NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation

Engineering Analysis EA04-023: REAR DOOR LATCH FAILURE

Closed

NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Engineering Analysis EA04-023 on August 18, 2004 and closed it on February 4, 2005. NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2000 Ford Focus for it and links recall 05V-030 to it.

Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file

Key facts

NHTSA number: EA04-023 (also written EA04023)
Investigation type: Engineering Analysis A more detailed stage of a defect investigation, opened when NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation decides an issue merits further review, often after a Preliminary Evaluation or a Recall Query; it can include vehicle testing, surveys and further information requests.
Status: Closed February 4, 2005
Opened: August 18, 2004
Closed: February 4, 2005
Vehicle or equipment manufacturer: Ford Motor Company
Component: Latches/Locks/Linkages — Doors — Latch
Recall linked by NHTSA: 05V-030: REAR DOOR LATCHES, reported February 1, 2005
Vehicles and equipment: 2000 Ford Focus

NHTSA's summary

As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Engineering Analysis EA04-023.

THIS INVESTIGATION WAS OPENED ON APRIL 8, 2004 AS PE04-033 AND UPGRADED ON AUGUST 18, 2004 TO EA04-023.

THE COMPLAINANTS ALLEGED THAT THE REAR DOOR LATCHES FAILED TO KEEP THE DOORS IN A CLOSED POSITION, RESULTING IN REAR DOORS COMING OPEN WHILE THE VEHICLES WERE BEING DRIVEN.SOME COMPLAINANTS REPORTED THAT AT TIMESA REAR DOOR, OR DOORS, COULD BE DIFFICULT TO CLOSE.OTHERS REPORTED THAT CORROSION OF THE DOOR LATCH MECHANISM CAUSED BINDING OF THE LATCH.FORD HAS IDENTIFIED A CONDITION OF CORROSION IN THE PAWL PIVOT AREA OF THE DOOR LATCH ASSEMBLY THAT PREVENTS PROPER ENGAGEMENT OF THE DOOR LATCH CATCH TO THE LATCH STRIKER ON THE VEHICLE BODY.BY LETTER OF FEBRUARY 1, 2005, FORD MOTOR COMPANY NOTIFIED THE AGENCY THAT IT WILL CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL ON MODEL YEAR 2000 THROUGH 2002 FOUR AND FIVE-DOOR FOCUS VEHICLES REGISTERED IN, OR ORIGINALLY SOLD IN, CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, AND WISCONSIN. DEALERS WILL INSPECT REAR DOOR LATCHES AND REPLACE BINDING LATCHES AS REQUIRED.DEALERS WILL ALSO LUBRICATE ALL REAR DOOR LATCHES TO PREVENT FUTURE CORROSION AND BINDING.A LOWER ROCKER SEAL WILL ALSO BE ADDED TO THE REAR DOORS. SEE SAFETY RECALL 05V030 FOR DETAILS.

Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation

NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Engineering Analysis EA04-023. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. Model years with a try.vin recall page link to that page's NHTSA investigations section.

Ford

Ford Focus
- 2000

All Ford recalls

What an NHTSA investigation is

NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) looks into possible safety defects in vehicles and equipment, often after owner complaints. An investigation usually starts as a Preliminary Evaluation, or as a Recall Query when it concerns whether an existing recall covers the right vehicles or fixes the problem, and ODI can upgrade it to a more detailed Engineering Analysis. A Defect Petition asks NHTSA to open an investigation, and Audit and Equipment Queries are administrative investigations into whether companies complied with federal vehicle safety requirements, such as reporting, recall and certification rules.

An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.

To see whether a specific vehicle has an open recall, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Ford VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.

Sources

NHTSA's investigation record for EA04-023

Investigation details come from NHTSA's investigations file, which try.vin imports once a day. The investigation types are described from the U.S. Department of Transportation Inspector General's May 2023 report on NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation, NHTSA's petition rules (49 CFR Parts 552 and 557) and NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation procedures. How try.vin reads NHTSA investigations.