DEARBORN, Michigan ? The 2011 Ford Fiesta has been added to a recall of Ford vehicles for door-latch problems at the request of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Ford said.
This adds approximately 156,000 more vehicles to an earlier recall announced in late April.
"The door latch in certain vehicles may experience a broken pawl spring tab, which typically results in a condition where the door will not latch," said Ford in a statement on Friday. "If a customer is then able to latch the door, there is a potential the door may unlatch while driving, increasing the risk of injury."
Ford said it is aware of two allegations of soreness resulting from an unlatched door bouncing back when the customer attempted to close it and one accident allegation when an unlatched door swung open and struck the adjacent vehicle as the driver was pulling into a parking space.
On April 30, NHTSA posted a consumer advisory about the latch recall, telling owners of affected vehicles to watch for notification from Ford and get their vehicle fixed as soon as possible.
"If the door opens while the vehicle is in motion, pull over immediately and have the vehicle towed to the nearest dealership," NHTSA said. "Do not attempt to reclose the door or to drive the vehicle."
It also told consumers, "Do not attempt to secure the door in a closed position with a rope or by using the seatbelt" and "do not have an occupant attempt to hold the door closed while the vehicle is being driven."
When asked about the NHTSA advisory, Ford spokeswoman Kelli Felker told Edmunds: "Ford and NHTSA share the same goal. We both want to ensure that vehicles are safe for customers."
She added: "Customers may notice difficulty latching a door while closing or a door that rebounds while attempting to shut it. Repeated efforts needed to engage a broken latch would be a signal that there is an issue with the latch.
"Owners of the vehicles that may be affected will be receiving a letter asking them to contact their dealer regarding the recall. If they experience an issue in the meantime, they should contact their local dealership."
Ford dealers will replace all door latches. The recall begins on June 1. Owners can contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.
This adds approximately 156,000 more vehicles to an earlier recall announced in late April.
"The door latch in certain vehicles may experience a broken pawl spring tab, which typically results in a condition where the door will not latch," said Ford in a statement on Friday. "If a customer is then able to latch the door, there is a potential the door may unlatch while driving, increasing the risk of injury."
Ford said it is aware of two allegations of soreness resulting from an unlatched door bouncing back when the customer attempted to close it and one accident allegation when an unlatched door swung open and struck the adjacent vehicle as the driver was pulling into a parking space.
On April 30, NHTSA posted a consumer advisory about the latch recall, telling owners of affected vehicles to watch for notification from Ford and get their vehicle fixed as soon as possible.
"If the door opens while the vehicle is in motion, pull over immediately and have the vehicle towed to the nearest dealership," NHTSA said. "Do not attempt to reclose the door or to drive the vehicle."
It also told consumers, "Do not attempt to secure the door in a closed position with a rope or by using the seatbelt" and "do not have an occupant attempt to hold the door closed while the vehicle is being driven."
When asked about the NHTSA advisory, Ford spokeswoman Kelli Felker told Edmunds: "Ford and NHTSA share the same goal. We both want to ensure that vehicles are safe for customers."
She added: "Customers may notice difficulty latching a door while closing or a door that rebounds while attempting to shut it. Repeated efforts needed to engage a broken latch would be a signal that there is an issue with the latch.
"Owners of the vehicles that may be affected will be receiving a letter asking them to contact their dealer regarding the recall. If they experience an issue in the meantime, they should contact their local dealership."
Ford dealers will replace all door latches. The recall begins on June 1. Owners can contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332.
