NHTSA Complaint #10596497 — 2012 FORD FUSION

THIS PARTICULAR AUTOMOBILE HAS A FACTORY INSTALLED REAR DECK LID WING. IT IS SECURED TO THE DECK LID USING FOUR BOLTS THROUGH THE SKIN OF THE DECK LID. THE BOLTS ARE EACH BONDED INTO A PLASTIC PLUG, AND EACH PLUG IS THEN BONDED INTO THE PLASTIC STRUCTURE OF THE WING. THE CAR WAS PARKED AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT WITH AN OPEN REAR DECK LID. WHEN THE REAR DECK LID WAS CLOSED, THE BOLTS SECURING THE END OF THE WING AT THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEPARATED FROM THEIR PLASTIC INSERTS, RESULTING IN THAT END OF THE WING BEING NO LONGER SECURED. HAD THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED WHEN THE CAR WAS AT SPEED, THE RESULT MAY HAVE BEEN COMPLETE SEPARATION OF THE WING FROM THE CAR. ANYONE TRAVELING BEHIND THE CAR WITH THIS OCCURRING WOULD CERTAINLY ATTEMPT EVASIVE ACTION, WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR HAVING OR CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. FORD HAS MANY VEHICLES ON THE ROAD WITH THIS WING CONFIGURATION, AND THIS DESIGN METHOD FOR SECURING THEIR WINGS TO THEIR CARS REQUIRES NHTSA INVESTIGATION. *TR