NHTSA Complaint #10724718 — 2013 FORD ESCAPE

THE FORD ESCAPE IS EQUIPPED WITH AN INTELLIGENT KEY SYSTEM. THIS KEY ALLOWS THE DRIVER TO UNLOCK THE CAR BY SIMPLY TOUCHING THE DOOR HANDLE. THE SYSTEM ALSO INCLUDES A FEATURE THAT PREVENTS THE DOORS FROM LOCKING OR UNLOCKS THE DOORS IMMEDIATELY IF KEYS ARE LEFT INSIDE THE CAR WITHOUT A DRIVER OR PASSENGER PRESENT. THIS OSTENSIBLY MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR A DRIVER TO LOCK THEIR KEYS INSIDE THE CAR. THE CAR ALSO INCLUDES A AUTO-LOCKING FEATURE THAT IS SUPPOSED TO LOCK ALL DOORS ONLY WHEN THE CAR IS IN DRIVE AND BEGINS MOVING ABOVE 5 MPH. ON THREE OCCASIONS, INCLUDING TODAY (6/11/2015) THIS SYSTEM HAS MALFUNCTIONED TO SUCH A DEGREE THAT ITS BEHAVIOR WAS THE EXACT OPPOSITE OF ITS INTENDED DESIGN AND IT BECAME A SAFETY HAZARD. EACH OCCASION HAS INVOLVED MY WIFE, WHO NATURALLY CARRIES THE KEYS IN HER PURSE OR BRIEFCASE. SHE HAS GOTTEN OUT OF THE CAR AND CLOSED THE DOOR WITHOUT LOCKING THE CAR MANUALLY. HER KEYS REMAINED IN HER BAG ON THE PASSENGER FLOORBOARD OR SEAT, WHILE SHE WALKED AROUND THE CAR TO RETRIEVE THEM OR TO GO TO RETRIEVE OUR SON OUT OF HIS CAR SEAT IN THE BACK. ON THESE OCCASIONS THE CAR HAS LOCKED ITSELF WITH THE KEYS INSIDE AS SOON AS SHE CLOSED HER DOOR AND SHE WAS NOT ABLE TO GET INTO THE CAR. THERE ARE TWO MAJOR FAILINGS OCCURRING. THE CARS SYSTEM IS SUPPOSED TO PREVENT THE LOCKING OF THE DOORS OR IMMEDIATELY UNLOCK THEM IF THE CAR IS PARKED AND IT FAILS TO DETECT A DRIVER IN THE SEAT. THE CAR HAS NO FUNCTIONALITY THAT AUTO LOCKS THE CAR WHEN IT IS OFF AND STATIONARY, YET IT IS DOING THIS. IF YOU GET OUT OF THE CAR WITHOUT THE KEYS AND CLOSE THE DOOR, IT WILL LOCK ITSELF. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE IT HAS RESULTED IN MY SON GETTING LOCKED IN THE CAR IN THE HEAT. I WAS NEARBY, AND ABLE TO COME UNLOCK THE CAR, OTHERWISE WE WOULD HAVE HAD TO SMASH A WINDOW. FORD DEALERSHIPS HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO REPLICATE THIS INTERMITTENT PROBLEM