NHTSA Complaint #10910136 — 2011 FORD EDGE

THE 'DOOR AJAR' WARNING LIGHT ON MY 2011 EDGE PERIODICALLY COMES ON AND STAYS ON. THE WARNING INDICATES THAT VARIOUS DOORS ARE OPEN. SOMETIMES IT'S THE DRIVER DOOR; OTHER TIMES IT'S THE LEFT PASSENGER DOOR OR THE BACK GATE. EACH TIME THE DOORS WERE CLOSED PROPERLY, HOWEVER THE SENSOR THINKS THAT THE DOORS ARE OPEN. THIS MALFUNCTION CAUSES THE INTERIOR DOME LIGHTS AND THE EXTERIOR LIGHTS ON THE SIDE MIRRORS TO REMAIN ON, WHICH DRAINS THE BATTERY. ORIGINALLY, I THOUGHT THIS ISSUE WAS A PROBLEM SPECIFIC TO MY VEHICLE. HOWEVER, IN AN ATTEMPT TO UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM, I CONDUCTED AN INTERNET SEARCH AND DISCOVERED THAT THE 'DOOR AJAR' WARNING IS A COMMON AND WELL KNOWN PROBLEM WITH FORD PRODUCTS INCLUDING THE EDGE. THIS PROBLEM IS NOT A RESULT OF USE OR WEAR AND TEAR OF THE VEHICLE; IT CLEARLY IS A MECHANICAL /ENGINEERING FLAW WITH THE VEHICLE. I FEEL THAT THIS SITUATION IS A SAFETY ISSUES AND SHOULD BE CORRECTED BY FORD MOTOR COMPANY. ON SEPTEMBER 19, 2016, I SENT AN EMAIL TO THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP CENTER (CRC), EXPLAINING THE PROBLEM AND SEEKING HELP. I WAS ASSIGNED A CASE NUMBER (CAS-10612005-P1F4G7) AND WAS TOLD TO CONTACT A LOCAL DEALER TO DIAGNOSIS THE PROBLEM. ON SEPTEMBER 27, 2016, A SERVICE DEPARTMENT REPRESENTATIVE FROM BEAU TOWNSEND FORD INFORMED ME THAT THE PROBLEM WAS WITH THE DOOR LATCH AND THE COST TO REPAIR IS APPROXIMATELY $385.00 PER LATCH. HE ALSO INFORMED ME THAT FORD MOTOR COMPANY WOULD NOT PAY FOR THE REPAIR.NEXT, I CALLED THE CRC TO APPEAL THE DECISION.I WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM WAS NOT A RECALL ITEM AND THAT FORD WOULD NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT I HAD NO FURTHER RECOURSE REGARDING THIS ISSUE.