Doors that could unlatch at speed bring a whole new meaning to the name Escape.
FordDoor latches: You might not think about them all that much, but the one time they don't work, you're in for some trouble. Ford's recalling nearly one million of its vehicles, across both Ford and Lincoln brands, over an issue where doors may fail to latch, or might open while the vehicle is in operation.
The recall covers about 830,000 examples across six different models: 2013-2015 C-Max, 2013-2015 Escape, 2012-2015 Focus, 2015 Mustang, 2014-2016 Transit Connect and 2015 Lincoln MKC. The issue more often presents itself in states with higher temperatures, so the recall is focusing on vehicles located in Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, Oregon and Washington.
The issue itself can be traced to a single pawl spring tab in the side door latch. If that spring tab breaks, the door might prevent itself from latching securely. If the door can be closed, it might unlatch while the vehicle is in motion. Either way, you don't want to be driving a car where the door could spring open for fun.
Ford will replace the affected vehicles' door latches at no cost. If you're vehicle's outside this recall but you're suffering from the same issue, Ford will offer a one-time latch replacement at no cost to the owner.