While out shopping on the night of Oct. 8, 2014 with my pregnant step daughter we returned to the vehicle to find that the passenger rear door failed to latch. I was unable to get it to latch properly. I was able to hold the door mostly closed with the seat belt, but every time I made a left turn the interior light would come on and door ajar warning message would come on and stay on. I am only able to use the car with the rear doors strapped to each other.

- Titusville, FL, USA

I was parked that day and sat my daughter in the back seat but as I closed the passenger door, it did not latch so I was forced to tie the seatbelt to the door to avoid accidentally opening while driving on the freeway. Also, when parked at home, I am forced to unplug the battery or it will discharge.

- Moreno Valley, CA, USA

On separate occasions both rear door latches failed to engage. This occurred after opening the rear door and then attempting to close the door. On both occasions the doors failed to latch. The doors are currently held shut with cargo straps as I have not been able to get the doors to latch. On both occasions the car was in park. At this time I am unable to use the rear passenger compartment.

- Chandler, AZ, USA

No issues with door upon first entering passenger side. Got out of vehicle and proceeded to close the door but door wouldn't latch shut. Door bounced back and I thought something was preventing the door from fully closing but nothing was obstructing the door. Had to physically hold the door closed while we drove to the dealership. Service department did not have the part available and told us it would be approximately 2 weeks to get it in with a charge of over $300. Vehicle is no longer under warranty. No previous accidents. Drove the car home with my daughter holding the door shut. Luckily the car door didn't srping open while we were driving. Door malfunctioned less than 10 minutes after we left the house.

- Dededo, GU, USA

The rear left passenger door won't latch. Door flies open.

- Lebanon, TN, USA

I was driving my 2011 Ford Fiesta going about 45 miles an hour and the right rear door swung open when I hit a curve in the road. I pulled over to see what happened and realized that the door would not close (latch). My son was with me in the front seat and he had to sit in the back and hold the door until we could drive home about 2 miles away. Thank god this did not happen with my young daughter in the back seat going down the freeway. I took the car to the dealer the next day and luckily I had bought the extended warranty on the car. How is this not a recall issue? looks like this is happening around the country with this car. This is a major safety issue.

- Antioch, CA, USA

Door lock assembly safety issue, door latch fails and door stays open: I went to close right rear door of Fiesta. No problem warning until that moment. It would not stay shut. Door lock assembly went bad. Took to visalia Ford in visalia, ca, appointment that afternoon. Service writers said that was the 4-5th Fiesta/ Focus with this problem lately and that they were waiting 2-3 weeks on back order for the same parts for the previously known vehicles.this small town dealer was waiting 2-3 weeks on back order to fix this in 4-5 other Fiesta/Focus. I had to order and pay for parts so they would be ordered. Upon my going home, after cinching up the door again, I called the number for Ford West representative. I had "direct #" ([xxx]) from previous incident not related to this door. The phone was answered by a different person, who said she was in that position now and that I was in error calling her instead of Ford customer service. Her info: "[xxx] (866) 631-3788 [xxx]. I then tried to explain the situation about the 4-5 Fiesta/Focus waiting at this small dealership and this could not be happening just in visalia, ca. I asked about safety recalls by Ford; she blew me off saying I was wrong. I told her to call visalia Ford I gave her their #. her concession was that she would try to expedite the parts to visalia Ford, and call me a week later, on the next Tuesday (9/30/14), to check on progress. She never called again. I received call that parts were in on 9/26/14, had the repair done on 9/29/14, which was the next day service department was open. The concern I have on this problem is that some child or other back seat rider who is not belted in is going to have the door open and fall out, I would guess this will happen to any of the doors. If I was driving and a door suddenly opened for no reason due to the latch failure, I may freak or swerve or worse. Thanx information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Visalia, CA, USA

The passenger side back door latch failed. A local car repair shop installed a ratchet belt in the backseat to keep the door shut and advised me to go to a Ford dealership. The dealership sent me on my way saying that the part was "on back order" and I'd have to wait a month, without any help. I contacted Ford customer service who told me that I'd have to pay $400 for the repair or deal with it. For a car right out of warranty by months and not many miles, this is unacceptable for a safety issue.

- Gilbert, AZ, USA

We have recently encountered driver-side open door alarm that doesn't go away. The door doesn't latch all the time either.

- Wakefield, RI, USA

Opened back passenger door to place groceries and door latch will not stay closed. Had to drive home with passenger holding door closed. Took the car to Ford dealership and they said they are unable to fix it.

- Highlands, TX, USA

Summary: Rear passenger door latch malfunctioned and no longer locks, leaving the door ajar. Details: Upon closing the rear passenger door, the door bounced back open and failed to latch. After closer inspection, various attempted remedies, and further research, it was determined that the door latch had failed. The door has temporarily been held shut from inside the vehicle by using a ratcheting strap. The door ajar light is on, which also keeps the interior lights on at all times during driving. I have ordered a new door latch and will be replacing it at significant cost to me.

- Phoenix, AZ, USA

Rear passenger door will not latch. It has been working just fine for 2 years. Then tonight leaving school to go home for work in the morning. The door was discovered to be open, and apparently will not latch. I will have to wait till morning time, tie the door short with ropes and limp home with it.

- Mcalester, OK, USA

While driving on the freeway at about 55 to 60 mph the back passenger door on the drivers side opened for no reason. It would not shut and had to pull to the side of the road in heavy traffic because the door would not latch. Upon inspection it appears the door latch broke while the door was shut and the car was in motion. This created a very dangerous situation with a car door opening on its own, especially in that kind of traffic. Ford does not seem to care too much about this problem and will fix the vehicle for charge. Hopefully something will be done before this problem causes injury or death.

- North Las Vegas, NV, USA

As I started to drive away my passenger door came open on a left hand curve, I immediately got out to see what the problem one as maybe the seatbelt was preventing closure. However, upon observation of the passenger door, I noticed the latching mechanism that is supposed to attach the door to the body, was no longer functional, it had lost all tension and was loose inside the door. I very rarely have passengers in this car, so frequent use could not be an excuse for this malfunction.

- Cypress, TX, USA

Unexpectedly rear passenger door wouldn't latch or close. Latching mechanism had to be replaced by dealership at cost to owner.

- Scottsdale, AZ, USA

While driving, driver side rear door came open while making a right turn, door had child safety lock engaged. My daughter (5 year old) was in her car seat on the rear left behind driver. I pulled over and door will no stay lached (closed) I had to use a strap from door handle to door handle to keep closed. My 5 year old had her seat belt on. Thank god I don't have an issue with her and her seat belt. But I know some kids tend to remove the seat belt.

- Quail Valley , CA, USA

I purchased a 2011 Ford Fiesta about 2 years ago. It had 11,000 miles on it at that time. In the past year the drivers door catch and the drivers side rear door catch have failed. My local Ford dealer replaced the drivers door catch and we are now waiting for parts for the rear door catch. I am concerned about this because I was lucky enough that both times the failure occurred the vehicle was not moving. However if the vehicle had been moving ( I commute 40 miles per day) or I had been involved in a collision and the door latch failed it could be a very different story. My grand kids ride in this car and now I am afraid to take them in it for fear another latch may fail with them in the car. These latches are made of some kind of plastic, how can this be safe" I live in the phoenix area and the very hot summers here destroy plastic. These plastic door catches are unsafe. The door catch is currently on backorder, so I can't drive the car. I wonder how many other people have had this problem"

- Glendale, AZ, USA

When leaving work, I went to place something in the back seat of my vehicle (driver's side) and then proceeded to close the door. The door bounced back and would not latch to the car. After testing locks and trying to figure out the problem, it appeared the latch on the door was not working properly. A rope was tied from the inside handle to a seat in my car to prevent it from opening when I drive.

- San Ramon, CA, USA

Passenger rear door will not latch. Door just bounces back when slammed shut. The latch mechanism has failed in the open position. The door will not shut and is currently tied back from the inside. Please go to this website for an excellent, high level failure analysis by a layman: www.fiestafaction.com/forums/threads/44382-rear-door-latch-failure?P=213044#post213044.

- Covina, CA, USA

Rear door will not stay closed.... don't know how the nhtsi can let this happen. When I was at the dealer one of the employees mentioned that they get this complaint at least three or four times a day. Looking through the complaint board I see it comes up frequently!! parts are on back order and we have to pay for the repair.

- Goodyear, AZ, USA