NHTSA Complaint #10353511 — 2010 FORD FLEX

I HAVE A 5-MONTH OLD, 2010 FORD FLEX LIMITED, AND I HAVE A COMPLAINT ABOUT THE AUTO REAR HATCH NOT BEING SAFE. SPECIFICALLY, WHEN IN AUTOMATIC MODE-CLOSING, THE SAFETY REVERSE FEATURE IS NOT SENSITIVE ENOUGH TO REVERSE THE DOOR'S CLOSING APPROPRIATELY. THE ONLY THING THAT GETS THE HATCH TO "BOUNCE BACK" OR REVERSE UP IS WHEN SOMETHING LIKE A STATIONARY AND HARD OBJECT (LIKE AN ADULT'S SHOULDER WHEN STANDING STILL) IS IN THE WAY. LITERALLY, WHEN THE REAR HATCH IS LOWERING, YOU CAN GRAB IT AND TRY TO PULL IT BACK, AND IT DOES NOT STOP. I HAVE TURNED OFF THE AUTOMATIC FEATURE BECAUSE I FEAR FOR MY OWN SAFETY AND THAT OF MY TWO BOYS -- 9 AND 12. MY NEIGHBORS HAVE DIFFERENT VEHICLES WITH A SIMILAR AUTOMATIC REAR HATCH "BOUNCE BACK" FEATURE, AND WHEN I LOOKED AT HOW THEY FUNCTIONED, I REALIZED THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG. THEY ALL STOPPED AND REVERSED DIRECTION AT ANY KIND OF BUMP. WHEN I RAISED THIS ISSUE WITH THE DEALER, THEY TESTED IT AND COMPARED IT TO THE OTHER FLEXES ON THE LOT. THEY SAID THEY ALL WORKED THE SAME WAY. BUT THAT MEANS THEY ALL ARE FLAWED THEN. I ASKED IF THEY COULD ADJUST THE SENSITIVITY OF THE BOUNCE BACK FEATURE, BUT THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT. THAT ANSWER IS NO ANSWER WHEN I HAVE TO TURN OFF THE AUTOMATIC REAR HATCH FEATURE TO KEEP EVERYONE SAFE. IT SHOULD BE MORE SENSITIVE TO OBJECT IN THE WAY, LIKE A HAND, FINGER, HEAD, ETC, AND REVERSE IMMEDIATELY UPON IMPACTING THE OBJECT. THE ONLY WAY I COULD GET IT TO STOP WAS TO STAND DIRECTLY UNDER IT AND HAVE IT COME DOWN ON MY SHOULDER AS I WAS STANDING STILL, AND THAT WAS A HARD PUSH DOWN ON MY SHOULDER. THAT SCENARIO IS NOT REALISTIC. LITTLE HANDS (AND BIG ONES), AS WELL AS OTHER BODY PARTS, CAN GET IN THE WAY. THIS NEEDS TO BE FIXED SO I CAN ENJOY THE AUTO FEATURE I PAID FOR WITHOUT HURTING ANYONE. *TR