NHTSA Complaint #10872611 — 2012 FORD FOCUS

MY WIFE AND 6 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER HAD GONE TO THE STORE IN OUR 2012 FORD FOCUS. WHEN THEY ARRIVED THEY PARKED THE CAR AND THEY BOTH GOT OUT OF THE CAR - MY WIFE FROM HER SIDE (THE DRIVES-SIDE FRONT) AND OUR DAUGHTER FROM HER DOOR - THE DRIVERS-SIDE REAR (LEFT SIDE OF THE CAR), WHERE SHE USUALLY SITS. THEY EACH CLOSED THEIR DOORS AND WENT IN TO DO THEIR SHOPPING. WHEN THEY RETURNED TO THE CAR 15 MINUTES LATER, MY WIFE GOT IN HER DRIVER'S-SIDE DOOR (FRONT); OUR DAUGHTER GOT IN USING THE PASSENGER-SIDE REAR DOOR (ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE CAR), CLIMBED INTO HER BOOSTER SEAT AND PUT HER SEAT BELT ON. AS MY WIFE STARTED THE CAR, SHE NOTICED THE "DOOR AJAR" INDICATOR SHOWING ON THE DASHBOARD, NOTING THAT OUR DAUGHTER'S DOOR WAS NOT CLOSED PROPERLY. AFTER DRAWING THIS TO OUR DAUGHTER'S ATTENTION, OUR DAUGHTER TRIED TO CLOSE THE DOOR BUT COULD NOT GET IT TO LATCH. MY WIFE GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND TRIED HERSELF TO CLOSE THE DOOR, BUT ALSO WAS NOT ABLE TO GET THE DOOR TO LATCH. MY WIFE CALLED ME IMMEDIATELY AND I DROVE OUT TO MEET HER. WHEN I ARRIVED, I ALSO TRIED TO GET THE DOOR TO STAY LATCHED SHUT, BUT WAS UNABLE. I TRIED ACTIVATING AND ACTIVATING THE CHILD LOCK, MOVING THE LATCH OPEN AND CLOSED MANUALLY, BUT WAS STILL NOT ABLE TO GET THE DOOR TO LATCH. I SECURED THE DOOR CLOSED USING THE SEAT BELT AND TOOK MY DAUGHTER HOME IN OUR OTHER CAR, WHILE MY WIFE TOOK THE FORD FOCUS TO A NEARBY DEALER. THE DEALER EXAMINED THE LATCH AND CONFIRMED THAT THERE WERE NO SIGNS OF TAMPERING, AND THEN CONFIRMED THAT THE LATCH HAD SIMPLY GIVEN OUT - MUCH LIKE THE LATCHES IN THE FORD FUSION AND FORD FIESTA VEHICLES THAT HAD BEEN SUBJECT TO RECALL. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN, AND AM THANKFUL THAT THE "DOOR AJAR" INDICATOR WAS WORKING, BECAUSE THIS DEFECT COULD HAVE COST US OUR DAUGHTER'S LIFE. THE DEALER INSTALLED A NEW LATCH, COSTING US OVER $700.