NHTSA Complaint #10795268 — 2016 FORD EXPLORER

WHILE I WAS SITTING IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT OF MY RENTAL (THE VEHICLE RUNNING AND IN PARK), I PRESSED #2 OF THE NUMBERED BUTTONS, NEXT TO THE LOCK CONTROLS, AND THE SEAT STARTED MOVING BY ITSELF. THE SEAT MOVED UP AND FORWARD, WHILE THE STEERING WHEEL MOVED DOWN. MY LEGS STARTED TO GET COMPRESSED BY THE STEERING WHEEL, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME MY KNEES WERE BEING FORCED INTO THE PLASTIC PIECES UNDER THE STEERING COLUMN. MY BODY WAS BEING FORCED AGAINST THE STEERING WHEEL. I TRIED TO STOP THE SEAT FROM MOVING BY USING MY BODY TO CREATE A FORCE BUT THE SEAT WOULD NOT STOP. WHEN THE SEAT FINALLY STOPPED, MY LEGS WERE IN PAIN AND I COULD BARELY BREATHE FROM THE STEERING WHEEL BEING AGAINST MY CHEST. I PANICKED AND DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. MY HUSBAND HAD TO OPEN THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR AND USE THE CONTROLS TO GET ME FREE. I WAS AFRAID FOR MY LIFE, I COULD'VE BEEN SEVERELY INJURED. IF MY HUSBAND WERE THE ONE TO PRESS THE BUTTON WHILE HE WAS SITTING IN THE DRIVERS SEAT, HE WOULD HAVE BROKEN BONES. MY RENTAL PROVIDER NEVER SHOWED US THE FEATURES OF THE VEHICLE, NOR WERE THERE ANY WRITTEN WARNING LABELS IN CLEAR SIGHT ON THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. MY HUSBAND INFORMED ME AFTER THE INCIDENT THAT THE NUMBERED BUTTONS ON THE DOOR ARE A MEMORY FUNCTION FOR THE SEAT. IT IS NOW A STRONG FEAR OF MINE THAT IF I WERE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE, AND I ACCIDENTALLY PRESSED THIS BUTTON (THINKING I PRESSED THE LOCK CONTROL),THAT I WOULD BE IN A CAR ACCIDENT. THE DESIGN OF THIS MEMORY FUNCTION IS FLAWED AND NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED IMMEDIATELY BEFORE SOMEONE GETS SEVERELY INJURED OR KILLED. I AM ALSO FEARFUL THAT THE RENTAL COMPANY WILL RENT THIS VEHICLE TO SOMEONE ELSE, BECAUSE A LARGER PERSON THAN MYSELF, WILL UNDOUBTEDLY BE INJURED OR KILLED. WHETHER THIS IS A FACTORY PRESET OR A FUNCTION THAT HAD BEEN PROGRAMMED BY A PREVIOUS RENTER OR THE RENTAL COMPANY, I AM UNAWARE, BUT IT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.