Ford Escape Door Check Defect

WHAT’S THE ISSUE?

Approximately 340,000 Ford Escapes have allegedly been equipped with dangerously defective door check arms, a safety mechanism that regulates vehicle door movement when doors are opened or closed. When the door check arm separates from the vehicle’s doors, the doors can become misaligned, causing the doors to fail to properly latch when closed and unexpectedly open while driving. The door’s misalignment can also prevent the electric windows from fully opening or closing.

AFFECTED VEHICLES

• Ford Escape (all models), 2020-2021

FORD ESCAPE DOOR CHECK DEFECT EXPLAINED

Investigations have revealed that the 2020-2021 Ford Escape has an alleged failure of spot welds in the vehicle’s doors, causing the door check arm to break off. This component helps ensure the vehicle is safely closed, doors are secured and windows function properly. Owners of affected Ford Escapes may experience:

• Doors opening while the vehicle is moving
• Doors failing to stay closed
• Difficulty or impossibility opening or closing doors
• Doors that will not latch properly
• Inability to operate vehicle windows
• Sound of crunching metal or popping when opening or closing doors
• Separation of the inside weld of the door

ESCAPE OWNERS STILL WAITING FOR A FIX

In September 2021, Ford issued a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) instructing dealers to replace the door check arm and door assembly. However, consumers have been forced to wait months to receive the repair. This protracted wait means owners of affected Ford Escape vehicles have had to drive allegedly unsafe vehicles with doors and windows that don’t properly open and close. For vehicles outside the warranty period, Ford has failed to provide a fix leaving consumers with the difficult choice of driving an allegedly unsafe vehicle or paying thousands of dollars for repairs. Because most consumers can’t be without a vehicle for extended periods of time, many have simply had their door check arms removed. But this leaves them with car doors that will swing freely when opened or closed which can also be dangerous.  If you own a 2020-2021 Escape, fill out the form to find out your rights.

HOW CAN A CLASS ACTION HELP?

We believe it is the responsibility of automakers to ensure vehicles are functional and safe, not the responsibility of consumers to shield themselves from the fallout of failed engineering. In an auto defect case, a class-action lawsuit often seeks repayment for vehicle owners and lessees for related losses and/or for the diminished value of their cars because of an unfixed defect. Class members may have other claims to repayment as well under the law. The lawsuit may seek to create a fund paid for by the automaker to compensate those affected for out-of-pocket costs incurred when trying to fix the effects of the defect, including attempted repairs, replacements, damage to property and other losses due to Ford’s response to the defect.

TOP AUTO LITIGATION FIRM

Hagens Berman is one of the most successful auto litigation law firms in the U.S. and has achieved more than $320 billion in settlements against some of the nation's most powerful corporations, including automakers. Our auto litigation team was part of the top two highest settlements against automakers in history and is presently leading nationwide cases against major automakers for emissions-cheating, safety defects and negligence. Your claim will be handled by attorneys experienced in automotive consumer law.

NO COST TO YOU

In no case will any class member ever be asked to pay any out-of-pocket sum. In the event Hagens Berman or any other firm obtains a settlement that provides benefits to class members, the court will decide a reasonable fee to be awarded to the class's legal team.