NHTSA Complaint #10503882 — 2006 FORD F-250

MY HUSBAND DRIVES A 2006 FORD F250 SUPERCAB PICKUP TRUCK WITH APPROXIMATELY 53,000 MILES (LOW MILEAGE FOR THE YEAR OF THE TRUCK). RECENTLY, THE LATCH CABLES ON THE REAR SUICIDE DOORS BOTH BROKE WITHIN 1 MONTH OF EACH OTHER, RENDERING THE REAR DOORS COMPLETELY INOPERABLE. FROM RESEARCHING BLOGS ONLINE, THIS IS CAUSED BY A DEFECTIVE PLASTIC PART IN THE LATCH MECHANISM AND IS QUITE COMMON ON THIS TYPE FORD TRUCK DOOR. THE PARTS AND LABOR ARE QUITE COSTLY ($400 PER DOOR), AS THE WHOLE MECHANISM MUST BE REPLACED, RATHER THAN JUST THE DEFECTIVE PLASTIC PIECE. THIS IS CERTAINLY A SAFETY CONCERN, AS ANYONE IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE IS TRAPPED INSIDE, AS THE DOORS WILL NOT UNLATCH AND OPEN. WE WERE TOLD BY FORD CUSTOMER CARE THAT THEY WILL NOT CORRECT THIS PROBLEM AND MUST REPLACE THE LATCH WITH THE SAME TYPE LATCH CABLE THAT HAS ALREADY BROKEN (CASE # [XXX]). THERE IS NO GUARANTEE WITH THE REPLACEMENT THAT IT WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN AND IS QUITE A SAFETY CONCERN, ESPECIALLY IF A CHILD IS IN THE REAR SEAT, AS PASSENGERS MAY NOT BE ABLE TO EXIT DURING AN EMERGENCY. WE FEEL THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL ISSUE AND THE DEFECTIVE PIECE SHOULD BE REPLACED AT NO CHARGE. PERHAPS YOUR AGENCY CAN LOOK INTO THIS MATTER TO SEE IF THIS IS AS COMMON A PROBLEM AS IT APPEARS AND IS NOT ISOLATED TO MODEL AND YEAR OF OUR FORD TRUCK. THESE DOORS ARE COMMON ON MANY FORD TRUCKS. FORD WILL NOT PROVIDE A REMEDY OR RELIEF FOR THIS SITUATION. THANKS FOR YOUR TIME. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR