NHTSA Complaint #10898427 — 2013 FORD FUSION ENERGI

INITIAL FAILURE OF PARKING BREAK SWITCH WARNING LIGHT (AND SWITCH ITSELF) FOLLOW BY WIRE HARNESS FAILURE UNDER DASH DUE TO WIRES RUBBING AGAINST EXPOSED STEEL DASH FRAME CAUSING UNKNOWN ADDITIONAL ISSUES, INCLUDING ACTIVATION OF DASHBOARD CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. FAILURES HAPPENED OVER TIME AS WIRING BECAME FRAYED AND FINALLY CAUSED A SERIES OF SHORT CIRCUITS. THE WIRING HARNESS FAILURE WAS REPORTED TO FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE - CASE NUMBER CAS-10375276-L2-W7-J7. NO ACTION WAS TAKEN OTHER THAN A FOLLOW-UP EMAIL FROM THE DEALER'S SERVICE MANAGER SUGGESTING I HOLD ON TO THE PAPERWORK IN THE EVENT OF A RECALL. NOTE THAT THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT THAT "I'VE SEEN THIS BEFORE". THE CAR HAS ABOUT 62,200 MILES ON IT AND IS ONLY 3 YEARS OLD. GIVEN THE COMPUTERIZED NATURE OF THIS CAR, A COMPUTER WIRE HARNESS FAILURE IS CLEARLY A SAFETY HAZARD WORTH INVESTIGATION. MY GUESS IS THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL POSSIBLE SIMPLE FIXES, INCLUDING RE-ROUTING THE WIRE HARNESS, LINING THE STEEL FRAME WITH A RUBBER COATING AND SIMILAR APPROPRIATE STEPS THAT COULD BE TAKEN.