NHTSA Complaint #10579661 — 2013 FORD EXPLORER

MY 2013 FORD EXPLORER (LIMITED) SPONTANEOUSLY LOCKED WHILE MY 9 MONTH OLD DAUGHTER WAS IN THE CAR WITH THE KEYS. MY WIFE HAD JUST PUT MY DAUGHTER IN THE CAR WITH HER PURSE, WHICH HAD THE VEHICLE KEYS INSIDE. AFTER SHE CLOSED THE DOOR TO WALK TO THE DRIVER'S SIDE, THE VEHICLE LOCKED, AND WOULD NOT OPEN. ALL PUBLISHED VEHICLE OWNER'S MANUALS/DOCUMENTATION CLEARLY STATE THAT THIS SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN. FURTHER, THE VEHICLE HAS BUILT IN MECHANISMS TO SAFEGUARD AGAINST THIS SCENARIO WHICH ALSO FAILED. WITH THE KEYS IN THE VICINITY OF THE CAR, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO TOUCH THE DOOR HANDLE TO UNLOCK THE VEHICLE. NOTHING WE TRIED WOULD UNLOCK THE CAR. WE LIVE IN A HOT CLIMATE, SO THE CAR WAS WELL OVER 120 DEGREES. WE CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO BREAK IN (BROKEN WINDOW, AND DOOR). AFTER BRINGING THIS UP WITH FORD, THEY'VE DONE NOTHING TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THEY CLAIM IT'S NOT THEIR FAULT, OR RESPONSIBILITY TO INVESTIGATE FURTHER, AND THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. I WAS LUCKY HELP WAS CLOSE BY, HOWEVER, UNDER DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES, THIS COULD HAVE BEEN FAR MORE TRAGIC. *JS