NHTSA Complaint #10555857 — 2008 FORD TAURUS X

THE DRIVER'S SIDE OUTBOARD SEAT PIVOT (5F9Z*7460593*BA) FAILED CAUSING THE 2ND ROW SEAT FOLD DOWN/RELEASE TO BE INOPERABLE. THE PART WAS REMOVED AND REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY ON 22 SEP 2010. ON 19 MAY 2011 THE SEAT AGAIN BECAME INOPERABLE AND WAS REPAIRED. METHOD OF REPAIR WAS NOT LISTED ON THE SERVICE ORDER. ON 10 DEC 2013 THE SEAT PIVOT FAILED AGAIN. I DO NOT HAVE CHILDREN SO THE SEAT MECHANISM HAS NOT BE ABUSED. THE FOLD DOWN FEATURE OF THE SEAT TO INCREASE THE FLAT CARGO SPACE HAS PROBABLY ONLY BEEN USED SIX TIMES SINCE THE 22 SEP 2010 REPAIR. THE THIRD ROW SEATS ARE USED INFREQUENTLY. AN INTERNET SEARCH FOR THE DEFECTIVE PART NUMBER REVEALED THAT OTHER OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM (ALSO ON THE DRIVERS SIDE). MY CONCERN IS THAT PASSENGERS IN THE THIRD ROW SEAT MIGHT BECOME TRAPPED DURING AN ACCIDENT IF THE RIGHT FOLD DOWN SEAT IS OBSTRUCTED BY COLLISION DAMAGE. FORD ISSUED A TSB (A LETTER, NOT A RECALL) ON THIS PART NUMBER BUT I WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE A COPY OF IT. THE PART WAS SUPPOSED TO BE REPLACED WITH A REDESIGNED AND/OR STRENGTHENED PIVOT. ONE FORD HELP SITE REPORTED THAT THE LATCH COULD POSSIBLY BE RELEASED BY PULLING ON THE RELEASE HANDLE WHILE BANGING ON THE SEAT BACK FOR 5 MINUTES. I DON'T THINK THAT WOULD BENEFICIAL IN AN ACCIDENT. *TR