Why doesn't Ford build glove box lighting?

[gloveboxlights]

I was a passenger in a 1999 Ford Taurus. The driver was driving down a freeway at night in Detroit, MI. I needed to get a pair of eyeglasses out of the glove box and opened the glove box to find out there is no lighting in the glove box.

 

I did not want to turn on the dome light inside the car so everyone can see us in our car and the driver is distracted from night vision driving to a dome light blaring on his face.

 

Glove box lights are needed as an option as a safety feature.

 

I was very disappointed when I found out my dad's new 2010 Ford Taurus did not have a light in the glove box.

[MY93SHO]

I was a passenger in a 1999 Ford Taurus. The driver was driving down a freeway at night in Detroit, MI. I needed to get a pair of eyeglasses out of the glove box and opened the glove box to find out there is no lighting in the glove box.

 

I did not want to turn on the dome light inside the car so everyone can see us in our car and the driver is distracted from night vision driving to a dome light blaring on his face.

 

Glove box lights are needed as an option as a safety feature.

 

I was very disappointed when I found out my dad's new 2010 Ford Taurus did not have a light in the glove box.

 

So you're saying you can't tell a set of eyeglasses from the owners manual by touch?

 

I'm not anti-glovebox light but come on, there are more important things. My cousin has been blind since birth and he would laugh out loud at this "safety" failing.

[01FOCI]

They used to have them, but I think it was seen as a way to save a fewbucks per vehicle x millions of vehicles produced = $$$ profits. Kinda like the lock that used to be on glove box's

[monkeyblind]

I was a passenger in a 1999 Ford Taurus. The driver was driving down a freeway at night in Detroit, MI. I needed to get a pair of eyeglasses out of the glove box and opened the glove box to find out there is no lighting in the glove box.

 

I did not want to turn on the dome light inside the car so everyone can see us in our car and the driver is distracted from night vision driving to a dome light blaring on his face.

 

Glove box lights are needed as an option as a safety feature.

 

I was very disappointed when I found out my dad's new 2010 Ford Taurus did not have a light in the glove box.

 

 

Just what are you doing (smoking) that you don't want anyone to see you in the car at night?

[gloveboxlights]

Just what are you doing (smoking) that you don't want anyone to see you in the car at night?

 

There is no smoking going on in this car. I was trying to get out a pair of eyeglasses. The light from the dome is very bright on the driver during night driving without a glove box light.

 

Say you are on a road trip at night and you want your passenger to get a map out without your driving being distracted...with a glovebox light, the passenger can see the map and read it without distracting the safety or vision of the driver.

 

I wish Ford would make glove box lighting and glove box locks.

[fordmantpw]

There is no smoking going on in this car. I was trying to get out a pair of eyeglasses. The light from the dome is very bright on the driver during night driving without a glove box light.

 

Say you are on a road trip at night and you want your passenger to get a map out without your driving being distracted...with a glovebox light, the passenger can see the map and read it without distracting the safety or vision of the driver.

 

I wish Ford would make glove box lighting and glove box locks.

 

I don't recall there EVER being enough light from a glove box light to read a map. Most Ford's that I have been in have two lights in the headliner in front. One points to the driver, one to the passenger. Turning the one that points toward the passenger on allows you to see and doesn't distract the driver much at all. At least, that's the way it is in our Flex and F150.

 

Put a flash light in the glove box if you need to. Make it small and always put it in the same spot in the glove box so it is easy to find in the dark.

[monkeyblind]

There is no smoking going on in this car. I was trying to get out a pair of eyeglasses. The light from the dome is very bright on the driver during night driving without a glove box light.

 

Say you are on a road trip at night and you want your passenger to get a map out without your driving being distracted...with a glovebox light, the passenger can see the map and read it without distracting the safety or vision of the driver.

 

I wish Ford would make glove box lighting and glove box locks.

 

 

uh.. ya... I get that... just wondered why you felt being seen at night in the car was an issue...

[gloveboxlights]

uh.. ya... I get that... just wondered why you felt being seen at night in the car was an issue...

 

 

It could be an issue if you have young ladies driving around dangerous areas at night time. There are a lot of unsafe neighborhoods in this country. Get what I'm saying. It's a safety issue.

[gloveboxlights]

I don't recall there EVER being enough light from a glove box light to read a map. Most Ford's that I have been in have two lights in the headliner in front. One points to the driver, one to the passenger. Turning the one that points toward the passenger on allows you to see and doesn't distract the driver much at all. At least, that's the way it is in our Flex and F150.

 

Put a flash light in the glove box if you need to. Make it small and always put it in the same spot in the glove box so it is easy to find in the dark.

 

 

I want Ford to put a light in my glove box. That's all I am asking for.

[mettech]

The same LEDs that they use in the floor and arm rest would work too.

[OAC_Sparky]

Instead of NOT listening, which is what we're used to from certain car manufacturers and car designers, shut up and LISTEN.

 

Nobody wants to drive around Detroit (or most other urban centers) with their interior lights on. I wouldn't want my daughter driving around tipping off everyone aroung her she was alone. I've been pulled over by Michigan State Police in Detroit when I was a teen, when I was getting my ownership out of the glovebox the trooper had his hand on his sidearm the whole time. And I had a glovebox light. The last thing you want to do is start waving around a cylindrical object (flashlight) with a cop with his finger on the trigger.

 

The point is that it wouldn't take much to put a small LED in a glovebox. It's just as (or more) important as the fruitcake LEDs in cuphoders (I mean really, if you can't fit a 3"cup in a 4" hole without lighting it up it's a wonder you have kids).

 

Sometimes you just need light and don't want to fumble around for a flashlight. My '05 Focus has piss poor (non-existant) lighting in the back seat. Black on black interior, anything at night in the back seat may as well be in a black hole. And yeah, it's a pain in the ass to retrieve the Maglite out of the front seat so you can see back there.

 

Instead of pooh-poohing ideas that customers want, listen to them. Because someone will, and they might buy their car instead of yours.

[fordmantpw]

Nobody wants to drive around Detroit (or most other urban centers) with their interior lights on. I wouldn't want my daughter driving around tipping off everyone aroung her she was alone.

If you are driving, you should not be looking in the glove box.

 

I've been pulled over by Michigan State Police in Detroit when I was a teen, when I was getting my ownership out of the glovebox the trooper had his hand on his sidearm the whole time. And I had a glovebox light. The last thing you want to do is start waving around a cylindrical object (flashlight) with a cop with his finger on the trigger.

Um, if a cop pulls you over, why not just turn on the interior lights?

 

The point is that it wouldn't take much to put a small LED in a glovebox. It's just as (or more) important as the fruitcake LEDs in cuphoders (I mean really, if you can't fit a 3"cup in a 4" hole without lighting it up it's a wonder you have kids).

I'll agree with you there.

 

Sometimes you just need light and don't want to fumble around for a flashlight. My '05 Focus has piss poor (non-existant) lighting in the back seat. Black on black interior, anything at night in the back seat may as well be in a black hole. And yeah, it's a pain in the ass to retrieve the Maglite out of the front seat so you can see back there.

How on earth would a glove box light help that?

 

 

Instead of pooh-poohing ideas that customers want, listen to them. Because someone will, and they might buy their car instead of yours.

If you base your buying decision on the car having (or not) a glove box light, then you've got issues. There are many more important things to worry about when spending that kind of money. I honestly could not tell you if my vehicles have it or not, and I've had the F150 for 4 years and the Flex for 1+. I'm guessing they don't.

[gloveboxlights]

Instead of NOT listening, which is what we're used to from certain car manufacturers and car designers, shut up and LISTEN.

 

Nobody wants to drive around Detroit (or most other urban centers) with their interior lights on. I wouldn't want my daughter driving around tipping off everyone aroung her she was alone. I've been pulled over by Michigan State Police in Detroit when I was a teen, when I was getting my ownership out of the glovebox the trooper had his hand on his sidearm the whole time. And I had a glovebox light. The last thing you want to do is start waving around a cylindrical object (flashlight) with a cop with his finger on the trigger.

 

The point is that it wouldn't take much to put a small LED in a glovebox. It's just as (or more) important as the fruitcake LEDs in cuphoders (I mean really, if you can't fit a 3"cup in a 4" hole without lighting it up it's a wonder you have kids).

 

Sometimes you just need light and don't want to fumble around for a flashlight. My '05 Focus has piss poor (non-existant) lighting in the back seat. Black on black interior, anything at night in the back seat may as well be in a black hole. And yeah, it's a pain in the ass to retrieve the Maglite out of the front seat so you can see back there.

 

Instead of pooh-poohing ideas that customers want, listen to them. Because someone will, and they might buy their car instead of yours.

 

 

Excellent post and to those folks that never had a glovebox light in their Ford cars, you don't know what you are missing. My previous car had the light and when I got my Ford I was felt cheated by not having a glovebox light.

[OAC_Sparky]

 

If you base your buying decision on the car having (or not) a glove box light, then you've got issues. There are many more important things to worry about when spending that kind of money. I honestly could not tell you if my vehicles have it or not, and I've had the F150 for 4 years and the Flex for 1+. I'm guessing they don't.

I hope you're an EX-ford engineer. You sound like one.

 

Do you always have this repetoire of excuses as to why you CAN'T do things?

 

Read and learn:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18923357/

 

After a couple of hours on the firing line, Ford's engineers got defensive. Interrupting the testers, they started airing their side of the story in front of the new boss. Sensing that the meeting was deteriorating, Mulally says he handed each one a pad and pen. "You know what? Let's just listen and take notes," he said. The episode was a perfect illustration of what Mulally considers one of Ford's major problems: the tendency of employees to rationalize mistakes instead of fixing them. "We seek to be understood more than we seek to understand," he observes.

 

Which seems to be what you are doing.

Edited January 31, 2010 by OAC_Sparky

[fordmantpw]

I hope you're an EX-ford engineer. You sound like one.

 

Do you always have this repetoire of excuses as to why you CAN'T do things?

 

Read and learn:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18923357/

 

 

 

Which seems to be what you are doing.

 

I have never worked for Ford, just using a little common sense here. Ford is working to be the best they can. Does that mean a glove box light in the future? I don't know, but what I'm saying is that quality and other (more important, more noticable, more useful) things are currently more important than a glove box light. Chances are, if a glove box light keeps you from buying a Ford, you're going to be an impossible customer to please, and would probably not buy a second Ford anyway because you would nit pick it to death to convince yourself you don't like it.

 

And yes, I have had vehicles with glove box lights. Honestly, I don't miss them one bit. I'll take the safety and vastly improved interior over previous Fords before I worry about a stinkin glove box light.

[OAC_Sparky]

And yes, I have had vehicles with glove box lights. Honestly, I don't miss them one bit. I'll take the safety and vastly improved interior over previous Fords before I worry about a stinkin glove box light.

I understand that, It doesn't matter. TO YOU. The point is that it matters to other customers. Instead of arguing with a customer/owner giving reasons why it shouldn't be done, understand that it matters to THIS customer.

 

And to other customers as well. My wife's Taurus has a light in the glove box. Is it a critical piece of safety equipment? To me, no; but it sure is convenient.

 

When selling cars, sometimes it's the little things that matter. Especially when there are many manufacturers that offer comparable products, those things matter,

 

I have owned quite a few Fords over the years; the list of deficiencies of my current ones are as follows:

 

'05 Focus ST with every available option,

- no glove box light

- no rear interior light (like I said, zero visibility at night for passengers or when you're loading/unloading the car)

- the front seat adjuster bars are hook shaped. Since the ST was only available as a 5-speed, and if you keep your clutch foot flat on the floor in traffic, there is a tendency to get your pantleg caught on it. Luckily it's never happened when I needed to use the clutch.

- no factory keypad entry option available.

 

'08 Ranger FX4 with every avalable option.

- no heated mirror option available (safety item, put a cap on the box and if your mirrors fog up you're blind out the back and sides)

- no heated seats available

- no map lights

 

Did these things keep me from buying Ford? Obviously not. But then at the same time I'm biased because I work for them. I had the money to pay for these options, and I would have gladly paid for these options were they offered. Had I not had a predisposition to buy a Ford, I may have gone elsewhere; or at the very least counted it against them when I shopped for my next car.

 

Listen to the customer and give them what they want; instead of giving them what you want to give.

[Mackintire]

I understand that, It doesn't matter. TO YOU. The point is that it matters to other customers. Instead of arguing with a customer/owner giving reasons why it shouldn't be done, understand that it matters to THIS customer.

 

And to other customers as well. My wife's Taurus has a light in the glove box. Is it a critical piece of safety equipment? To me, no; but it sure is convenient.

 

When selling cars, sometimes it's the little things that matter. Especially when there are many manufacturers that offer comparable products, those things matter,

 

I have owned quite a few Fords over the years; the list of deficiencies of my current ones are as follows:

 

'05 Focus ST with every available option,

- no glove box light

- no rear interior light (like I said, zero visibility at night for passengers or when you're loading/unloading the car)

- the front seat adjuster bars are hook shaped. Since the ST was only available as a 5-speed, and if you keep your clutch foot flat on the floor in traffic, there is a tendency to get your pantleg caught on it. Luckily it's never happened when I needed to use the clutch.

- no factory keypad entry option available.

 

'08 Ranger FX4 with every avalable option.

- no heated mirror option available (safety item, put a cap on the box and if your mirrors fog up you're blind out the back and sides)

- no heated seats available

- no map lights

 

Did these things keep me from buying Ford? Obviously not. But then at the same time I'm biased because I work for them. I had the money to pay for these options, and I would have gladly paid for these options were they offered. Had I not had a predisposition to buy a Ford, I may have gone elsewhere; or at the very least counted it against them when I shopped for my next car.

 

Listen to the customer and give them what they want; instead of giving them what you want to give.

Sadly the 2001-2003 Explorer and Explorer SportTrek interior dome with map lights is a dead perfect fit for the ranger 2001-2010. Some places still sell it just for retrofits.

 

Mackintire

[OAC_Sparky]

Sadly the 2001-2003 Explorer and Explorer SportTrek interior dome with map lights is a dead perfect fit for the ranger 2001-2010. Some places still sell it just for retrofits.

 

Mackintire

Thanks, yes I am aware of that. I just feel it's silly for widely accepted features to not be even offered as an option on the top trim level of a vehicle.

 

You should be looking at an auto wreckers to save money on parts that got damaged, not to upgrade your "loaded" vehicle!!

[2010TB]

They used to have them, but I think it was seen as a way to save a fewbucks per vehicle x millions of vehicles produced = $$$ profits. Kinda like the lock that used to be on glove box's

I'm pretty well sure the 2010 Taurus glovebox has a lock....

[gloveboxlights]

I'm pretty well sure the 2010 Taurus glovebox has a lock....

 

 

My father owns a 2010 Taurus and it DOES NOT have a glove box lock.

Edited February 4, 2010 by gloveboxlights

[2010TB]

My father owns a 2010 Taurus and it DOES NOT have a glove box lock.

Well now that you made me go outside and verify, I can say without a doubt that the 2010 SEL in my driveway has a lock on the glovebox.

Edited February 4, 2010 by 2010TB

[Critic]

I wish their was a Glovebox light, Footwell light's, Underhood light, Trunk light, Cigarette lighter, Painted Engine Block and Radiator, Vent Windows, Combination-lock Glovebox; so you don't have to stop and remove key from Ignition to unlock it, fine Corinthian leather, and the list goes on. but I'll get that when

[gloveboxlights]

I wish their was a Glovebox light, Footwell light's, Underhood light, Trunk light, Cigarette lighter, Painted Engine Block and Radiator, Vent Windows, Combination-lock Glovebox; so you don't have to stop and remove key from Ignition to unlock it, fine Corinthian leather, and the list goes on. but I'll get that when

 

 

Goes to show that Ford is skimping out on their models. One 2010 Taurus has the lock and one does not. Great quality. Stupid idea..leave the glove box lock out so some mechanic can rip your stuff off in there. Not to mention the cost of repairs to their cars.

 

Got a 1999 Taurus with 90,000 miles and in the past 9 months have spent over $3000 in repairs. Quality is not there. My Dad's 2010 Taurus had 3 missing bolts from the quarter panel that he had to take it back to the dealer to have them installed. They deliver unfinished cars and charge almost $30,000 for the inferior workmanship. Why don't they inspect these cars before they leave the plant.

Edited February 4, 2010 by gloveboxlights

[rmc523]

There is no smoking going on in this car. I was trying to get out a pair of eyeglasses. The light from the dome is very bright on the driver during night driving without a glove box light.

 

Say you are on a road trip at night and you want your passenger to get a map out without your driving being distracted...with a glovebox light, the passenger can see the map and read it without distracting the safety or vision of the driver.

 

I wish Ford would make glove box lighting and glove box locks.

 

Why don't you put the glasses in the overhead glasses flip-out bin? The passenger MAP light is pointed toward the PASSENGER as to not distract the driver. I don't remember ever seeing a glove box light that you could very easily read a map with....

 

I understand that, It doesn't matter. TO YOU. The point is that it matters to other customers. Instead of arguing with a customer/owner giving reasons why it shouldn't be done, understand that it matters to THIS customer.

 

And to other customers as well. My wife's Taurus has a light in the glove box. Is it a critical piece of safety equipment? To me, no; but it sure is convenient.

 

When selling cars, sometimes it's the little things that matter. Especially when there are many manufacturers that offer comparable products, those things matter,

 

I have owned quite a few Fords over the years; the list of deficiencies of my current ones are as follows:

 

'05 Focus ST with every available option,

- no glove box light

- no rear interior light (like I said, zero visibility at night for passengers or when you're loading/unloading the car)

- the front seat adjuster bars are hook shaped. Since the ST was only available as a 5-speed, and if you keep your clutch foot flat on the floor in traffic, there is a tendency to get your pantleg caught on it. Luckily it's never happened when I needed to use the clutch.

- no factory keypad entry option available.

 

'08 Ranger FX4 with every avalable option.

- no heated mirror option available (safety item, put a cap on the box and if your mirrors fog up you're blind out the back and sides)

- no heated seats available

- no map lights

 

Did these things keep me from buying Ford? Obviously not. But then at the same time I'm biased because I work for them. I had the money to pay for these options, and I would have gladly paid for these options were they offered. Had I not had a predisposition to buy a Ford, I may have gone elsewhere; or at the very least counted it against them when I shopped for my next car.

 

Listen to the customer and give them what they want; instead of giving them what you want to give.

 

You're talking about an '05 Focus - I'm sure most of that's been fixed for the 2012 model.

 

As for the Ranger - seriously? Ranger? You're complaing that a RANGER doesn't have options? The same Ranger that hasn't recieved a decent redesign in years?

 

My father owns a 2010 Taurus and it DOES NOT have a glove box lock.

 

 

Are you 100% sure about that? [joke & sarcasm] Could you just not see it without the glove box light? [/joke & sarcasm] I find that strange that the one person's Taurus has it, while the other doesn't - my 2009 Flex has a glove box lock.

[theDuff]

Goes to show that Ford is skimping out on their models. One 2010 Taurus has the lock and one does not. Great quality. Stupid idea..leave the glove box lock out so some mechanic can rip your stuff off in there. Not to mention the cost of repairs to their cars.

 

Got a 1999 Taurus with 90,000 miles and in the past 9 months have spent over $3000 in repairs. Quality is not there. My Dad's 2010 Taurus had 3 missing bolts from the quarter panel that he had to take it back to the dealer to have them installed. They deliver unfinished cars and charge almost $30,000 for the inferior workmanship. Why don't they inspect these cars before they leave the plant.

 

 

You are correct. The quality was not there in a '99 Taurus. Really any Taurus pre '08 for that matter. I've seen them really nickel and dime people. But you know what? You probably got it real cheap, right? So now, after your repairs, you have a very nice driving vehicle you might have $4k in. Not too bad. They turned the corner though. They heard this complaint years ago and are addressing it. A little late to the party on that one.

 

About the missing bolts. Can you elaborate more on that. When you say "quarter panel" do you mean front fender or door panel. The quarter panels are welded in. Maybe the ground effect? I was going to check that on some lot vehicles. I don't know, maybe they're all like that. Built for the bolt, but a bean counter decided they weren't necessary. I could see one bolt, but three almost sounds intentional.