NHTSA Complaint #10221600 — 1998 FORD EXPLORER

ALL LOCKING DOOR MECHANISM'S HAVE FAILED AND I HAVE SPENT MONEY TO REPAIR THEM. THE REAR HATCH LOCK IS NO LONGER OPERATING UNLESS THE KEY IS IN THE LOCK AND THEN, ONLY SPORADICALLY. THE DRIVER'S SIDE HANDLE, HAS BROKEN OFF TWICE AND BEEN REPLACED TWICE. I WAS UNABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR WITH THE ENGINE WAS OFF, THEREBY EFFECTIVELY "TRAPPING" ME IN THE VEHICLE. IN AN EMERGENCY, I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO EXIT THE CAR AND REMOVE MYSELF FROM ANY POTENTIAL DANGER. IN ORDER TO EXIT THE CAR, I HAD TWO OPTIONS, EITHER CLIMB OUT OVER THE CENTER CONSOLE OR PUT THE KEY BACK IN THE IGNITION, TURN ON THE VEHICLE, LOWER THE POWER WINDOW AND OPEN THE CAR FROM THE OUTSIDE, I OPTED FOR THE SECOND SOLUTION UNTIL I WAS ABLE TO ORDER A SECOND NEW DOOR HANDLE AND REPLACE IT. *TR