Ford Issues Massive Recall For Faulty Door Latches

By Grant Law Office on May 5, 2015

Last week, Ford announced a recall of nearly 400,000 2012-2014 Ford Fiestas and 2013-2014 Ford Fusions and Lincoln MKZs for defective door latches. According to a May 1 news report in Car and Driver, Ford is now adding another 156,000 cars to the recall. There are approximately 456,440 vehicles in the United States that have defective door latches capable of swinging open at unexpected times.

These defective doors have latching mechanisms that can break, making it impossible to shut the door. In some cases, the defective auto part can cause the door to swing open suddenly while driving. It is unclear if anyone has been seriously injured because of the defective auto parts, but there have been a few inci dents. Two people were injured in separate accidents involving a door bouncing back when shut. In another crash, a door became unlatched and hit another car.

Dealers will replace all four-door latches on vehicles affected by the recall. It is not clear, however, how quickly Ford will be able to fix the defective doors. Furthermore, this is not the first door-related recall Ford has issued. Over the past year, Ford has recalled over 1.1 million Explorer, Escape, Taurus, Police Interceptor, and Lincoln MKS models, according to Car and Driver.

It is advisable for auto manufacturers to get ahead of a potentially dangerous issue before drivers and passengers are injured. Car companies can be held accountable when their parts are poorly designed or assembled. It is particularly important for auto companies to recall defective brakes, faulty tires, and poorly-designed accelerator pedals.

When a driver or passenger is hurt because of a mechanical malfunction or defective auto part, steps must be taken to ensure that the rights of the victim are protected. Negligent auto manufacturers can be held accountable for losses such as medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other related damages.

If you or a loved one has been injured as the result of a defective vehicle, please do not hesitate to research your options. An experienced Atlanta auto product liability attorney can help you pursue your legal rights.