The driver's side rear door would not open from the inside. I have no kids and very seldom have passengers, so that door probably wasn't opened from the inside more than 20 times before it broke. Apparently, it broke internally, and was replaced by the dealer (It was not due to the kiddie lock), and I had to pay about $150 for that fix.
A couple years later the passenger side rear door had the same problem and would not open. This time I diagnosed the problem (using the Internet), and found the same problem - namely, that the door handle was broken. I bought a new handle and repaired it myself. Probably that door hadn't been opened from the inside more than 40 times before it broke.
Not being able to egress the vehicle is obviously a big safety issue, and since that problem occurred on my two rear doors when neither was used more than a couple dozen times speaks to a significant design or manufacturing issue. NHTSA should have recalled that handle and demanded Ford replace them all with a sturdier handle (metal instead of plastic).
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
The driver's side rear door would not open from the inside. I have no kids and very seldom have passengers, so that door probably wasn't opened from the inside more than 20 times before it broke. Apparently, it broke internally, and was replaced by the dealer (It was not due to the kiddie lock), and I had to pay about $150 for that fix.
A couple years later the passenger side rear door had the same problem and would not open. This time I diagnosed the problem (using the Internet), and found the same problem - namely, that the door handle was broken. I bought a new handle and repaired it myself. Probably that door hadn't been opened from the inside more than 40 times before it broke.
Not being able to egress the vehicle is obviously a big safety issue, and since that problem occurred on my two rear doors when neither was used more than a couple dozen times speaks to a significant design or manufacturing issue. NHTSA should have recalled that handle and demanded Ford replace them all with a sturdier handle (metal instead of plastic).
- david606, Kansas City, MO, US