By David Shepardson
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. auto safety investigators on Tuesday said they are 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 has received 118 questionnaires alleging a failure of the spot welds in the check arm bracket for the front doors in 2020-21 model year Ford Escape vehicles.
NHTSA said it has 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 report hearing a popping noise when opening the door as the door check bracket begins to separate from the door.
Ford said it is “working with NHTSA to support their investigation.”
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Some owners were quoted $1,800 to $2,500 in repair costs to replace a front driver-side door that needed to be replaced. Others say they can still close doors but there are creaking and grinding noises when in use.
NHTSA’s preliminary evaluation is a first step before the agency could demand a recall.
(Reporting by David Shepardson, editing by Ed Osmond)