Ford Escape SUVs Investigated over Doors That Could Pop Open
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is investigating a door weld problem that could affect more than 345,000 2020 and 2021 Ford Escape and Escape Hybrid SUVs.
According to more than 100 complaints filed with the safety agency, the door can come open suddenly or not stay closed.
The decision to recall the vehicles has not yet been made.
The Ford Escape is under scrutiny from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration because of an issue with a front door weld that could cause a door to open suddenly while the vehicle is in motion. The problem affects 2020 and 2021 Ford Escape and Escape Hybrid SUVs, and any recall could involve 346,071 vehicles.
The agency's Office of Defects Investigation has received 118 complaints describing the spot welds' failure in the door's arm. In interviews with owners, NHTSA learned of 25 "minor injuries" and 1 report of "minor property damage." Some people have reported a popping noise when the door comes open and say that the door can be unable to latch when closed or can suddenly come open when it had been closed. According to the safety agency's investigation document, the problem is believed to be faulty spot welds in the check arm attachment points on the doors.As one example, an owner reported to NHTSA that "The driver side front door made a creaking sound, could not be opened, and the window would not go down. The internal weld to the door failed."
A decision about a recall has not yet been made, but Ford Escape owners can check the NHTSA recalls site for updates.
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