NHTSA Complaint #11005057 — 2013 LINCOLN MKZ

LINCOLN PASSENGER DOOR LATCH. THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, AT A GAS STATION HAVING JUST REFUELED. THE PASSENGER WENT TO CLOSE THE DOOR AND DOOR DID NOT CLOSE. SO TRIED AGAIN AND REALIZED THE DOOR WAS NOT STAYING CLOSED. DRIVER CHECKED THE DOOR LATCH TO SEE IF IT NEEDED TO BE PUSHED DOWN AND REALIZED THIS WAS NOT THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE AND PASSENGERS WERE ON A TRIP OUT OF STATE MORE THAN 8+ HOURS FROM HOME AND IT WAS JULY 4TH HOLIDAY. NO DEALERSHIPS/ AND FORD/LINCOLN CUSTOMER SERVICE NOT AVAILABLE. HAD TO WAIT UNTIL NEXT DAY, CONTACTED 2 FORD DEALERSHIPS ONE WAS BOOKED THE OTHER HAD AVAILABILITY BUT IT WOULD TAKE A FEW DAYS. CONTACTED THE LINCOLN CUSTOMER SERVICE SINCE WE SAW ONLINE THERE HAD BEEN A DOOR LATCH RECALL. WE MENTIONED THIS AND THEY TOLD US THE DOOR LATCH RECALL HAD BEEN COMPLETED ON THIS VEHICLE IN NOVEMBER 2015. THIS CONCERNED ME EVEN MORE SINCE THIS REPLACEMENT PIECE THAT WAS TO REPAIR POTENTIALLY DEFAULT LATCHES DEFAULT EVEN MORE QUICKLY AND WITH LESS DRIVING. IN JAN 2016 WE MOVED OUT OF STATE TO DC WHERE WE PARK THE CAR AND RARELY DRIVE THE CAR, THEREFORE THE AMOUNT OF MILEAGE THIS LASTED WAS UNACCEPTABLE. WE HAD TO PAY $420 TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR THE LATCH REPAIR (FORD DID REFUND US $284 SINCE THEY FELT BAD EVEN THOUGH IT WAS OUT OF THE 12 MONTH WARRANTY) BUT ALSO HAS TO PAY $255 RENTAL CAR WHICH DURING HOLIDAY WEEK IN A VACATION TOWN WE GOT THE LAST RENTAL CAR. A DOOR LATCH SHOULD NOT BREAK AFTER 20 MONTHS WITH NORMAL DRIVING, NOT TO MENTION THE LIMITED USE OF DRIVING THIS CAR GETS. A DOOR LATCH IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE WHAT IF IT HAPPENED TO THE DRIVER'S SIDE? THE CAR COULD ONLY BE DRIVEN WITH SOMEONE MANUALLY HOLDING THE DOOR SHUT WITH BOTH HANDS. SO I AM DEEPLY CONCERNED THAT EITHER FORD DID NOT ACTUALLY REPLACE THE DOOR LATCH IN NOV 2015, OR IF THEY DID THE REPLACEMENTS ARE MORE FAULTY AND A 12 MONTH WARRANTY IS INSUFFICIENT FOR A SAFETY ISSUE.