NHTSA Complaint #11253152 — 2013 FORD C-MAX

CAR, PARKED IN DRIVEWAY, FAILED TO START BECAUSE OF A DEAD BATTERY. HOOD LATCH IN VEHICLE FAILED TO WORK (AFTER BEING REPLACED ONCE <1 YEAR BEFORE). COULD NOT OPEN HOOD TO ACCESS DEAD BATTERY. HAD CAR TOWED TO DEALER. DEALER WAS UNABLE TO OPEN THE HOOD. WAS ADVISED BY DEALER THAT HOOD CANNOT BE OPENED WITHOUT BREAKING FRONT GRILL AND PAYING FOR EXTENSIVE REPAIR. IF HOOD HANDLE MALFUNCTIONS, THERE IS NO SECONDARY ACCESS TO OPEN THE HOOD. REPAIRS COST IN EXCESS OF $1300 TO REPLACE HOOD LATCH CABLE ASSEMBLY ($200) AND THE HOOD LATCH HANDLE ($60), AS WELL A THE REPAIR OF BODY DAMAGE INCURRED BY BODY SHOP BREAKING THE GRILL TO ACCESS THE HOOD LATCH. VEHICLE WAS UNAVAILABLE FOR USE FOR 22 DAYS. PRODUCT DEFECT: HOOD LATCH IS PRONE TO FAILURE AND NOT ACCESSIBLE DURING EMERGENCY. IF PULL HANDLE BREAKS IN CAR, HOOD CANNOT BE OPENED WITHOUT MAJOR BODY DAMAGE. NO ACCESS FROM UNDER OR FRONT OF CAR IS AVAILABLE. EXPENSIVE DAMAGE MUST BE DONE TO THE VEHICLE, THEN REPAIRED DUE TO THIS DESIGN FLAW.