NHTSA Complaint #10641448 — 2008 LINCOLN MKZ

WITHOUT WARNING, THE DRIVER'S DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN. I WAS TRAPPED IN THE VEHICLE. THE ONLY WAY TO EXIT THE CAR WAS TO ROLL DOWN THE WINDOW AND USE THE EXTERIOR HANDLE. *TR THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT AND IS IN GOOD WORKING CONDITION. THERE WAS NO PRIOR WARNING THAT THE DOOR HANDLE WAS WORN OR HAD A DEFECT. I HAVE DISASSEMBLED THE DOOR AND I SEE THAT AN INTERIOR SECTION OF THE INTERIOR DOOR HANDLE HAS FRACTURED. THIS SECTION ACTS AS A CAM TO PULL THE CABLE THAT OPENS THE DOOR. IT IS A POOR DESIGN BECAUSE THE PLASTIC IS IN PURE TENSION AND ALLOWS A CRACK TO CATASTROPHICALLY PROPAGATE. I BELIVE THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD BECAUSE IT TRAPS AN OCCUPANT IN THE VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING. MANY FAILURE MODE EFFECTS ANALYSIS EVENTS ASSUME THE DRIVER CAN EXIT THE CAR TO RECEIVE A LOW SCORE. THIS MAKES SEVERAL OTHER POSSIBLE FAILURE MODES MUCH MORE DANGEROUS.