The federal government has launched an investigation after getting dozens of complaints from Ford Focus owners that their car doors won't stay closed.
[WEB EXTRA: File complaint with NHTSA]
"Our purses have detachable purse straps, and we ended up wrapping that around the door handle on the inside of the car with me on the passenger seat holding it closed while my mom drove," Shannon Heil told News 6 Investigator Louis Bolden, describing the day the door to her 2012 Ford Focus stopped working.
"It just wouldn't stay closed," she said.
The problem is a faulty door latch and it's a problem Ford is quite familiar with.
Ford has already recalled over 545,906 vehicles in North America because of the issue. The company admits doors could "unlatch while driving" however the Focus is not part of the recall.
When Laura Heil took her daughters car to the dealership Ford would not fix the doors for with no charge
"He [service technician] goes in to put in the VIN numbers and finds out, it's not one of the ones that's under recall," Laura said.
It cost the family almost $500 to fix it.
"My daughter can't afford to do it. How many other people out there can not afford to do it and are having to drive around with bungee cords?," Laura said.
It turns out there are many.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has now opened an investigation. The agency got 73 reports from other Focus owners around the country with some saying they also had to physically tie down doors to keep them shut.
Ford would not fix the vehicles without a charge.
"I would think that if you go in there with the same issue that they're having with other vehicles, that they would at least take care of it," Heil said.
Consumer advocate Josh Elledge agrees.
"It is the same issue. And the fact that it's not included in this recall is absurd," he said. "It needs to be included."
News 6 contacted Ford and a spokesperson sent us a statement.
"We take the safety of our customers seriously, and when data indicates a safety recall is needed, we move quickly on behalf of our customers," the statement reads.
Elledge says when it comes to the door issue with the Focus, the company is not moving fast enough.
Elledge suggests Focus owners "get vocal" by filing a complaint with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. He also suggests owners share their experience on social media to get the company's attention.
"Show pictures and video's of what's going on," he said. "There is only so long that Ford can ignore this."
If NHTSA finds the door latches do not comply with a Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard, it can require manufacturer's to recall vehicles.