In September 2014 the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) launched an investigation into consumer complaints of faulty door latches in 2011-2013 model year Ford Fiesta vehicles. Owners reported problems with the doors in these cars failing to latch when closed and/or remaining open or ajar. There have also been reports of injuries caused by a rebounding door striking a person after they attempted to close it. Since last fall NHTSA has received hundreds of additional complaints related to these problems. The agency announced yesterday that it will upgrade its investigation to an “Engineering Analysis” and expanded its scope to include 2013 Ford Fusion and 2013 Lincoln MKZ vehicles.
Fortunately, there have been no fatalities linked to these door latch failures; however, there have been reports of doors opening while the car was in motion. The risk of serious injury in a motor vehicle accident increases significantly for occupants if they are ejected from the vehicle. If the car doors fail to remain closed, the potential for ejection greatly increases as well. If you or a loved one was seriously injured or killed when a door in your vehicle inadvertently opened during a car crash, contact the trial lawyers at Gill Ports Hoste LLC to for a free consultation. We want to talk to you about any case involving motor vehicle accidents and faulty car door latches.