NHTSA Complaint #10500037 — 2008 MERCURY MILAN

THE INTERIOR DOOR HANDLES SNAP IN HALF EASILY AND CAUSE THE DOOR TO NOT LOCK AUTOMATICALLY. WHEN THE FIRST DOOR HANDLE BROKE (FRONT, DRIVER SIDE) IT TOOK ME ABOUT A MINUTE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND HOW TO GET OUT OF MY CAR. IF IT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION IT COULD HAVE BEEN A MAJOR PROBLEM. AFTER THE SECOND HANDLE BROKE (FRONT, PASSENGER SIDE) I DISCOVERED THAT PULLING BACK ON THE LOCK MECHANISM WILL OPEN THE DOOR. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME TO KEEP MY RECEIPTS BECAUSE THIS, ACCORDING TO THEM, IS A CHRONIC PROBLEM WITH THE MILAN AND THE FORD FUSION. THANKFULLY, I WAS JUST GETTING OUT OF MY CAR TO GO TO WORK, BUT HAD I BEEN INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT I COULD HAVE POTENTIALLY DIED BECAUSE OF THE FAULTY DOOR HANDLE. *TR