NHTSA Complaint #11269194 — 2019 FORD EDGE

CRIME PROTECTION VS. OCCUPANT SAFETY FOR FORD DOOR LOCKING SYSTEM. FOR CRIME PROTECTION FORD HAS SET, STARING WITH THE 2019 MODEL, THAT THE DOORS CANNOT BE OPENED FROM THE OUTSIDE WHEN THE MOTOR IS RUNNING IN PARKING POSITION. PREVIOUS MODELS DID NOT HAVE THE FEATURE OR THE SYSTEM COULD BE PROGRAMMED SO THAT THE DOORS WERE OPEN AS AN OCCUPANT SAFETY FEATURE. I MAKE THIS STATEMENT AS A LIFELONG SAFETY ENGINEER FIRST AT MERCEDES BENZ AND LATER AT BENDIX IN BREAKS, FOLLOWED BY 25 YEARS AT TRW IN SEAT BELTS, FIRST IN GERMANY AND LATER IN USA. I.E. I WAS HEAVILY INVOLVED WITH NHTSA FOR SEAT BELT CERTIFICATIONS AND IN THE FORD SEAT BELT BUCKLE DEVELOPMENT, NOW STANDARD IN ALL NORTH AMERICAN CARS. I SEE THIS STEP TO LOCK THE DOORS AS A STEP AGAINST OCCUPANT SAFETY AND PROTECTION. A DRIVER, WHICH WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR I.E. HAVING A HEART ATTACK, CANNOT BE REACHED FROM THE OUTSIDE BY HELPERS UNTIL POLICE OR FIRE DEPARTMENT COME. THIS MIGHT BE TOO LATE IN A REMOTE AREA. ALSO PARKING IN THE GARAGE AND NEEDING TO MANUALLY UNLOCK THE VEHICLE FOR UNLOADING IS A NUISANCE. AFTER TRYING TO HAVE THE SETTING CHANGED BY A FORD DEALER AND CONTACTING FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE ENDED 5 MONTHS LATER IN A STATEMENT FROM CUSTOMER CONTACT: YOU SHOULD HAVE ORDERED THIS OPTION. -THERE IS NOT SUCH AN OPTION AVAILABLE. SO MY REQUEST IS AFTER ALL NOT UNREASONABLE, BUT THE DOOR LOCK SYSTEM CANNOT BE CHANGED AT A LATER POINT IN TIME. IN CONCLUSION: LOCKING THE DOORS AT ANY SPEED IS A NECESSITY BUT NOT WHEN A CAR IS IN PARK POSITION, EVEN WITH RUNNING ENGINE. LOCKING FOR CRIME PROTECTION IS A MANUAL OPTION IF OCCUPANTS FEEL UNSAFE. *LN*JB