NHTSA Complaint #11240467 — 2014 FORD ESCAPE

JUST OVER A YEAR AGO, SOME MONTHS AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS JUST PURCHASE FROM THE WINNIE FORD PREOWNED LOT, THE DOOR SUDDENLY OPENED WHILE WE WERE DRIVING. TURNS OUT THERE IS AN EXISTING RECALL FOR THIS VEHICLE PERTAINING TO PROBLEMATIC DOOR LATCHES. WE CONTACTED THE DEALER WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM ABOUT GETTING A FREE REPAIR DUE TO THE RECALL, BUT THE DEALER DIRECTED US TO CALL FORD INSTEAD. FORD TELLS US THAT THE RECALL ISSUE WAS ALREADY SUPPOSEDLY MADE AT SOME DEALERSHIP IN FLORIDA AND THAT WE WOULD NEED TO PAY A FULL PRICE TO REPAIR THEIR DEFECT, A PRICE THAT WE SIMPLY CANNOT AFFORD THE OWNER OF THE VEHICLE IS A RETIRED 70 YEAR OLD GETTING BY WITH SOCIAL SECURITY PAYMENTS). WE EVENTUALLY FIGURED OUT A WAY TO FORCE THE DOOR TO CLOSE, BUT TODAY (JULY 29, 2019) THE DOOR REOPENED ITSELF AGAIN, AND AFTER AN HOUR OF ATTEMPTS, THE DOOR REFUSES TO SHUT. THIS VEHICLE IS USED BY SEVERAL FAMILY MEMBERS TO GET TO SCHOOL, WORK, STORES, ETC. AS SUCH, THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY AND SECURITY RISK FOR US AND OUR VEHICLE- THE NY TIMES REPORTED THAT THIS INCIDENT ONCE LED TO A CRASH WITH THREE INCIDENTS. I HAVE BEEN COMPELLED TO SUBMIT THIS COMPLAINT TO THE NHSTA BECAUSE FORD AND THE DEALERSHIP(S) ARE REFUSING TO TAKE ANY ACCOUNTABILITY REGARDING FIXING THEIR DEFECT (SINCE THEIR SUPPOSED INITIAL 'REPAIR' CLEARLY DID NOT WORK), AND I REQUEST THAT SOMEONE AT THE NHSTA INVESTIGATE THIS URGENT SAFETY MATTER. I WILL CONTINUE TO CONTACT THE DEALERSHIP AND FORD TO ENSURE THAT THEY PROPERLY REPAIR THEIR RECALLED DEFECT.