NHTSA Complaint #11364091 — 2016 FORD FUSION

I ENTERED MY VEHICLE AND CLOSED THE DOOR. WHILE BACKING OUT OF THE PARKING LOT A WARNING SOUNDED. I LOOKED AT THE DASH AND THE WARNING LIGHT INDICATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE DOOR WAS OPEN. I PULLED THE DOOR SHUT AND ATTEMPTED TO CLOSE IT BUT IT WOULDN'T STAY SHUT. I PUT THE CAR IN "PARK", GOT OUT AND ATTEMPTED SEVERAL MORE TIMES TO CLOSE THE DOOR. NO MATTER HOW I TRIED, THE DOOR WOULD NOT LATCH. I WAS 53 MILES FROM HOME AND THE ONLY WAY TO GET THERE WAS TO DRIVE. I THEN TOOK AN ADJUSTABLE DOG LEASH, SLIPPED IT THROUGH THE ARMREST ON THE DOOR, THEN LOOPED IT AROUND THE STEERING COLUMN. THIS PROVIDED A MEANS FOR ME TO HOLD THE DOOR CLOSED WHILE I TRAVELED ON A HIGHWAY, THEN THE INTERSTATE TO GET HOME. THIS WAS VERY DISTURBING TO ME BECAUSE THE LATCH WAS FINE WHEN I DROVE FROM HOME. WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED HAD I BEEN ON THE HIGHWAY OR INTERSTATE WHEN THE LATCH FAILED.