NHTSA Complaint #11327825 — 2020 FORD EXPLORER

PASSENGER MIDDLE ROW CAPTAIN CHAIR WAS NOT LOCKED IN PLACE RESULTING IN CHILD OCCUPANT TO BE PROPELLED FROM SEAT IN REAR MOST POSITION ALL THE WAY TO FRONT MOST POSITION WHILE ABRUPTLY BRAKING CAUSING CHILD TO STRIKE REAR OF PASSENGER FRONT SEAT. UPON DEALERSHIP INSPECTION WE WERE INFORMED THAT THERE IS A TSB THAT STATED IF THE BATTERY IS DISCONNECTED OR DEAD FOR A PERIOD OF TIME REPROGRAMMING OF THE DOOR CONTROL MODULE WOULD BE REQUIRED TO RESET. PREVIOUS TO INCIDENT DEALER HAD DISCONNECTED BATTERY FOR REPLACING DOOR WINDOW SWITCH AND RETURNED VEHICLE TO US WITH THIS PROBLEM. THERE WAS NO WARNING OR INDICATION THAT THIS SEAT WAS UNSAFE TO BE OCCUPIED AND THAT REPROGRAMMING OF DOOR MODULE REQUIRED. ON TOP OF THE SAFETY CONCERN THIS WOULD ALSO MEAN THAT IF REPLACING A BATTERY YOU WOULD REQUIRE FORD TO SAFELY PERFORM THIS. SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET SERIOUSLY HURT HERE AND OBVIOUSLY FORD KNOWS ABOUT THE ISSUE WITH TSB RELEASED. *TR