Making a complaint to the ACCC is always of some worth, eventually they may take action. Without complaints it is very much less likely. The ACCC are very unlikely to undertake action on an individual case unless it is something that is of importance to the ACCC’s compliance processes.
If the door latch issue is a manufacturing fault, warranty time limits are not very important. What is more important is the Australian Consumer Law (ACL), this may have greatly extended coverage periods that last a very long time such as with the Takata Airbag issue, with some affected vehicles going back to the late 1990s. The ACL came into effect in 2011, so your vehicle being a 2012 version would be covered under ACL. If a vehicle was made or purchased prior to when the ACL became law in 2011, then there is still some laws that would apply but may not give the same protection.
Making a formal complaint to Ford or the retailer who sold you the car and seeking repair or replacement and possibly compensation for any loss (cost) you have already suffered, is probably a worthwhile step to take. After the formal complaint to the dealer or Ford, the next step would be your Office of Fair Trading, then your Civil and Administrative Tribunal or Court that deals with ACL matters (in some States it is a Magistrate’s Court).
Getting some legal advice is strongly recommended before going further and there are free Consumer Legal Advice centres who can help. We have a list on this site of some in each State/Territory who can assist.
Form letter templates and complaint checklist from CHOICE
Form letter complaint template from the ACCC
