after damage to a part which can easily predicted to get damage in a accident or by a criminal is just nuts. Fore-lock tugging posters saying that UK citizens are so worthless that we should expect appalling service from massive companies is just depressing.

[HelplessSoul]

@moonypadfootprongs

I wasn't being rude - just making/made a statement.

"But the fact remains it is unacceptable for a part to be unavailable for so long. Particularly on a brand new vehicle which is almost certainly still in production."

Again, you miss the point. The problem, since 2020/Covid is that global supply chains for automotive components (as well as other manufacturing industries) has been ravaged and is nowhere near how it functioned pre-pandemic.

Just because a car maker is still making a particular vehicle does not automatically translate into it having a warehouse full of spare parts et al.

Not sure why this is a hard concept to grasp.

[moonypadfootprongs]

@HelplessSoul your the one missing the point!!!

It is not reasonable for a car manufacturer to be selling vehicles that cannot be repaired!
It matters not why or how the vehicle was damaged.
What matters is the vehicle has become obsolete due to failure to provide a spare part. A spare part that can reasonably seem to be needed at any given moment.
Covid is no longer an excuse for rubbish service. Companies have had more than two years to deal with the fallout and more than six months to deal with the Ukraine war.
It is not good enough and people deserve better.

[Grumpybutfunny]

@moonypadfootprongs loads of models have months if not years waiting lists for new cars as the manufacturers can't get the parts to finish them. I've just had thousand back off BMW for a car they pushed back three times, I then got a really good deal on a used car off them as a sorry. They have had to stop making manual minis as they simply can't get the gear boxes from Ukraine.

If it had smash fair enough they would have to provide a curtesy car until it's fixed but if it's an insurance claim as in the OP it's up to them to provide a courtesy car

[DogInATent]

She should contact a Ford dealership directly and try contacting Autoglass or another vehicle window glass replacement specialist. If she's only speaking to the insurance company then it's only their word that she's using to blame Ford. She ought to consider the possibility that the insurance company aren't being entirely truthful with what they're telling her.

[HelplessSoul]

@moonypadfootprongs

It is not reasonable for a car manufacturer to be selling vehicles that cannot be repaired!

Be sure to take that up with the regulatory authorities that legally permit sales to continue...let us know how you get on 👍

[moonypadfootprongs]

@HelplessSoul

@moonypadfootprongs

It is not reasonable for a car manufacturer to be selling vehicles that cannot be repaired!

Be sure to take that up with the regulatory authorities that legally permit sales to continue...let us know how you get on 👍

Why would I? It's not my car!!! 🙄

[YouSirNeighMmmm]

@HelplessSoul

@moonypadfootprongs

It is not reasonable for a car manufacturer to be selling vehicles that cannot be repaired!

Be sure to take that up with the regulatory authorities that legally permit sales to continue...let us know how you get on 👍

A company can be held accountable for unacceptably poor customer service whilst not actually been forced to stop selling products. HTH.

[Sickoffamilydrama]

@YouSirNeighMmmm

I think this answer is pretty fair.

All the posters talking about insurance and blame and whatever - nonsense. It is about suppliers having to sell things that are fit for purpose. Selling something that is unrepairable after damage to a part which can easily predicted to get damage in a accident or by a criminal is just nuts. Fore-lock tugging posters saying that UK citizens are so worthless that we should expect appalling service from massive companies is just depressing.

Or could it be that like me some posters work with the automotive industry and know how bad everything has been and still is.

The automotive sector is a major employer see the evidence below what do you think would happen to all the people that work within it if they stopped producing vehicles they didn't have a stock of aftersales parts for? And actually they did stop for a while not only did it have terrible effects on them but areas that people aren't even aware of lots of companies convert standard vehicles for specialist use (these are often small companies) so Ambulances, Wheel chair accessable Vehicles, Taxis, Horseboxes, Caravans and Hearses all of them have really been struggling as a result.

It's about being pragmatic in a rubbish time no one asked for the last few years to happen and it will eventually pass and settle down.

www.smmt.co.uk/industry-topics/sustainability/employment/

[Sickoffamilydrama]

@moonypadfootprongs

@HelplessSoul your the one missing the point!!!

It is not reasonable for a car manufacturer to be selling vehicles that cannot be repaired!
It matters not why or how the vehicle was damaged.
What matters is the vehicle has become obsolete due to failure to provide a spare part. A spare part that can reasonably seem to be needed at any given moment.
Covid is no longer an excuse for rubbish service. Companies have had more than two years to deal with the fallout and more than six months to deal with the Ukraine war.
It is not good enough and people deserve better.

If you think you can sort it in those time frames please come work for my business I'm sure the guy who runs our procurement would welcome the help he is feeling a little tired and stressed after the last few years!