NHTSA Complaint #11119675 — 2013 FORD FIESTA

IN 11/2015 THE DOOR LATCHES WERE REPLACED ON MY 2013 FORD FIESTA PER A SAFETY RECALL. IN 5/2018 THE DOOR LATCH ON THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE FAILED, MY DAUGHTER, WHO WAS GOING TO SCHOOL AWAY FROM HOME, WAS PARKED ON THE STREET AND AS SOON AS SHE PULLED INTO TRAFFIC HER DOOR FLEW OPEN AND WOULD NOT STAY CLOSED ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. I DID HAVE THE LATCH REPLACED AT A REPAIR SHOP SINCE FORD WASN'T ABLE TO FIX IT RIGHT AWAY AND IT NEEDED TO BE FIXED ASAP. WHEN MY DAUGHTER RETURNED HOME FROM SCHOOL A FEW WEEKS LATER I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THE CAR WAS PURCHASED COMPLAINING ABOUT THE FAULTY LATCH WANTING TO KNOW HOW IT COULD HAVE FAILED AND EXPRESSING MY CONCERN OF THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE. THEY HAD NO ANSWER FOR THE FAILURE AND ALSO SAID THAT THE "WARRANTY ON THE RECALL PART HAD ELAPSED AND ONCE THE RECALL WAS COMPLETED ANY OBLIGATION ON FORD'S PART WAS OVER". I FOUND THIS UNACCEPTABLE AND THEY SUGGESTED I VOICE MY COMPLAINTS TO FORD OWNER RELATIONS, WHICH I DID. I CONTACTED THEM AND VOICED MY CONCERN ABOUT THE RECALL PART FAILING AFTER 2 1/2 YEARS. I SAID THAT SOMETHING MUST STILL BE WRONG WITH THE LATCHES FOR THIS TO HAPPEN. I ALSO REQUESTED ASSURANCE OF THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE GOING FORWARD AND ASKING IF THEY WILL BE RESPONSIBLE SHOULD THIS HAPPEN AGAIN AND THIS TIME WITH A MORE SERIOUS OUTCOME? I ALSO ASKED SINCE THE FAILED LATCH WAS REPLACED AT AN OUTSIDE SHOP AND NOT FORD WOULD FORD BE RESPONSIBLE IF THAT ONE WERE TO FAIL? THEIR RESPONSE WAS, "UNFORTUNATELY, I AM UNABLE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH THE INFORMATION YOU ARE REQUESTING". THEY THEN SUGGESTED CONTACTING NHTSA. I LET THEM KNOW THAT I WAS VERY UPSET THAT NOBODY WILL TAKE RESPONSIBILITY OR GIVE ME A REASON FOR THE FAILED LATCH OR CAN ASSURE ME OF THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE IN THE FUTURE. THEY APOLOGIZED AND SAID THEY WOULD DOCUMENT MY SATISFACTION.*DT CONSUMER STATED DOOR LATCHES HAVE BEEN REPLACED BY THE DEALER AT NO COST.*JB