2005 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS Complaints

NIGHTTIME, TURNED CAR OFF IN DRIVE THROUGH LINE AT FAST FOOD PLACE 185 MILES FROM HOME. HAVE LIGHT SWITCH ON AUTOMATIC. TURNED CAR ON AND DROVE OFF ONLY TO REALIZE THAT MY HEADLIGHTS WERE NOT ON. STOPPED IN ADJACENT PARKING LOT AND BEGAN PLAYING WITH THE SWITCH, TURNING CAR OFF AND ON, TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DRIVE THREE HOURS WITH NO LIGHTS... HIGH BEAM FLASH MODE WOULD FUNCTION, BUT WOULD BE VERY UNSAFE ON TWO LANE HIGHWAY. SUDDENLY BEGAN WORKING ON OWN. STOPPED ONE TIME IN ROUTE HOME BUT AGAIN PLAYED WITH IT TILL IT CAME ON AGAIN. FEAR THIS IS A BIG SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

HEADLIGHTS INTERMITTENTLY FAIL WITHOUT WARNING AND CANNOT BE REGAINED WITH HEADLIGHT SWITCH. IN FACT, NO POSITION OPERATES WITH THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH - NO PARKING LIGHTS, NO HEADLIGHTS, ETC. ONLY AFTER A SEEMINGLY RANDOM COOLING PERIOD WILL THE MODULE ALLOW THE CIRCUIT TO RE-ENGAGE. FORD ISSUED RECALL 14N01 BUT TO DATE HAS NOT PROVIDED CAR DEALERS NOR RETAIL CUSTOMERS WITH A REPLACEMENT SWITCH. ONE FORD DEALER ( TOM PECK FORD 608-676-2273) SAYS BACK ORDERS ARE UNFILLED . NO FORD DEALERS NOR AFTER MARKET AUTO PARTS COMPANIES ARE ABLE TO OBTAIN THE PART. EVEN IF THE VEHICLE OWNER ATTEMPTS TO PURCHASE AND REPLACE THE SMALL CIGARETTE SIZED BOX CALLED A "LIGHT CONTROL MODULE" OUT OF POCKET, RATHER THAN WAITING ON FORD, IT CANNOT BE FOUND ON THE MARKET IN COMPANIES LIKE ADVANCE AUTO PARTS. THIS IS NOT INTENDED AS A SHRILL COMPLAINT ABOUT FORD. BUT THE DANGER IS HUGE TO THE DRIVER AND OTHER VEHICLES WHEN THIS PART RANDOMLY CAUSES ALL POWER TO BE LOST TO THE HEADLIGHTS. AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE TO A STOP IN TOTAL DARKNESS. THE PART FAILURE IS INCREASING IN FREQUENCY, AND IS HAS BECOME A SAFETY MENACE. SOME FORD OR MERCURY OWNERS MAY NOT BE AFFLUENT ENOUGH TO OWN A SECOND VEHICLE TO DRIVE ONLY AT NIGHT. NO DRIVERS WANT TO ENCOUNTER ANOTHER VEHICLE WITH THAT KIND OF MALFUNCTION. IN FACT, ALL THE VEHICLES WITH THAT KNOWN HAZARD SHOULD BE OFF THE ROAD AT NIGHT. NO DOUBT FORD HAS BEEN ADDRESSING THE LIGHT CONTROL MODULE ISSUE SINCE THE APRIL 2014 RECALL, BUT CERTAINLY NOT WITH THE URGENCY REQUIRED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT HAD TO TURN OFF AND RESTART THE VEHICLE IN ORDER FOR THE HEADLIGHTS TO RESUME NORMAL FUNCTION. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE LIGHTING MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LIGHTING MODULE HAD BEEN REPAIRED PREVIOUSLY UNDER AN UNKNOWN MANUFACTURER'S RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 93,300.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN DRIVING, THERE WAS A GLARE ON THE FRONT WINDSHIELD WHICH IMPAIRED HIS VISION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON. TURNED OFF IGNITION. RESTARTED VEHICLE AND AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT CAME BACK ON. TOOK TO FORD DEALER DIAGNOSED AS A BAD SEATBELT PRETENSIONER COST FOR DIAGNOSIS $110.00 ESTIMATED COST TO REPAIR $830.00. DID NOT HAVE REPAIRED. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL ITEM. *TR

HEADLIGHTS SUDDENLY WENT OUT WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AT NIGHT. I HAD RECEIVED A "CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM" RECALL FROM FORD MOTOR COMPANY IN APRIL OF THIS YEAR ADVISING THAT THE "LIGHTING CONTROL MODULE" (LCM) COULD FAIL CAUSING THE LOSS OF HEADLIGHTS. I TOOK MY CAR TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP THE NEXT DAY. THE CAR WAS EXAMINED, THE DEFECT WAS ACKNOWLEDGED, AND THE REPLACEMENT LCM WAS ORDERED. IT HAS NOW BEEN WELL OVER TWO MONTHS SINCE THE LCM WAS ORDERED. THE DEALERSHIP CLAIMS THAT THE SUPPLY OF THE LCM IS SHORT DUE TO THE MASSIVE NUMBER OF DEFECTS. I HAVE PLEADED FOR RELIEF BY EMAILING FORD BUT THEY HAVE NOT SEEN FIT TO EVEN RESPOND TO MY COMMUNICATION. IT IS BEYOND MY COMPREHENSION HOW ANY PRUDENT PERSON, CORPORATION, OR ADMINISTRATION COULD CATEGORIZE LOSING THE HEADLIGHTS AS ANYTHING OTHER THAN A SAFETY ISSUE! IT IS FOR THIS REASON THAT LITTLE ACTION IS BEING TAKEN TO CORRECT THIS POTENTIALLY FATAL SITUATION. *TR

HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT. I RECEIVED A NOTICE FROM FORD IN APRIL OF 2014 THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL/LIGHTS PROBLEM AND THEY WOULD REPAIR IF OWNER ACTUALLY HAD THIS PROBLEM. I HAD NO PROBLEM UNTIL OCT 2014. WENT TO MY DEALER QUICK LANE/FORD IN TOPEKA, KS. THEY REPORTED THAT PART HAS BEEN ON BACK ORDER SINCE MAY OF 2014. CONTACT ANOTHER FORD DEALER WHO REPORTED SAME. LIGHT HAVE REGULARLY GONE OFF SINCE THAT TIME. WHAT IS A REASONABLE TIME TO EXPECT THAT THEY WOULD HAVE CORRECT PARTS TO REPLACE AS NEITHER DEALER HAD ANY REPORT AS TO WHEN PART MIGHT COME. VIN: [XXX] FIELD SERVICE ACTION NUMBER: 14N01 FSA TITLE: EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERAGE ON LIGHTING CONTROL MODULE. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT COMES ON, BLINKS THE CODE 34 TWO TIMES THEN STAYS ON. AFTER RESEARCHING I FIND THAT NUMEROUS 2005 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED BY FORD. I HAVE HAD MORE PROBLEMS WITH THIS MODEL THAN I HAVE EVER HAD WITH ANY OTHER CAR. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE A/C - HEATING SYSTEM, FRONT LIGHT SYSTEM (AFTER TONS OF COMPLAINTS BY OTHER PEOPLE FORD FINALLY RECALLED AND FIXED THE PROBLEM. WHY DO YOU WAIT? IF ONE PERSON COMPLAINS, MUCH LESS NUMEROUS OTHERS IT SHOULD BE FIXED BY FORD DUE TO FAULTY PARTS. OF COURSE NOW I WILL HAVE TO HAVE IT FIXED AND IT IS EXPENSIVE! I USE TO HAVE ALL THE FAITH IN THE WORLD IN FORD BUT NO MORE. YOU BUY PARTS NOT MADE IN AMERICA AND THIS IS THE RESULT AND OF COURSE YOU DON'T PUT THE PARTS WHERE THEY CAN BE EASILY ACCESSIBLE SO THE OWNER CAN REPAIR IT THEMSELVES AND THE DEALERSHIPS CHARGE ASTRONOMICAL FEES TO FIX IT. WONDER HOW LONG BEFORE FORD ACKNOWLEDGES AND RECALLS OR AT LEAST FIXES THE PROBLEM WHEN SOMEONE TAKES IN THE CAR. *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON THE EXPRESSWAY WITH THE HEADLIGHTS ON AUTO-ON, THE HEADLIGHTS ON OUR VEHICLE TURNED OFF. I ATTEMPTED TO TURN THEM ON MANUALLY, BUT THEY WOULD NOT COME ON. THIS SITUATION HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES AND CREATES A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. THEY DO EVENTUALLY COME ON, SOMETIMES WHEN PLAYING WITH THE LIGHT SWITCH MANUALLY AND SOMETIMES NOT UNTIL YOU STOP, TURN THE VEHICLE OFF AND THEN TURN THE VEHICLE BACK ON AGAIN. OCCURRENCES ARE RANDOM. THERE IS NO STEADY PATTERN. THANKS. *TR

THIS IS A COMPLAINT ON FORD MOTOR CO. WE RECEIVED A LETTER FOR A RECALL IN APRIL, FOR THE LIGHTING CONTROL MODULE. NOT LONG AFTER, THE HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT. NOTHING COULD GET THEM BACK ON. WE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THE STATED THEY DID NOT HAVE THE PART. THAT WAS OVER TWO MONTHS AGO. THE DEALER STILL DOES NOT HAVE THE PART. SO THE CAR HAS BEEN SITTING THERE FOR THAT LENGTH OF TIME. WE COULD NOT TAKE A CHANCE OF DRIVING IT WITHOUT ANY LIGHTS. HOW CAN THE DEALER GET THE PART FROM CO? IT IS RIDICULOUS TO SEND OUT A RECALL LETTER AND THEN NOT SUPPLY THE PART. ...UPDATED 10/22/14 *BF