If you own a 2015 Ford Fiesta, 2016 Fusion, or 2016 Lincoln MKZ, there’s a risk of the doors suddenly opening while on the move. The Blue Oval issued a recall affecting 45,173 of these vehicles to repair the problem.

The issue is with the latch pawl spring tab, which can crack and fail over time. If this part breaks, it may take multiple attempts to close the door, and if it does shut, the door could unlatch unexpectedly while driving, indicated by the “door ajar” light turning on.

This recall campaign applies to only those vehicles currently or previously registered in warm-weather areas, including Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, and Washington, as well as Mexico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands.

Ford learned about this issue on August 16, 2023 following a problem with a 2016 Fusion. The automaker collaborated with the supplier to investigate and determine the number of potentially faulty parts. As of October 18, 2023, there have been 14 warrant claims and 39 vehicle owner questionnaire complaints regarding failing door latches or doors suddenly opening, with no reports of injuries.

About one percent of the 45,173 vehicles are believed to be affected by the problem. To resolve the issue, dealers will inspect the door latch date codes to identify those from a specific time frame. If any are from this period, all four parts will be replaced with new ones featuring a modified spring pawl tab that is stronger than the original components.