Ford Escape in Investigation for Door Hinge Problem

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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Alessandra Kaestner, a Chicago native, has always been interested in journalism. She remembers listening to NPR every day before school with her parents and trying to race her dad to get the New York Times from the front door. Alessandra continued her passion for journalism by working at her university’s newspaper during her first year and into her sophomore year: the Cornell Daily Sun. She is majoring in psychology and philosophy and wants to explore law and journalism. Although she does not have a lot of background in the world of cars, Alessandra is interested in expanding her knowledge and gaining experience. She could not be more excited to work with so many talented people at Car and Driver.