What 3,789 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Ford Focus RS

DOOR LATCH FAILURE. ONE BY ONE THE DOOR LATCHES FAILED. WHEN THIS HAPPENS THE DOORS OPEN AND WILL NOT STAY CLOSED. FIRST THE DRIVERS DOOR LATCH, THEN THE PASSENGER DOOR AND MOST RECENTLY THE PASSENGER REAR.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN AT 20 MPH, THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE DOOR OPENED INDEPENDENTLY AND THE AUDIBLE DOOR SENSOR ACTIVATED. AFTER STOPPING THE VEHICLE, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE DOOR FAILED TO LATCH. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,100.

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AS OF SEPTEMBER 2, 2016, 3 TIMES WITHIN PAST 2 WEEKS AFTER STARTING VEHICLE GET ERROR MESSAGE "STEERING ASSIST FAULT" AND THERE IS NO POWER STEERING. AFTER TURNING OFF VEHICLE AND RESTARTING THE ERROR HAS BEEN CLEARED. CONCERNED OF TOTAL FAILURE WHICH LOOKS TO BE ~$2000 TO REPAIR OR FAILURE WHILE DRIVING, ON NHTSA WEBISTE THERE ARE 254 STEERING COMPLAINTS FOR 2012 FOCUS, AROUND 50 FOR 2013 FOCUS AND 50 FOR 2014 FOCUS. THERE WERE 5 COMPLAINTS FOR 2011 FOCUS WHICH IS LAST MODEL THAT DID NOT HAVE EPAS STEERING. CLEARLY THERE IS A DESIGN PROBLEM WITH THIS EPAS STEERING SYSTEM, AM HOPING FORD DOES THE RIGHT THING AND RECALL THIS TO ALLEVIATE UNHAPPY CUSTOMERS AND POTENTIAL SAFETY PROBLEM.

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THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT ILLUMINATED WHEN I STARTED MY VEHICLE, ALONG WITH NO POWER STEERING WHEN I WOULD TURN THE WHEEL. RESTARTED THE VEHICLE MULTIPLE TIMES WITH THE SAME RESULT.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STUTTERED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION CLUTCH FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY. SEVEN MONTHS LATER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS SERVICED FOR THE SAME FAILURE. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT GEARS AND THE ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION CLUTCH AND TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 46,000.

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WE BOUGHT MY WIFES FOCUS WITH ABOUT 22K MILES ON IT IN JUNE 2013. SINCE THEN WE'VE BROUGHT IT IN 4 TIMES TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION "SHUTTER" FIXED. AS OF TODAY THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS BUT IT ISN'T BAD ENOUGH FOR THEM TO FIX IT AGAIN. IT MOSTLY SHUTTERS FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR REACHING UPWARDS OF 2800 RPM. JUST SHY OF THEIR 3000 RPM REQUIREMENT. THE CAR WILL SHAKE AND SOMETIMES MAKE A CLUNK AND WE'RE TOLD TO KEEP DRIVING IT.

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DOOR LATCH WOULD RELEASE WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS MOVING IN CITY TRAFFIC. HAD TO USE STRAPS TO TIE THE DOOR SHUT. WAS REPAIRED BY DEALER AND THEN THE SAME THING OCCURRED ON ANOTHER DOOR. ALSO WAS REPAIRED BY THE DEALER. IT APPEARED THE LATCH JUST FAILED IN BOTH OCCURRENCES.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE STEERING ASSIST MODULE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE CONTACT HAD TO TURN THE IGNITION SWITCH OFF AND ON TO BE ABLE TO RESUME DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. IN ADDITION, WHILE EXITING THE DRIVEWAY, THE VEHICLE JERKED AND LOST POWER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 87,025.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A FAILURE PROGRESSED IN WHICH THE REAR DRIVER SIDE DOOR LATCH FAILED, WHICH CAUSED THE DOOR TO BE OPEN WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION SEVERAL TIMES. THE PASSENGER IN THE REAR HAD TO HOLD THE DOOR SHUT DUE TO THE FAILURE. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THE PART WAS ON NATIONAL BACK ORDER AND MAY BECOME AVAILABLE IN MID OCTOBER OF 2016. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT TO USE A BUNGIE CORD TO SECURE THE DOOR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND WAS UNABLE TO PROVIDE A MORE REASONABLE TIME FRAME TO SUPPLY THE PART TO THE DEALER. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,484.

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THE 2012 FORD FOCUS REFERENCED ABOVE HAS HAD ISSUES WITH THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR DOOR SINCE APRIL OF 2016. RANDOMLY, THE DRIVER'S NOTIFICATION CENTER (INFORMATION MESSAGE) WOULD SHOW THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE DOOR WAS AJAR WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS INITIALLY BEING STARTED & THAT SAME DAY WHILE THE CAR WAS IN MOTION. NOTE, I USE THE CAR ONLY FOR MYSELF & RARELY EVER USE THAT DOOR AS I DO NOT HAVE CHILDREN & USUALLY HAVE ONLY 1 PASSENGER IF ANY. ONLY A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER, THE DOOR ITSELF WOULD FLY OPEN--REGARDLESS WHETHER THE CAR WAS "IN PARK", BEING "REVERED" OR BEING OPERATED IN TRAFFIC, WHETHER LOCALLY OR ON LONGER DISTANCED TRAVEL...HIGHLY DANGEROUS, LET ALONE DISTRACTING & UNNERVING. I CALLED MY LOCAL FORD DEALER(S) & WAS TOLD THAT MY CAR'S VIN WAS NOT COVERED OR BEEN INVOLVED IN ANY KIND OF RECALL FOR SUCH PROBLEM, EVEN THOUGH THERE WERE SEVERAL THOUSANDS OF OTHER FORD FOCUS VEHICLES WHICH WERE COVERED.I LITERALLY HAD TO OPERATE MY CAR WHICH I NEED DAILY FOR WORK, & SCHOOL WITH THE SEAT-BELT LOCATED IN THE REAR RIGHTSIDE OF MY FOCUS BOUND AROUND THE ARM HANDLE AS TO AVOID HAVING THE DOOR FLY OPEN. BY THIS POINT, THE DOOR WOULD NO LONGER LATCH OR CLOSE AT ALL. EVEN SECURING MY CAR AT NIGHT WAS IMPOSSIBLE. IF I LOCKED THE CAR, THE ALARM WOULD RANDOMLY BLARE AT ALL HOURS OF THE MORNING CAUSING ME & MY NEIGHBORS TO PANIC. MEANWHILE I WOULD HAVE TO RUN TO FIND MY KEYS TO DEACTIVATE THE ALARM. FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS MY CAR HAD TO BE PARKED UNLOCKED EVERY NIGHT BECAUSE OF THIS FAULTY LATCH. DESPITE ATTEMPTS TO HAVE MY FORD DEALER HELP WITH THIS CONCERN, NO ONE EVER CALLED ME BACK FROM AUTONATION FORD IN SANFORD FL OR FROM GREENWAY FORD IN ORLANDO. MY IMMEDIATE FAMILY HAS OWNED FORDS SINCE I WAS A CHILD & BETWEEN US CURRENTLY HAVE 3 FORD VEHICLES. HOWEVER THIS PARTICULAR 2012 FOCUS IS MY (ALEXANDRA) 1ST CAR & I MUST SAY I AM EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED.

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DRIVER SIDE PASSENGER DOOR LATCH FAILURE. DOOR DOES NOT SHUT CLOSE AND LATCH AND DOES NOT LOCK. DOOR HAS TO BE TIED DOWN FROM THE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE TO KEEP THE DOOR CLOSED WHILE DRIVING. FORTUNATELY THIS DID NOT HAPPEN WHILE DRIVING! IT OCCURRED WHEN I WEN TO GET SOMETHING OUT OF THE BACK SEAT AND UPON ATTEMPTING TO SHUT THE DOOR....NOTHING! THE DOOR WOULD NOT SHUT AND REMAINED OPEN. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME A DOOR LATCH ON THIS SAME VEHICLE HAS FAILED. JUST 2 MONTHS AGO THE DRIVERS DOOR LATCH FAILED AND THE DOOR WOULD NOT SHUT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE AS WITH THIS ONE. FORTUNATELY THERE HAS NOT BEEN AN INJURY OR WORSE A DEATH DO TO THIS FAULTY LATCH MECHANISM. BY THE WAY, THE FIRST DOOR LATCH COST ME $550 TO REPAIR AND I AM HOLDING OFF ON REPAIRING THIS DOOR LATCH UNTIL THERE IS A RECALL AS WITH 2 OTHER FORD MODEL CARS THAT USED THE SAME LATCHES. PLEASE RECALL THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS!!!

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POWER STEERING FAILURE- STARTED WITH EVERYONCE IN A WHILE ID GET THE ERROR NOTICE OF POWER STEERING FAILURE SO I WOULD TURN OFF THE CAR START IT BACK UP AND FINE, IT STARTED TO HAPPEN MORE FREQUENTLY TO THE IMBARRASSING POINT OF HAVING TO TURN ON AND OFF THE CAR 5-10 TIMES JUST TO HAVE POWER STEERING, THEN I GOT A LETTER TO UPDATE MY CAR'S SOFTWARE TO HELP FIX THE POWER STEERING ISSUE, I GOT THE SOFTWARE UPDATE AND 3 MONTHS LATER TOTAL FAILURE, I NOW HAVE ZERO POWER STEERING AND NOW FORD WANTS ME TO PAY $2200 TO FIX IT, WHEN IT FAILED I ALMOST CRASHED INTO ANOTHER CAR WITH MY KIDS IN MY CAR ON THE FREEWAY, NEEDLESS TO SAY WE ARE GREATFUL TO BE ALIVE, SAD THING IS ALL OTHER MODELS FROM 2011-2012 WITH THE SAME EXACT POWER STEERING SYSTEM GET A RECALL WHY NOT THE FOCUS? I WISH I WOULD HAVE KNOWN BEFORE I WOULD HAVE NEVER BOUGHT THE CAR, FORD IS A SCAM AND DOESNT BACK UP ITS PRODUCT, THE POWER STEERING IS BROKE BECAUSE OF THEIR DEFECTIVE PRODUCT

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PARKED UP AND VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY. REAR PASSENGER DOOR WAS OPENED TO GET BAGS OUT, THEN WHEN SHUT WOULD NO LONGER LATCH. NO PROCESS WOULD MAKE DOOR LATCH, DOOR AJAR LIGHT REMAINED ON. SECURED DOOR TEMPORARILY WITH CORDS. TOOK CAR INTO FUTURE FORD OF CLOVIS CA, THEY WERE NOT INTERESTED IN THE SLIGHTEST TO HEAR MY CONCERNS AND TO HOW DANGEROUS THIS COULD HAVE BEEN HAD DOOR SWUNG OPEN IF I'D BEEN DRIVING. I POINTED OUT THE MANY INCIDENTS I NOTICED ON VARIOUS WEBSITES AND THAT FIESTA'S HAVING SAME PARTS HAD BEEN RECALLED AND REPAIRED. THEY WERE ONLY INTERESTED IN CHARGING ME TO INVESTIGATE PROBLEM AND SEE IF THE LOCK WAS THE ISSUE. IF THE GUY HAD STEPPED OUT FROM BEHIND HIS COUNTER AND JUST LOOKED I THINK HE COULD HAVE CONFIRMED IT, BUT WANTED TO CHARGE ME A $100 TO DO THAT. I ENDED UP PURCHASING PARTS FROM EBAY AND INSTALLING IT MYSELF. NOTHING TO SAY THIS ONE WON'T FAIL AT ANY TIME. I HAVE NO CONFIDENCE IN THEIR SAFETY LATCHES WHAT SO EVER. AS FOR FUTURE FORD OF CLOVIS DISGUSTING ATTITUDE TOWARDS VEHICLE SAFETY ONLY INTERESTED IN $$$$$$$$

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CAR FRONT DRIVER DOOR WON'T LATCH, IT HAPPENED WHEN I WAS DRIVING IN THE HIGHWAY WHEN MY DRIVER DOOR JUST WIDELY OPENED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE HIGHWAY AT 65 MILES AN HOUR!!! FORD ISSUED A RECALL FOR THE SPECIFIC MODEL BUT MY VIN NUMBER IS NOT INCLUDED FOR THE RECALL! IT'S VERY DANGEROUS AND UNSAFE, I FEEL IN DANGER WHEN I NEED TO HOLD THE DOOR WHEN DRIVING BECAUSE THE DOOR OPENS WIDE WHEN I MAKE A RIGHT TURN.

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AUG 2015 - DRIVERS DOOR FLUNG OPEN WHILE MAKING A TURN...UNABLE TO CLOSE DOOR AND HAD TO TIE SHUT TO GET CAR TO DEALER, CAR HAD 88K MILES. DEALER DETERMINED LATCH WAS DEFECTIVE AND REPLACED IT UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY - CUSTOMER PAY DEDUCTIBLE. REPAIRED AT JORDAN FORD IN SAN ANTONIO TX, AUG 2015, WORK ORDER #90121 29 AUG 2016, SAME CAR, FRONT PASSENGER DOOR FLUNG OPEN DURING SLOW SPEED LEFT TURN, LUCKILY NO PASSENGER IN CAR, CAR HAD 105K MILES. DOOR WOULD NOT SHUT AND WAS TIED SHUT AND TAKEN TO DEALER WHO STATED LATCH WAS BROKEN AND HAD TO BE REPLACED $780 COST AS CAR WAS OUTSIDE 100K MILEAGE ON EXTENDED WARRANTY. SAME DEALER USED FOR REPAIRS, WORK ORDER NUMBER UNAVAILABLE AS CAR IS STILL BEING REPAIRED.

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ON AUGUST 17, 2016, I WAS DRIVING MY FOCUS AND WHILE TURNING A CORNER, MY STEERING SEEMED TO LOCK UP. I COULDN'T TURN THE WHEEL. I BRAKED HARD BECAUSE I WAS HEADED INTO PARKED CARS. I WAS ABLE TO REVERSE AND PARK GOOD ENOUGH UNTIL TOW TRUCK ARRIVED. I HAD IT TOWED TO FORD DEALER IN SANTA MONICA, CA. THE SERVICE AGENT TOLD ME THAT MY BATTERY WAS LOW AND CAUSED MY STEERING ISSUE. I INFORMED HIM THE BATTERY WAS ONLY ONE YEAR OLD. HE REPLIED THAT IT HAD A BAD CELL. HE TOLD ME IF I PUT A NEW BATTERY, IT WILL FIX ISSUE. I AUTHORIZED REPLACEMENT AND PICKED UP MY CAR THE NEXT DAY. ON AUGUST 26, 2016, I WAS IN MY CAR AND A WARNING POPPED ON MY DASH, "BATTERY LOW, CHECK MANUAL." I DROVE IT STRAIGHT TO FORD. THE SERVICE AGENT CHECKED MY BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR AND SAID THEY BOTH WERE GOOD. HE FIRST TOLD ME THAT WARNING ALWAYS COMES ON WHEN YOU TURN KEY ON BUT DON'T START ENGINE. I TOLD HIM IT HAD NEVER POPPED ON BEFORE IN THE FOUR YEARS I'VE HAD THE CAR. HE INSISTED I JUST HADN'T NOTICED IT BEFORE. I TOLD HIM I'M SURE THAT IT NEVER HAPPENED. SO WHEN HE TEST DROVE IT, HE SWITCHED UP HIS OPINION THAT THE WARNING WAS REFERRING TO THE KEY REMOTE. I ASKED HOW BECAUSE IT SHOWED A SYMBOL OF THE CAR BATTERY. I TOLD HIM I HOPE YOU'RE CORRECT AND IT IS JUST THE REMOTE BECAUSE I WAS WORRIED THAT THE STEERING WOULD LOCK AGAIN AFTER HE PREVIOUSLY SAID THAT IT WENT OUT BECAUSE OF LOW BATTERY. SO I PROCEEDED TO DRIVE BACK TO WHERE I WAS STAYING AND WHEN I TURNED INTO A DRIVEWAY TO TURN AROUND, MY POWER STEERING WENT OUT. I WAS NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO STEER IT WELL,BUT WAS ABLE TO REVERSE AS CLOSE TO CURB AS POSSIBLE AND AGAIN WAITED TO BE TOWED BACK TO FORD. END RESULT: THEY HAD IT FOR FOUR DAYS, DROVE IT FOR 72 MILES AND HOOKED IT UP TO A DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE. THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. I'M AFRAID TO DRIVE MY FOCUS. I FEEL LIKE THE STEERING COULD GO OUT OR LOCK UP AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT.

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SINCE MARCH OF 2016 I'VE HAD TO DEAL WITH DOOR LATCH ISSUES. MY DRIVER SIDE DOOR FAILED TO STAY SHUT. LUCKILY IT WAS JUST SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY AND QUIT WORKING OVERNIGHT. THE SECOND OCCURRENCE WAS MY REAR DRIVE SIDE DOOR FLEW OPEN WHEN I TURNED ON A CITY STREET. LASTLY, THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR SWUNG OPEN WHILE DRIVE DOWN ANOTHER CITY STREET ROAD. FORD REFUSES TO FIX UNLESS I PAY CLOSE TO $700 PER DOOR OUT OF POCKET.

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DRIVER SIDE DOOR SWUNG OPEN AMIDST DRIVING DOWN A RESIDENTIAL STREET

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WHILE I WAS BACKING OUT OF MY PARKING SPACE MY PASSENGER DOOR HAD SWUNG OPEN

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DOOR FAILS TO LATCH AND OPENS WHILE IN MOTION.

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I HAVE A 2012 FORD FOCUS SE HATCHBACK. WITH FAULTY DOOR LATCHES. TWO (DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR, AND DRIVERS SIDE REAR DOOR) HAVE BEEN REPLACED. FORD HAS ISSUED A RECALL FOR THIS SPECIFIC PROBLEM, INCLUDING MANY 2012 FOCUS MODELS, HOWEVER, MY 2012 FOCUS WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS RECALL. THE DEALERSHIP HAS NOT BEEN VERY HELPFUL.

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IN JUNE 2016 MY DRIVER'S DOOR LATCH BROKE AND MY DOOR WOULD FLY OPEN AS I DROVE IT. I WAS INFORMED THERE IS NO RECALL FOR THE FORD FOCUS 2012. I PAID THE $385 FOR REPAIRS. YESTERDAY MY PASSENGER DOOR HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. I AM GETTING NOWHERE BY CALLING THE NATIONAL FORD NUMBER AND I AM GETTING NOWHERE WITH OUR LOCAL DEALERSHIP. SOME FORD MODELS HAVE BEEN RECALLED, BUT NOT MINE. I AM FEARFUL TO HAVE MY GRANDCHILDREN IN THE CAR WITH ME. WHO KNOWS WHEN THE BACK DOORS ARE GOING TO BREAK SINCE BOTH FRONT DOORS HAVE BROKEN?! FORTUNATELY I WAS IN A PARKING LOT BOTH TIMES THE DOORS BROKE. IT IS VERY DIFFICULT DRIVING HOME 30 MILES WHILE HOLDING A DOOR SHUT.

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THE DOOR WONT SHUT ANYMORE, IT FLEW OPEN! I WAS DRIVING HOME AND MADE A HARD TURN THE DOOR FLEW OPEN ALMOST HIT ANOTHER CAR. NOW IT WONT STAY SHUT AT ALL, CALLED FORD THEY SAID $400-$500 TO FIX IT! I SAY HELL NO!

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE REAR DRIVER SIDE DOOR BECAME AJAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DOOR DID NOT CLOSE CORRECTLY NOR WAS IT STAYING CLOSED. THE DOOR WAS BEING HELD CLOSED WITH THE VEHICLE'S SEAT BELT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A MECHANIC AND NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS AND ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN, THE DRIVER DOOR OPENED INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE DOOR LATCH WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 38,000.

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