NHTSA Complaint #10705517 — 2012 FORD FIESTA

LATCH FAILED. MY PASSENGER NEEDED TO PUT SOME POSSESSIONS IN THE BACK SEAT BECAUSE THERE WASN'T ENOUGH ROOM IN THE FRONT. HE PROCEEDED TO PUT HIS THINGS IN THE BACK, THEN CAME TO THE FRONT AND GOT INTO THE PASSENGER SEAT. I STARTED THE CAR AND THE RADIO DISPLAY NOTIFIED ME THAT A DOOR WAS AJAR. I ASKED HIM TO RE-CLOSE THE BACK DOOR AND WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TOO, IT WOULDN'T LATCH. WE TRIED PULLING THE DOOR HANDLE ON BOTH THE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE, LOCKING AND UNLOCKING THE CAR, AND PUSHING AS HARD AS WE COULD ON THE DOOR, BUT THE DOOR WOULDN'T LATCH SHUT. I ENDED UP HAVING TO DUCT TAPE THE DOOR CLOSE, BUT THE INTERIOR LIGHT REMAINS ON AND REDUCES MY VISIBILITY THROUGH THE FRONT WINDSHIELD DUE TO THE GLARE. I FEEL VERY UNSAFE LEAVING MY CAR IN PUBLIC PLACES DUE TO THE RISK OF THEFT, AND LEAVING ITEMS BACK THERE FOR FEAR OF THEM FLYING OUT OF THE VEHICLE WHILE IN MOTION. *TR