NHTSA Complaint #11001171 — 2011 LINCOLN MKZ

MY WIFE GOT TO THE MALL AND TRIED TO GET OUT OF THE CAR AND THE DOOR WOULD NOT UNLATCH. SHE CALLED ME FRANTIC ASKING WHAT TO DO. SHE DID NOT DARE ASK A STRANGER, SO I TOLD HER TO WAIT AND I WOULD BE RIGHT THERE. SHE WAS VERY UPSET BY THE TIME I GOT THERE.-20 MIN. THE DOOR OPENED NORMALLY FROM THE OUTSIDE. LATER I TOOK THE DOOR APART AND FOUND THAT A PLASTIC PART OF THE HANDLE THAT TRANSFERS MOTION TO THE DOOR LATCH HAD BROKEN. THIS SEEMS LIKE A POOR DESIGN AND/ OR A POOR CHOICE OF MATERIAL. IN A DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCE OR LOCATION THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A LIFE THREATENING EVENT. I BELIEVE THE DESIGN OR MATERIAL SHOULD BE CHANGED BEFORE SOMEONE IS INJURED OR WORSE KILLED.