Carmakers aim to produce safe, reliable vehicles. Still, some problems do not become evident until after they’ve already been sold. When this happens, they issue recalls.
Are there any door latch recalls on the Ford F-150?
Yes, there are some recalls related to the doors latching, including these recalls:
- Doors may open while driving
- Door may unlatch in a side impact collision
In this article, we’ll cover the recalls related to the Ford F-150 door latch. We will also discuss other customer complaints about the door latches and locks.
Doors May Open While Driving
NHTSA Recall ID: 17V652000
Ford recalled over 1.1 million vehicles for a problem with the door latches and locks. This includes the 2015 through 2017 Ford F-150 vehicles (along with others such as the F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 Super Duty trucks). In these vehicles, the doors have a bent or kinked actuation cable.
In some other cases, the door latches can freeze if water gets into the area where the latch is located. In either of these situations, the problem can lead to the doors opening while the vehicle is being driven.
The key concern here is that these vehicles’ drivers or passengers may believe the door locks are secure. Yet, even though they appear closed, the problem can cause the doors to open. This creates a risk of an injury.
Ford alerted owners to the problem in October of 2017. It then had dealerships inspect these vehicles for the door latch actuation cable location and condition. They repaired them as necessary. In addition, the dealership installed water shields over the door latches to minimize the risk of moisture buildup.
Door May Unlatch in a Side Impact Collision
NHTSA Recall ID: 17V33100
In this vehicle recall, Ford alerted owners about a problem related to the door latch in instances where a side impact collision occurs. This affected the same vehicles – 2015 to 2017 F-150 vehicles along with the other F-Series vehicles.
Only those that have black or body-colored exterior door handles that may have a chrome exterior door handle cover accessory kit purchased for them are affected.
In these vehicles, the accessory door handle covers may lead to the door unlatching in situations where there is a side-impact collision.
As a result of this problem with the latches, the vehicle failed to meet the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 2016, “Door Locks and Door Retention Components.”
If these accessory components are in place, and there is a side-impact collision, the door may unlatch and open. This can cause the occupants to be an increased risk of an accident.
To fix this problem, Ford alerted owners of the concern. They then removed any accessory covers that were put into these vehicles (this was a separate add-on feature that was sold only at Ford dealers.)
They also refunded the purchase price for these items.
Customer Complaints about Ford F-150 Door Locks
There have been a number of additional customer complaints about the Ford F-150 doors not locking properly. One common concern, not mentioned in either of the recalls, relates to the automatic interior door locks failing to unlatch. Once these are in place, such as when the vehicle is in motion, a failure occurs that leads to a malfunction.
The occupants in more than one incident had to exit the vehicle using a window. The dealership in this situation had to replace the side latch assembly system. This required a full repair and replacement. It was not noted in any recalls.
How Do You Handle an Open Recall on a Ford F-150?
Door latches, locks, and linkage fall under some of the lesser common recalls. Yet, new recalls can happen at any time. That’s why it is important to stay up to date on all recalls by using the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) website.
For owners of Ford F-150 vehicles, enter the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) of the truck into the NHTSA website. This will produce a list of any recalls related to that particular vehicle. It also lists any pending recalls that need to be serviced by Ford.
To find out how to do that, call Ford directly at 1-866-436-7332. They will tell you where and how to get the recalls serviced.
For those who are thinking about buying a Ford F-150 or others interested in recalls related to this vehicle, including the door latch, just enter the make, model, and year into the website. This will provide a list of applicable recalls.
Photos: Ford
