2012 Ford Focus Structure

THIS COMPLAINT IS FOR A SECOND DOOR LATCH MALFUNCTION. THE FIRST COMPLAINT WAS ON THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE DOOR (ODI# 10818622 ). THIS ONE IS FOR THE DRIVERS SIDE BACK DOOR OF THE SAME CAR. IT MALFUNCTIONED WHILE OUR DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY AND IT FLEW OPEN. IF THERE HAD BEEN A CHILD IN THE BACK SEAT THAT HAD TAKEN OF THE SEAT BELT (WE KNOW HOW CHILDREN CAN BE) THAT CHILD WOULD HAVE FALLEN OUT.

TWO OF THE DOORS ON MY 2012 FORD FOCUS FLEW OPEN WHEN DRIVING IN SEPARATE INCIDENTS. I HAD TO GET EACH FIXED INDIVIDUALLY FOR $500 EACH.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR OPENED INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT HAD A PASSENGER THAT HELD THE DOOR SECURED MEANWHILE THE VEHICLE IN MOTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE LATCH MECHANISM FAILED AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

I RECEIVED A SAFETY RECALL 16S30 LETTER FROM FORD ON 10/6/2016. I CALLED MY LOCAL FORD DEALER & WAS TOLD THEY DO NOT HAVE A REMEDY FOR THE SIDE DOOR LATCH PROBLEM & TO CALL BACK IN APRIL, MAY OR JUNE OF 2017. LETTER SAYS IF THERE ARE SYMPTOMS TO CALL MY DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS & REPAIR. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT SYMPTOMS ARE, & HOW CAN THEY REPAIR IF PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE UNTIL NEXT YEAR? NOW I'M AFRAID TO DRIVE FOR MYSELF AND MY PASSENGERS. NOT ENOUGH SPECIFIC INFO PROVIDED. RECALL CAUSES MORE FRIGHT THAN IF I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT THE PROBLEM TO BEGIN WITH.

DRIVER SIDE REAR DOOR LATCH FAILED WHILE PULLING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY. THE LEFT REAR DOOR OPEN LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE DOOR SWUNG OPEN. TRIED TO CLOSE DOOR BUT THE DOOR WILL NOT LATCH CLOSE LEAVING VEHICLE NON OPERABLE. FORD SAYS MY VIN IS NOT COVERED IN THE ATTACHED RECALL NOTICE, ALTHOUGH IT MEETS ALL CRITERIA OF NOTICE. ALSO LOCAL FORD DEALER WAS NOT ABLE PROCURE NEW PART BECAUSE OF AVAILABILITY. CUSTOMER SERVICE JUST SAID THEY WERE SORRY. I NOW HAVE AN INOPERABLE VEHICLE AND BY EVERY INDICATION IT SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER THIS WARRANTY. OTHER WISE IT WILL COST ME OVER $400.00 TO HAVE THIS FIXED IF THEY EVER ARE ABLE TO GET THE PART.

THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE DOOR OPENED WHILE DRIVING AND WILL NOT LATCH CLOSED. THE LOCAL DEALER REPORTS DOOR LATCH FAILURE AS THE CAUSE. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN RECALLED ON OTHER MODELS (FIESTA, FUSION, ETC). FORD MOTOR COMPANY SHOULD ALSO RECALL THIS PART ON THE 2012 FOCUS MODEL AS IT'S AN OBVIOUS MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AS THE DOOR WILL OPEN WHILE DRIVING.

DRIVER SIDE DOOR FLEW OPEN WHEN I MADE A RIGHT HAND TURN ON A CITY STREET. DOOR WILL NOT CLOSE NOW. DEFECTIVE LATCH. DOOR BOUNCES OPEN WHEN I TRY TO CLOSE IT. I RESEARCHED ISSUE AND FORD HAS DONE RECALLS FOR OTHER MODELS BUT NOT THE FOCUS. DEALER SAID IT WOULD BE $500 TO FIX.

WITHOUT WARNING THE DRIVER DOOR FLEW OPEN AS CAR WAS PULLING ONTO FEEDER STREET AND WOULD NO LONGER LATCH AFTER THIS EVENT. WHEN RESEARCHING BLOGS FOUND OTHERS WHO HAD SIMILAR EVENTS. NEARBY DEALER CONFIRMED LATCH WOULD NOT OPERATE AND WAS BROKEN. MECHANIC STATED THAT THIS HAD BEEN SEEN REPEATEDLY ON OTHER FORD MODELS BUT NOT OFTEN ON FOCUS MODEL. WAS TOLD BY DEALER THAT OTHER MODELS HAVE RECALLS LISTED TO REPLACE ALL DOOR LATCHES.THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE INCLUDING POSSIBLE EJECTION FROM THE VEHICLE.

GOT INTO MY FOCUS AS I NORMALLY DO. WENT TO PULL THE DOOR SHUT AND IT DID NOT LATCH. WILL NOT LATCH WHETHER LOCKED OR UNLOCKED. GLAD IT DIDN'T FLY OPEN LIKE I'VE READ THIS HAPPENING TO OTHER PEOPLE. ALSO GLAD IT DID NOT BOUNCE BACK AND HIT MY NEIGHBORS CAR. VERY UPSETTING TO READ FORD HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM IN OVER A HALF MILLION OF THEIR VEHICLES.

CAME OUT OF THE STORE, LOADED GROCERIES INTO CAR, OPENED DRIVER DOOR AND GOT IN. TRIED TO CLOSE DOOR AND IT BOUNCED BACK OPEN. ATTEMPTED TO RESET THE DOOR LATCH, BUT THE DOOR WOULD NOT LATCH. HAD TO DRIVE THE CAR HOME WHILE HOLDING THE DOOR CLOSED. DOOR WILL NOT CLOSE. SHOWS DOOR AJAR WARNING UNLESS I PUSH IT VERY HARD AND LEAVE IT.

THIS IS CONCERNING MY 2012 FORD FOCUS SEDAN. ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO AS WE WERE DEPARTING FROM PETER PEPPER PIZZA, ON A TURN MY REAR LEFT DOOR OPENED BY ITSELF. MY FAMILY WAS ON THE BACK AND WHERE PUT IN DANGER IF THEY WERE LEANING AGAINST THE DOOR OR INCOMING TRAFFIC WAS COMING AND COULD HAVE HIT THE DOOR OR MY FAMILY COULD HAVE BEEN EJECTED. LIKE SEAT BELTS I BELIEVE DOOR LATCH FAILURE IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. I DRIVE NOW WITH A RATCHET TIE DOWN THAT HOLD BOTH DOORS TOGETHER, PREVENTING THE DOOR TO SWING OPEN AND CAUSE DAMAGE. NOW I CAN'T DRIVE WITH MY BABY CAR SEAT AND REAR PASSENGER SEATING IS USELESS DUE TO THIS DOOR LATCH FAILURE.

MY VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY WHEN I OPENED THE REAR DRIVER-SIDE DOOR TO PUT MY DAUGHTER IN THE BACK SEAT, CONTINUED TO SHUT IT, AND THE DOOR WOULD NOT SHUT. IF PUSHED COMPLETELY IN, IT WOULD SLOWLY SWING OPEN AFTER REMOVING MY HAND FROM THE DOOR. THE DOOR WILL NOT LATCH AND IS NOW BEING HELD SHUT USING BUNGEE CORDS IN MY BACKSEAT. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY!!

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR DRIVER SIDE DOOR LATCH BECAME INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR DOOR LATCH HAD FAILED AND WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 89,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

AS I WAS COMMUTING TO MY JOB, I WAS MAKING A RIGHT TURN OFF OF US HIGHWAY 1 AND THE DRIVER'S DOOR FLEW OPEN. I HAD TO HOLD MY DOOR CLOSED THE WHOLE DRIVE TO MY HOUSE TO HAVE MY DAD LOOK AT IT AND TELL ME ONE OF THE LATCHES IS BROKEN.

WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE 275 IN PINELLAS COUNTY THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR DOOR FLEW OPEN THE INTERSTATE WAS CURVING TOWARDS THE RIGHT. MY SPEED WAS 65 MPH AND MY 19 MONTH OLD SON WAS IN HIS CAR SEAT DIRECTLY NEXT TO THE DOOR. THE DOOR SLAMMED BACK INTO HIM CAUSING THE SUN SHADE VISOR TO FALL OFF HITTING HIM. THE DOOR NOW WILL NOT STAY LATCHED AND I'VE HAD TO TIE IT SHUT AND MOVE MY SONS CAR SEAT.

AFTER BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPOT, MY "DOOR AJAR" SIGNAL CAME ON, I REOPENED AND CLOSED AND MY DOORS AND NOTICED THAT MY DRIVER SIDE DOOR WAS NOT LATCHING. AFTER LOOKING INTO THIS PROBLEM, I'VE LEARNED THAT MANY 2012 FORD FOCUS' HAVE THIS ISSUE. THE DEALERSHIP INSISTS THAT THERE WILL NOT BE A RECALL ON THIS ISSUE, BUT I OBJECT. SOMEONE COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY HURT IN THIS INCIDENT.

THE PASSENGER FRONT DOOR WOULDN'T CLOSE ON 5/22/16 WHEN MY WIFE AND I WERE LEAVING TO DRIVE 25 MILES EAST INTO TOWN FROM OUR HOME IN TONOPAH AZ. I TAPED THE DOOR UP ON THE SAME DAY AND WE GOT A RIDE INTO TOWN TO OUR BIBLE MEETING AND THEN TO THE STORE. ON 5/24/16 I TOOK OUR FORD FOCUS INTO JONES FORD IN BUCKEYE AZ TO HAVE THEIR SERVICE DEPARTMENT LOOK AT IT. WHILE I WAITED I WENT ONLINE TO SEE IF THIS ISSUE WE HAD WITH OUR DOOR HAS BEEN AN RECURRING PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL AND FOUND A STORY THAT CBS5AZ COVERED BACK IN SEPTEMBER OF 2015 OF MANY AZ RESIDENTS HAVING THIS SAME ISSUE AND NOT JUST IN AZ. THESE DOORS ON THIS VEHICLE CAN POP OPEN AT ANY GIVEN TIME W/O WARNING, THAT'S VERY DANGEROUS AND SOMEONE CAN LOSE THEIR LIFE. JONES FORD TOLD ME THERE ARE CURRENTLY NO RECALLS OR HELP FROM FORD MOTOR, SO I PHONED FORD MOTOR FROM MY CELL RIGHT AWAY AND CONTACTED THEIR CUSTOMER SERVICE. I WAS ABLE TO MAKE MY COMPLAINT AND I WAS GIVEN CARE #CAS-9558178 AND TOLD THAT A REQUEST FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE ON MY BEHALF WOULD BE PUT IN TO PAY THE $600 BILL, BUT NO GUARANTEES AND IF I PAID OUT OF MY OWN POCKET TO KEEP THE RECEIPT IN CASE FORD DOES DO A RECALL. I DROVE THIS DANGEROUS UNPREDICTABLE CAR HOME AND TOOK THE TAPE OFF AND ROLLED THE WINDOWS UP AND PUSHED THE PASSENGER FRONT DOOR AS CLOSE AS IT WOULD STAY. I FEEL FORD SHOULD EITHER BUY BACK THIS DANGEROUS VEHICLE AND LET ME CHOOSE A DIFFERENT PRODUCT AND OR MAKE MY MONTHLY PAYMENT UNTIL I CAN DRIVE THIS VEHICLE THAT'S NOT SAFE. WHY SHOULD I MAKE A PAYMENT ON SOMETHING I CAN'T DRIVE OR BETTER YET, IF ANY DEALERSHIP WHO KNOWINGLY SOLD THESE UNITS TO PEOPLE W/O DISCLOSING THESE FACTS REGARDING THE POSSIBILITY OF THE DOORS JUST POPPING OPEN W/O WARNING, THEY SHOULD BE FORCED TO BUY THESE VEHICLES BACK AND GIVE ME AND OTHER CUSTOMERS OUR DEPOSIT AND EVERY MONTHLY PAYMENT WE'VE MADE. ANY DOOR CAN POP OPEN!!!

TAKATA RECALL. STARTED MY CAR AND SHUT THE DOOR I NOTICED THAT THE DRIVERS DOOR WOULD NOT SHUT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR OPENED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 73,000.

THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE DOOR FAILS TO LATCH NORMALLY AND MUST BE REPEATEDLY SLAMMED HARD TO GET IT TO LATCH AND STAY CLOSED. THE DOOR HAS ALSO COME UNLATCHED AND OPENED WHILE SLOWLY DRIVING AROUND CORNERS IN A PARKING GARAGE. I BELIEVE THE PROBLEM IS IN THE DOOR LATCH ITSELF. MY FORD DEALER SAID THIS PROBLEM ON THIS CAR WAS NOT COVERED BY A RECALL YET AND QUOTED ME $400 FOR THE REPAIR, THOUGH I'VE NOTICED SIMILAR RECALLS ON FORD FIESTAS AND EDGES OF THE SAME MODEL YEAR. I'VE ALSO NOTICED THAT THIS PROBLEM IS ALREADY UNDER INVESTIGATION BY THE NHTSA.

THE REAR DRIVER SIDE DOOR WILL NOT LATCH PROPERLY, I HAVE TO RESTRAIN THE DOOR WITH A SEAT BELT IN ORDER FOR THE DOOR TO NOT OPEN WHILE DRIVING, THERE IS NO CURRENT RECALL ON THIS MODEL FOR FORD FOCUS BUT THERE IS ON OTHER FORD VEHICLES FOR THE SAME ISSUE, THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD DOOR LATCH ISSUES, THE FIRST WAS JUST UNDER A YEAR PRIOR FOR THE DRIVER DOOR, WHICH OPENED WHILE I WAS DRIVING, THE LATCH AT THAT TIME WAS COVERED UNDER THE VEHICLES EXTENDED WARRANT BUT TOOK OVER A MONTH TO REPAIR AT THE DEALER, I DO NOT HAVE ANY POLICE REPORTS, BUT WHEN THE SECOND LATCH FAILED I DID FILE A COMPLAINT WITH FORDS MAIN 800 NUMBER WHERE THEY TOLD ME THE PRODUCT WOULD BE REPLACED, UPON TALKING WITH THE FORD DEALERSHIP TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THE REPAIRS DONE, THE DEALERSHIP PROMPTLY TOLD ME THAT THE REPAIRS ARE NOT COVERED AND THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY $700 TO HAVE THEIR FAULTY PRODUCT REPAIRED. AS OF RIGHT NOW THE DOOR LATCH REMAINS UN-REPAIRED AND I HAVE A SEAT BELT TETHERED TO THE REAR DOOR TO KEEP IT FROM OPENING WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION.

DOOR LATCH ASSEMBLY DRIVER SIDE REAR DOOR AND FRONT PASSENGER DOOR HAD TO BE REPLACED, STOP WORKING FOR NO KNOW REASON

THE BACK DOOR LATCH DOES NOT CLOSE AND THE DOOR OPENED IN ON ITS OWN NOW WILL NOT STAY SHUT SAFETY BIG TIME I COULD HAVE BEEN ON THE FREEWAY DRIVING WITH SOMEONE SITTING IN THE BACK SEAT NOW I HAVE TO PAY 430 TO FORD TO FIX SOMETHING THAT IS A MAJOR PROBLEM AND SAFETY CONCERN

DRIVER SIDE REAR DOOR LATCH STOPPED WORKING. DOOR WON'T STAY CLOSED, HAVE TO USE TOW STRAPS TO KEEP DOOR CLOSED OR IT WILL FLY OPEN WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY.

MY WIFE AND 6 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER HAD GONE TO THE STORE IN OUR 2012 FORD FOCUS. WHEN THEY ARRIVED THEY PARKED THE CAR AND THEY BOTH GOT OUT OF THE CAR - MY WIFE FROM HER SIDE (THE DRIVES-SIDE FRONT) AND OUR DAUGHTER FROM HER DOOR - THE DRIVERS-SIDE REAR (LEFT SIDE OF THE CAR), WHERE SHE USUALLY SITS. THEY EACH CLOSED THEIR DOORS AND WENT IN TO DO THEIR SHOPPING. WHEN THEY RETURNED TO THE CAR 15 MINUTES LATER, MY WIFE GOT IN HER DRIVER'S-SIDE DOOR (FRONT); OUR DAUGHTER GOT IN USING THE PASSENGER-SIDE REAR DOOR (ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE CAR), CLIMBED INTO HER BOOSTER SEAT AND PUT HER SEAT BELT ON. AS MY WIFE STARTED THE CAR, SHE NOTICED THE "DOOR AJAR" INDICATOR SHOWING ON THE DASHBOARD, NOTING THAT OUR DAUGHTER'S DOOR WAS NOT CLOSED PROPERLY. AFTER DRAWING THIS TO OUR DAUGHTER'S ATTENTION, OUR DAUGHTER TRIED TO CLOSE THE DOOR BUT COULD NOT GET IT TO LATCH. MY WIFE GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND TRIED HERSELF TO CLOSE THE DOOR, BUT ALSO WAS NOT ABLE TO GET THE DOOR TO LATCH. MY WIFE CALLED ME IMMEDIATELY AND I DROVE OUT TO MEET HER. WHEN I ARRIVED, I ALSO TRIED TO GET THE DOOR TO STAY LATCHED SHUT, BUT WAS UNABLE. I TRIED ACTIVATING AND ACTIVATING THE CHILD LOCK, MOVING THE LATCH OPEN AND CLOSED MANUALLY, BUT WAS STILL NOT ABLE TO GET THE DOOR TO LATCH. I SECURED THE DOOR CLOSED USING THE SEAT BELT AND TOOK MY DAUGHTER HOME IN OUR OTHER CAR, WHILE MY WIFE TOOK THE FORD FOCUS TO A NEARBY DEALER. THE DEALER EXAMINED THE LATCH AND CONFIRMED THAT THERE WERE NO SIGNS OF TAMPERING, AND THEN CONFIRMED THAT THE LATCH HAD SIMPLY GIVEN OUT - MUCH LIKE THE LATCHES IN THE FORD FUSION AND FORD FIESTA VEHICLES THAT HAD BEEN SUBJECT TO RECALL. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN, AND AM THANKFUL THAT THE "DOOR AJAR" INDICATOR WAS WORKING, BECAUSE THIS DEFECT COULD HAVE COST US OUR DAUGHTER'S LIFE. THE DEALER INSTALLED A NEW LATCH, COSTING US OVER $700.