Opening the driver's door normally, the door handle broke off with a piece of the door panel. the whole door assembly used to open/close the door is no longer available and has been discontinued. the only way to open the door now is to roll the window down and reach outside to open the door from the outside. this is particularly unsafe as it is the driver's main escape.
Driver's side interior door latch broke and is integral to the door panel. ford dealer says the part is no longer available and ford has provided no other means of repair. ford provided the following part number: 4w1z5423943eaa, which is not available. to exit the vehicle, the window must be rolled down and the outside door handle used. this is a potential safety risk if a quick exit is required during a fire, accident, or other emergency. *tr
Tl*the contact owns a 2004 lincoln town car. the contact stated that the front driver's side door would not open from the inside or outside. occupants may not be able to safely exit the vehicle in the event of a crash. the vehicle has not been inspected to determine the cause of the failure. the failure and current mileages were 112,000.