HEADLIGHT OUTPUT IS NOT SUFFICIENT, LIGHTING IS VERY BAD, EVEN WITH BRAND NEW FACTORY REPLACEMENTS. IT IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE THIS CAR AT NIGHT, AS THE ROAD IS NOT LIT OUT ENOUGH TO SEE PERSONS, ANIMALS OR OBSTRUCTIONS IN THE WAY. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THESE CARS AND SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE TO RESOLVE THAT, AS IT IS ONLY A …
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HEADLIGHT OUTPUT IS NOT SUFFICIENT, LIGHTING IS VERY BAD, EVEN WITH BRAND NEW FACTORY REPLACEMENTS. IT IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE THIS CAR AT NIGHT, AS THE ROAD IS NOT LIT OUT ENOUGH TO SEE PERSONS, ANIMALS OR OBSTRUCTIONS IN THE WAY. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THESE CARS AND SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE TO RESOLVE THAT, AS IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME UNTIL SOMEONE WILL HAVE AN ACCIDENT, HOPEFULLY NOT INVOLVING THE LOSS OF HUMAN LIFE. *JB
NHTSA ODI #10021220
Mileage unknown · Jan 22, 2003
Exterior Lighting
CONSUMER STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS FLICKER OFF/ON WHILE DRIVING. *TS
NHTSA ODI #10004451
Mileage unknown · Oct 29, 2002
Exterior Lighting
HEADLIGHTS ARE CLOUDY AND REFLECTIVE SURFACE INSIDE LIGHTS ARE PEELING NOT SURE IF THESE ARE ORIGINAL TO THE CAR OR FACTORY REPLACEMEMTS. ALSO,THE HEADLIGHTS UNSAFE AND VERY DIM! MY '93 ESCORT WITH 235,000 MILES AND ORIGINAL HEADLIGHTS IS BRIGHTER. DT
NHTSA ODI #769071
Mileage unknown · Oct 10, 2002
Exterior Lighting
WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY THE HEADLIGHT DIM INTERMITTENLY. THE DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. MR
NHTSA ODI #8020625
Mileage unknown · Sep 17, 2002
Exterior Lighting
HEADLIGHTS ARE VERY DIM. PROVIDE LITTLE OR NO APPRECIABLE ILLUMINATION IN NIGHT-TIME DRIVING AND NO ILLUMINATION IN RAIN CONDITIONS.*AK
NHTSA ODI #767295
Mileage unknown · Aug 19, 2002
Exterior Lighting
DRIVING AT NIGHT IS VERY DANGEROUS SINCE THE CAR'S HEADLIGHTS ARE AS BRIGHT AS A CANDLE, A CANDLE MIGHT ACTUALLY BE BRIGHTER. WHEN I DRIVE AT NIGHT I SEE THE ROAD AHEAD THANKS TO THE STREET LIGHTS SINCE MY HEADLAMPS ARE JUST TERRIBLE. I HAVE DONE SOME SEARCHING ON THE INTERNET AND I HAVE FOUND THAT THE PROBLEM IS DO TO THE WAY T…
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DRIVING AT NIGHT IS VERY DANGEROUS SINCE THE CAR'S HEADLIGHTS ARE AS BRIGHT AS A CANDLE, A CANDLE MIGHT ACTUALLY BE BRIGHTER. WHEN I DRIVE AT NIGHT I SEE THE ROAD AHEAD THANKS TO THE STREET LIGHTS SINCE MY HEADLAMPS ARE JUST TERRIBLE. I HAVE DONE SOME SEARCHING ON THE INTERNET AND I HAVE FOUND THAT THE PROBLEM IS DO TO THE WAY THE HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY WAS MADE. THE 1993-1996 MARK VIII HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY DETERIORATES DUE TO THE HEAT PRODUCED BY THE HALOGEN BULBS. THE REFLECTIVE BACKING IN THE HEADLAMP HOUSING BURNS AWAY DO A DESINGS FLAW, THE MATERIALS USED IN THE MAKING OF THE HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY CAN'T TAKE THE HEAT FROM THE BULBS, AND TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE THE CAR USES 9005 BULBS AS LOW BEAMS, THIS IS THE ONLY KNOWN CAR MANUFACTURED IN THE USA THAT USES THESE BULBS AS LOW BEAMS. FORD MOTOR COMPANY IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT HASN'T DONE ANYTHING ABOUT IT. FORD REPLACED THE HALOGEN ASSEMBLY FOR HID ASSEMBLIES IN THE 96 MODELS, THEY DID THIS EVENTHOUGH THE 97 MODEL WAS GOING TO BE REDESIGNED, THEY WERE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM SO THEY REPLACED THE LIGHTS IN THE NEW 96 MODELS YET THEY DO NOTHING FOR THE OWNERS OF THE CARS THAT HAVE THE DEFECTIVE LIGHTS. I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY HAS DIED DO TO THESE LIGHTS BUT I'M SURE THAT IF NOTHING IS DONE TO FIX THESE LIGHT SOMEONE WILL DIE IN AN ACCIDENT I CAN SAY THIS BECAUSE I HAVE TO DRIVE AT NIGHT AND JUST CAN'T SEE MUCH IN FRONT OF ME, IN DIM AREAS I'M PRACTICALLY BLIND AND IF I USED MY HIGH BEAMS I BLIND OTHER DRIVERS. EVEN IF I ONLY USED THE HIGH BEAM THE SAME PROBLEM AS WITH THE LOW BEAMS WOULD OCCUR SINCE IT IS A FLAW IN THE DESING OF THE UNIT.*AK
NHTSA ODI #765853
Mileage unknown · Jul 25, 2002
Exterior Lighting
NO DESCRIPTION GIVEN.*JB
NHTSA ODI #764705
Mileage unknown · Jul 24, 2002
Exterior Lighting
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
NHTSA ODI #764691
Mileage unknown · Jul 17, 2002
Exterior Lighting
ALL THE MARK VIIIS FROM 93 TO 96 HAVE HEADLIGHTS THAT DO NOT PRODUCE ENOUGH LIGHT TO BE DRIVEN SAFELY AT NIGHT. PLEASE LOOK AT WWW.MARKVIII.ORG A LINCOLN CLUB WITH OTHER MEMBERS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM.*AK
NHTSA ODI #764376
Mileage unknown · Jul 6, 2002
Exterior Lighting
HEADLIGHTS DO NOT ILLUMINATE SAFELY. I BELIEVE THIS TO BE BECAUSE OF A POOR REFLECTOR DESIGN.*AK
ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS, PASSENGER VEHICLES, SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, AND MOTOR HOMES CHASSIS, THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH MAY, UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, LEAK INTERNALLY AND THEN OVERHEAT, SMOKE, OR BURN.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS COULD RESULT IN AN UNDERHOOD FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A FUSED WIRING HARNESS. OWNERS OF THE PASSENGER CARS INCLUDED IN THIS CAMPAIGN WILL BE INSTRUCTED TO RETURN THEIR VEHICLES TO THEIR DEALERS TO HAVE THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH DISCONNECTED AS AN INTERIM REPAIR. AS SOON AS REPAIR PARTS ARE AVAILABLE (EXPECTED OCTOBER 2007), OWNERS WILL BE INSTRUCTED TO RETURN TO THE DEALERS FOR INSTALLATION OF A FUSED WIRING HARNESS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 13, 2007, AND MAILING COMPLETED BY SEPTEMBER 19, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-888-222-2751.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE HEADLIGHTS CAN FLASH INTERMITTENTLY AS A RESULT OF THE CIRCUIT BREAKER OPENING. THE VEHICLE'S HEADLIGHTS CAN GO OUT FOR BRIEF INTERVALS.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: LOSS OF HEADLIGHTS DURING VEHICLE OPERATION CAN AFFECT A DRIVER'S ABILITY TO NAVIGATE THE ROADWAY AND REDUCE THE VISIBILITY OF THE VEHICLE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A HEADLIGHT SWITCH THAT INCORPORATES A CRICUIT BREAKER OF REVISED DESIGN AND INSTALLATION OF A WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR AND WIRING, IF NEEDED.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1
EA96019 · Headlight Failure
Opened Jul 31, 1996 · Closed Jan 26, 1998
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Exterior Lighting
EXCESSIVE HEAT IN AN IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED CIRCUIT BREAKER WITHIN THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH CAUSED THAT CIRCUIT BREAKER TO OPEN FOR TIME PERIODS OF VARYING LENGTH TO COOL OFF.OPENING OF THE CIRCUIT BREAKER IN THIS MANNER INTERRUPTS ELECTRIC CURRENT FLOW TO THE HEADLIGHTS, SHUTTING THEM OFF.HEADLIGHT OUTAGES HAVE RANGER FROM BRIEF FLICKERS (LESS THAN ONE SECOND) TO GREATER THAN 20 SECONDS.OVER TIME, THE OUTAGES GROW IN LENGTH AND DURATION BECAUSE OF HEAT-INDUCED DETERIORATION OF THE SWITCH AND ASSOCIATED WIRING.RECALL 98V-009 WILL APPLY TO APPROXIMATELY 506,000 TAURUS, SABLE, MARK VIII, AND CONTINENTAL VEHICLES PRODUCED FROM 1-DEC.-92 THROUGH 30-SEP-93 AT THE ATLANTA, CHICAGO,AND WIXOM ASSEMBLY PLANTS.87% OF MY 1992-1995 TAURUS/SABLE AND 97% OF MY 1993-1995 MARK VIII WARRANTY REPAIRS (HEADLIGHT SWITCH REPLACEMENT) INVOLVED VEHICLES BUILT DURING THE DEC. 92 - OCT. 93 BUILD RANGE.
1994 Lincoln Mark Viii Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year
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