Doors, Hoods and Tailgates That Open While Driving: Recalls

A door that opens at speed can throw an occupant out of the car, a hood that flies up can block the driver’s view, and a tailgate that drops can spill cargo onto the road, and NHTSA’s recall file holds more than a hundred recalls for exactly these faults. Most advice on the subject covers what to do after a hood pops open; this guide uses NHTSA’s complaint and recall files to show which cars have been recalled, how many are still unrepaired, and why many of the failures involve water.

Recalls for doors, hoods and tailgates that open

We count a recall when its subject says a door, hood, tailgate, liftgate or trunk may open or release, whichever part of the car NHTSA files it under; many sit under “structure” or “electrical” rather than “latches.”

“Repaired” weights each campaign’s reported completion rate by its vehicle count; “not yet repaired” is the matching estimate. A vehicle in several campaigns is counted in each. Source: NHTSA recalls file and US DOT completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026; computed by PlainVIN.

The biggest recalls, with NHTSA’s campaign numbers and repair rates:

Source: NHTSA recalls file and US DOT completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026; table compiled by PlainVIN from each campaign’s record.

NHTSA’s record for the largest Ford door recall states the risk:

“A door that is not securely latched could open while the vehicle is in motion, increasing the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant.”NHTSA recall record for Ford campaign 16V643, nhtsa.gov

Vehicle descriptions are NHTSA’s own summary wording; “repaired” is the share the manufacturer reports as fixed, and new campaigns start near zero. Source: NHTSA recalls file and US DOT completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.

For hoods, Nissan has recalled the 2013–2018 Altima twice (16V029 and 20V315) and the 2013–2016 Pathfinder (22V420, only about 25% repaired) for a secondary latch that can bind and stay open; the secondary latch is the safety catch that should hold the hood even if the main latch releases. Honda’s hood recall shows the consequence:

“A hood that opens while driving can obstruct the driver’s view and increase the risk of a crash.”NHTSA recall record for Honda campaign 21V932, nhtsa.gov

Ford’s door-latch recalls, and a repair that didn’t hold

Ford’s door recalls form a series, and the order shows how the problem kept coming back:

• 2014, 14V239: 2013–2014 Escape. An assembly misalignment between the door handle and the outer panel could make doors hard to close or open while driving (about 582,000 vehicles, 90% repaired).
• 2015, 15V246: 2011–2014 Fiesta and 2013–2014 Fusion and MKZ (about 456,000 vehicles).
• 2016, 16V643: a part in the door latches can break, so the doors won’t latch (about 2.05 million vehicles).
• 2017, 17V652: 2015–2017 F-150 and 2017 Super Duty. A bent or kinked door cable, or latches that freeze after water gets in (about 1.1 million vehicles).
• 2020, 20V331: about 2.15 million vehicles “previously recalled and repaired under recalls 15V-246, 16V-643 or 17V-210, however the repair may not have been completed properly.” Only about 58% are reported repaired.
• 2020, 20V177: 2014–2016 Fiesta, Fusion and MKZ sold or ever registered in a list of mostly southern and western states and territories, including Texas, Florida, California, Arizona and Puerto Rico (about 288,000 vehicles).

Two lessons for owners: a car that had an earlier door recall repaired can still be covered by a newer one, so check your VIN again, because repairs are tracked per recall number. See also our rust and corrosion guide for recalls where the covered states depend on where the car was sold or registered.

Water, ice and corrosion

Looking across the recall text, water is the recurring cause. These recalls name water, freezing or corrosion as the reason a latch or release failed:

• Toyota Prius 2023–2026 (24V274, 26V049): water may enter the rear door switch and cause a short circuit, allowing an unlocked rear door to open unexpectedly. Toyota recalled about 55,700 vehicles in 2024 and about 141,300 in 2026.
• Volkswagen ID.4 2021–2024 (24V651): the door handles may allow water to enter the circuit board assembly, so the doors can open unexpectedly (about 99,000 vehicles, 85% repaired).
• Honda Odyssey 2018–2020 (20V437): water in the sliding door handle cables can freeze in cold weather and stop the latches securing (about 324,000 vehicles, 97% repaired).
• Toyota Sienna 2011–2016 (16V858): if the power sliding door can’t open when commanded, such as when frozen shut, it may open unexpectedly later.
• GM Silverado 2500, 3500 and Sierra 2500, 3500, 2020–2024 (24V060): the electronic tailgate release switch may short circuit from water intrusion and unlatch the tailgate while driving (about 570,000 vehicles, 74% repaired).
• Hood latches: corroded cables and latches are named in the Hyundai and Nissan hood recalls above.

Latch and lock complaints: which cars and years

Counts of owner reports, not verified defects or rates; models that sold in larger numbers draw more complaints. The share compares with all complaints for that model over the same model years. Source: NHTSA owner complaints file, retrieved Oct 6, 2026; computed by PlainVIN.

Source: NHTSA owner complaints file, retrieved Oct 6, 2026; computed by PlainVIN.

This category covers locks (door locks, steering-wheel locks) and linkages as well as latches, so a high share doesn’t always mean doors opening. We checked the worst years against the recall file:

• Ford Focus 2000: a 2005 recall for rear door latches (05V030, about 590,000 vehicles).
• Hyundai Tucson 2016: a 2016 recall for a secondary hood latch that may disengage (16V348, about 81,000 vehicles, 92% repaired).
• Nissan Murano 2005: a 2006 recall for the intelligent key’s steering wheel lock (06V401), a lock problem, not a door.
• Toyota Sienna 2004–2005: only a recall for the power rear liftgate (08V244, about 196,000 vehicles), not the doors.
• Dodge Grand Caravan 2005 (34%), Dodge Caravan 2005 (38%), Honda CR-V 2007 and 2008 (26% and 21%) and Jeep Grand Cherokee 2005: large shares of complaints, but no door, latch, lock or hood recall for those years in NHTSA’s file.

Door recalls in 2026

Vehicle descriptions are NHTSA’s own summary wording; “repaired” is the share the manufacturer reports as fixed, and new campaigns start near zero. Source: NHTSA recalls file and US DOT completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.

• Toyota Prius (26V049, January 2026): 2023–2026 Prius, 2023–2024 Prius Prime and 2025–2026 Prius Plug-in Hybrid; water may enter the rear door switch and let an unlocked rear door open unexpectedly. About 141,300 vehicles.
• Nissan Altima, Sentra, Frontier and Kicks (26V023): door strikers may have been improperly welded and break, allowing the door to open while moving; the vehicles fail the federal door retention standard (FMVSS 206). About 26,400 vehicles, 70% repaired.
• Volvo S60L 2017 (26V072): a component within the door latch may break. About 2,800 vehicles.
• Mercedes-Benz A-Class, CLA, GLA, GLB, C-Class and others (26V481): the driver’s door lock micro-switch may corrode and fail to detect an open door, which can cause a rollaway. About 310,700 vehicles. See our unintended acceleration guide for rollaway recalls.

If it happens: what to do

1. If a hood opens, don’t brake hard or swerve. An insurance agency’s guide lists limited visibility and sudden wind resistance as the main dangers; slow down gradually, switch on the hazard lights, look through the gap or out the side window, and pull over when safe.
2. If a door opens, slow down gradually and stop safely before trying to close it. A passenger should not reach for it while the car is moving.
3. Check your VIN at NHTSA or with our VIN decoder, which links to your model year’s recalls. If an earlier door or hood recall was repaired, check again: Ford’s 2020 recall covers cars repaired under three earlier ones.
4. Report it. NHTSA says you can report a safety problem online or at 888-327-4236; see how to file a complaint. A pattern of complaints is how recalls like these began.
5. Buying used? Open and close every door, the hood and the tailgate several times, and check the secondary hood latch catches. Our used car inspection checklist covers it, and see the most common car problems for how latches compare with other areas.

For struts and supports that let a liftgate or hood fall, see our liftgate and hood strut recalls guide.

Complaint and recall figures are PlainVIN’s analysis of NHTSA’s files and update when we refresh the data; complaints are owner reports, not verified defects. A recall is counted as an “opens” recall when its subject says a door, hood, tailgate, liftgate or trunk may open or release. This guide is general information, not safety advice for a specific vehicle.