NHTSA Complaint #11221308 — 2017 FORD ESCAPE

MY ESCAPE HAS THE LIFT GATE THAT OPENS AUTOMATICALLY WITH THE WAVE OF A FOOT. A FEW MONTHS AGO (DEC. 2018 I THINK) I WAS LOADING MY GROCERIES INTO THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE WHEN UNEXPECTEDLY, THE LIFT GATE CRASHED DOWN ON MY HEAD AND THEN CONTINUED TO CLOSE. I HAD TO DROP TO THE GROUND TO KEEP IT FROM CLOSING ON ME BECAUSE IT WOULDN'T STOP. IT HURT TERRIBLY BUT I DIDN'T FEEL IT NECESSARY TO GO THE ER. I CALLED FORD AND A REPORT WAS TAKEN AND I WAS TOLD TO TAKE IT TO A DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT BUT I WASN'T ABLE TO TAKE IT IN AT THE TIME. LAST WEEK, I WAS AGAIN AT THE GROCERY STORE AND A YOUNG MAN WAS LOADING MY GROCERIES WHILE I STOOD AND WATCHED. FORTUNATELY, I SAW IT COMING THIS TIME BEFORE THE LIFT GATE CRASHED DOWN ON HIS HEAD AND I WAS ABLE TO PUSH THE BUTTON ON THE LIFT GATE TO STOP IT. I KNEW I HAD TO DEAL WITH IT THEN. I HAVE A TWO YEAR OLD GRANDSON WHO COULD BE DECAPITATED IF IT CLOSED ON HIM. YESTERDAY, I TOOK MY CAR TO THE DEALER I BOUGHT IT FROM AND JUST HEARD FROM THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT. TURNS OUT WHEN A FOOT IS DETECTED BY THE SENSOR; IF THE LIFT GATE IS OPEN, IT CAUSES IT TO CLOSE. THERE IS NO SENSOR TO MAKE IT STOP IF THERE'S A BODY IN THE WAY. PER MY SERVICE MAN, THERE'S NO WAY TO DISABLE THE FEATURE. IT IS UNACCEPTABLE TO HAVE A LIFT GATE THAT CAN COME DOWN UNEXPECTEDLY AND CRUSH OR DECAPITATE ANYONE WHO HAPPENS TO BE STANDING UNDER IT. THIS IS A MAJOR DESIGN FLAW THAT HAS ALREADY HURT ME AND HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE DEADLY TO MY GRANDCHILD. I HAD REALLY LIKED THIS CAR TIL I REALIZED WHAT A HAZARD THE LIFT GATE IS. I HOPE YOU CAN REMEDY THIS PROBLEM FOR US ALL BEFORE SERIOUS INJURY OCCURS.