As a general rule of thumb I make sure to never drive with my door open: it’s not safe for me, my passengers or other drivers. But for some 60-odd drivers of Ford Fiestas, closing the door didn’t mean it would actually stay shut, and that issue opened the door (horrible pun) for a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration investigation.
NHTSA announced that it opened a preliminary investigation into model year 2011 to 2013 Ford Fiesta’s after receiving 61 reports concerning door latch failures.
According to documents [PDF] filed by NHTSA, most consumers reported that the “door ajar” warning light would simply appear on the dashboard despite the door being shut.
However, in 12 cases the vehicle owner reported the door or doors opened after being shut and the vehicle was in motion.
NHTSA reports the issue has so far resulted in one injury. Officials with Ford tell Reuters they are cooperating with the investigation.