NHTSA Complaint #10436227 — 2009 FORD ESCAPE

THE REAR HATCH ON MY 2009 FORD ESCAPE XLT 4X4 FINALLY QUIT OPENING. I HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE INTO THE DEALER FOR NUMEROUS ISSUES AND ALWAYS MENTIONED A PROBLEM WITH THE REAR HATCH NOT ALWAYS OPENING BUT THEY COULD NEVER DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. I AM NOW 5000 MILES OUT OF THE BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY AND THE HATCH WILL NOT OPEN. IT USED TO 'HANG UP AND NOT OPEN ON OCCASION, BUT NOW APPEARS TO BE PERMANENT. WHEN I CALLED MY DEALER THEY TOLD ME IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THEY HAD OTHER CUSTOMERS THAT HAD THE SAME PROBLEM, UNFORTUNATELY, THOSE CUSTOMERS PAID BETWEEN $250.00 AND $700.00 TO HAVE IT FIXED. I CONTACTED FORD DIRECTLY REQUESTING THEY REPAIR THE LIFT GATE SINCE IT HAD BEEN REPORTED WHEN ORIGINALLY UNDER WARRANTY, ONLY TO BE ADVISED TO PAY TO HAVE IT REPAIRED AS IT IS NOW OUT OF WARRANTY, AND SAVE MY RECEIPTS IN CASE THERE EVER IS A RECALL. (I FIND THIS STATEMENT INTERESTING BECAUSE IT MEANS THEY ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM). THE ONLY LATCH ON THE LIFT GATE IS A BUTTON ABOVE THE LICENSE PLATE, THERE IS NO LATCH INSIDE THE VEHICLE OR GLOVE COMPARTMENT THAT WOULD ALLOW YOU TO MANUALLY OPEN IT. I CONSIDER THIS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN. *TR