US regulators have said they were opening an investigation into 346,000 Ford Escape sport utility vehicles because a weld in the door assembly may fail, potentially resulting in a door inadvertently opening while driving.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) told Reuters it had received 118 questionnaires alleging a failure of the spot welds in the check arm bracket for the front doors in 2020-21 model year Escapes.
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NHTSA said it had 25 reports of minor injuries and one report of minor property damage tied to the issue that prevents a vehicle door from operating properly.
Some owners said door windows had stopped working. Many consumers reported hearing a popping noise when opening the door as the door check bracket began to separate from the door.
Ford said it is “working with NHTSA to support their investigation”.
Some owners were quoted US$1,800 to $2,500 in repair costs to replace a front driver side door. Others say they could still close doors but there were creaking and grinding noises when in use.
NHTSA’s preliminary evaluation is a first step before the agency could demand a recall, Reuters noted.
