NHTSA Complaint #11130449 — 2013 FORD FIESTA

ON SEPTEMBER 18, 2018, MY FORD FIESTA (2013 SE 4 DR) RIGHT PASSENGER DOOR SUDDENLY, AND INEXPLICABLY, FAILED TO LATCH, POSING A SERIOUS SAFETY RISK. FORTUNATELY, THE CAR WAS STATIONARY. HOWEVER, I HAD TO HOLD THE DOOR CLOSED WITH A STRAP WHILE DRIVING TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR. THEIR RESPONSE WAS "THESE THINGS GIVE OUT FROM TIME TO TIME". I DID NOT BELIEVE THAT AND CONDUCTED ONLINE RESEARCH INTO THE PERSISTENT PROBLEM OF FIESTA DOOR LATCH FAILURES. I CONTACTED FORD MOTOR'S MAIN NUMBER AND WAS TOLD MY VIN IS NOT ON THE LIST FOR RECALL # 15S16 (DOOR LATCH FAILURES). HOWEVER, MY CAR WAS PRODUCED AT THE SAME FACTORY, AND DURING THE SAME TIME PERIOD, AS THE EFFECTED RECALLED FIESTA VEHICLES. MY CAR WAS MANUFACTURED ON AUGUST 14, 2012, IN CUAUTITLAN, MEXICO. IN 2015, FORD MOTOR COMPANY ISSUED RECALL 15S16 FOR FIESTAS PRODUCED AT THE CUAUTITLAN PRODUCTION SITE FOR CARS DATING FEB 1, 2012 - MAY 31, 2013. I AM NOT CERTAIN WHAT FORD'S CRITERIA IS FOR SELECTING CERTAIN VINS FOR RECALL. HOWEVER, THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE THAT HAS EFFECTED MANY FIESTA DRIVERS. I BELIEVE FORD HAS OMITTED SOME VINS FROM THE ORIGINAL RECALL LIST, AND MUST ADD EVERY VIN PRODUCED AT THAT CUAUTITLAN MEXICO PLANT DURING THE TIME FRAME SPECIFIED IN THE INITIAL RECALL FOR DOOR LATCH FAILURES. WITHOUT DOING SO, MYSELF AND OTHER CONSUMERS CANNOT BRING OUR VEHICLES INTO DEALERSHIPS FOR SAFETY INSPECTION AND PART REPLACEMENTS TO PREVENT LATCH FAILURES, AND, THEREFORE, REMAIN AT RISK OF OUR FIESTAS POSING A SAFETY ISSUE.