The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating a door weld problem that could affect more than 345,000 2020 and 2021 Ford Escape and Escape Hybrid SUVs.
According to the agency, the Office of Defects Investigation has received 118 complaints that describe spot welds failure in the door’s arm. The issue could cause a door to open suddenly while the vehicle is in motion.
The NHTSA learned of 25 “minor injuries and one report of “minor property damage.”
Some drivers have reported a “popping noise” when the door comes open and say 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.
