My 2004 FX SC left side power window stoped working last week. I thought no big deal still under warrenty ( 26,000 miles ) half expected the reaction I would get. Power window parts not on hand have to order them . I called the dealer today and found that the parts are on back order from the vendor. This will take an additional 5 weeks to get parts. I asked service manager if there was any kind of part recall for power widow regulators. Nothing he head heard of was his reply. I didnt realise the hassle it would turn into. I think it kind of strange that all the 2004 F-150's made that this particular part would be so scarce. I guess a lot of power window regulators have shot craps. Its a pain always worrying that the window is going to slid inside the door when you hit a bump or is raining. So far have had no problems, but expect it to slip in a down pour with my luck. I thought I would just pass my experience. You can hear the window switch motor run but nothing moves.

 

Couple things, it's not indicative of a problem, lost a power window motor in my wife's Caddy at 2620 miles. Took two weeks to get.

Because of the way parts are 'streamed' today, it's totally normal for there to be 10-100 of a certain part number in the whole country.

Twenty years ago, everyone had to keep parts locally, as it cost a lot in phone time, shipping, etc. to bring a switch or plastic part that almost never goes bad into your location. So everyone stocked a bunch of Skews (stocking numbers) that they never expected to need.
Nowadays, you expect to be able to call across the country for free, and have it over-nighted for a fraction of what it costs to 'shelve' it.

So if ten people in the whole country need a franistat valve, they may have to wait.
Plus side is it saves the local dealership a large sum of money that he used to tie up in parts somebody MIGHT need.

The down side is sometimes you get delays like were common twenty years ago for almost any special order.

Niche stocking is the wave of the future.

It's also why you can buy the part on the internet cheaper than the gas to take it into the dealer to get it free.
That actually did happen to me. I had a ticking blower motor. Two trips to the dealer to get it fixed, as there were about two dozen of them in the western states...
Yet I could have ordered it for twenty-thirty dollars.
Just a trade off.
And it isn’t going to go back to the way it was 20 years ago.

Chris