NHTSA Complaint #10959814 — 2017 FORD ESCAPE

DOOR LATCH HANDLES ON ALL EXTERIOR DOOR POSITIONS DO NOT RETURN TO THE 'HOME' POSITION, POSSIBLY DUE TO A WEAK OR POORLY ADJUSTED LATCH HANDLE SPRING OR OTHER PART OF THE MECHANISM. WHEN IN THIS POSITION IT IS POSSIBLE TO PUSH THE DOOR OPEN WITHOUT TOUCHING THE RELEASE HANDLE FOR THE DOOR LATCH(ES). THIS CAN CREATE A HAZARDOUS SITUATION WHEN THE DOOR OPENS UNINTENTIONALLY WHILE THE VEHICLE IS UNDER WAY, OR AN OCCUPANT LEANS ON THE DOOR, CAUSING IT TO OPEN WITHOUT WARNING. THIS CONDITION IS REPLICABLE ON ALL DOORS, AND COULD BE REPLICATED WHILE VEHICLE IS MOVING, BUT SAFETY DICTATED THAT WE NOT ATTEMPT A MOVING REPLICATION OF THE HAZARD. A COMPARISON TO A DIFFERENT VEHICLE OF THE SAME MODEL, BUT ONE YEAR OLDER INDICATES THE DOOR LATCHES ON THE SUBJECT VEHICLE REQUIRE EXTRA FORCE TO OPERATE. VEHICLE IS SCHEDULED FOR DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR AT AN AUTHORIZED FORD DEALER ON 3/20/16.