NHTSA Complaint #11316245 — 2014 FORD TRANSIT CONNECT

MY FORD TRANSIT CONNECT REAR LIFT-GATE WOULD NOT OPEN. STATIONARY. ALL DOOR LOCKS WORKED WITH THE KEY FOB EXCEPT THE REAR LIFT-GATE. THE LIFT-GATE WOULD NOT WORK WITH THE INTERIOR DOOR LOCK ELECTRIC SWITCHES. I WAS UNABLE TO OPEN THE LIFT-GATE IN ANY MANNER. THE LIFT-GATE DOES NOT HAVE A LOCK OPERATED BY A KEY, JUST AN ELECTRONIC SWITCH. I CHECKED THE 10AMP FUSE FOR THE REAR LIFT-GATE LOCK AND IT WAS DEFECTIVE. I REPLACED THE FUSE AND THE DOOR WORKED FOR ABOUT A WEEK BEFORE BREAKING AGAIN. I REPLACED THE 10 AMP FUSE 4 MORE TIMES, EACH TIME IMMEDIATELY BLOWING THE FUSE. AFTER READING 2 SIMILAR ONLINE ISSUES ABOUT THIS, MY OPERATIONAL THEORY WAS THAT THE ELECTRICAL WIRES POWERING THE REAR LIFT-GATE SWITCH WERE "SHORTING OUT". THE MOST LIKELY PLACE WAS THE AREA WHERE THE WIRES PASSED FROM THE CAR BODY TO THE REAR LIFT-GATE. HOWEVER, SINCE I WAS UNABLE TO OPEN THE LIFT-GATE, I WAS NOT ABLE TO ACCESS THE WIRES. I TOOK THE TRANSIT CONNECT TO THE CLOSEST FORD SERVICE FACILITY, AND THEY FIXED THE PROBLEM. THE SERVICE PERSON REMOVED THE PROTECTIVE RUBBER SLEEVE COVERING THE WIRES EXITING FROM THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE TRANSIT CHASSIS TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE LIFT-GATE. ONE COULD EASILY SEE A NUMBER OF BLACK WIRES WITH INSULATION MISSING AND EXPOSED COPPER WIRE. THE WIRES WERE CONTACTING EACH OTHER AND/OR THE METAL WHERE THE WIRES EXIT THE CHASSIS. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT THE OTHER WIRES OPERATE, BUT THE REARVIEW CAMERA HAD BEEN INTERMITTENTLY MALFUNCTIONING FOR MONTHS. (CAR IN MOTION, BACKING UP) I FEEL THIS TO BE A DANGEROUS SITUATION, FOR THE SHORTING WIRES ARE IN THE APPROXIMATE VICINITY OF THE GAS FILL SPOUT INSIDE THE CHASSIS. GAS VAPORS COULD IGNITE. THIS IS POTENTIALLY A DANGEROUS SITUATION.