1998 Lincoln Mark Viii

I BOUGHT A 1996 LINCOLN MARK VIII 2 YEARS AGO. NOT TO LONG AFTER OWNING IT THE DRIVERS SIDE OUTSIDE DOOR HANDLE BROKE WHILE TRYING TO OPEN IT. (50,000 MILES). $122.00 TO FIX. I TRADED THE 96 FOR A 98 MARK VIII . I WENT TO GET INTO MY CAR AND THE DRIVERS OUTSIDE DOOR HANDLE BROKE AGAIN.(52,000 MILES)$257.00 TO FIX (DEFECTED PART). *AK

AT DIFFERENT TIMES THE DOOR AJAR INDICATOR WILL COME ON. THIS CAUSES THE INTERIOR LIGHTS IN THE VEHICHLE TO LIGHT UP AND IS EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS AT NIGHT. OFTEN TIMES IT WILL SWITCH FROM THE DRIVERS DOOR TO THE RIGHT PASSENGER DOOR AND ON OCCASION WILL INDICATE BOTH.(ONE GOES OUT AND THE OTHER STARTS) THIS ALSO CAUSES THE ALARM SYSTEM TO ENGAGE. WHEN I EXIT THE VEHICLE, IF SENSORS INDICATE THAT ONE OF THE DOORS IS STILL AJAR, THE ALARM ACTIVATES INTERMITTENTLY. *AK

I HAVE BEEN REVIEWING THE FILE ON LINCOLN MARK 8'S '97 & 98 AND NOTICED THAT THERE WERE AT LEAST 10 COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE VENTILATION/HEATING/A/C BLEND DOOR PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR. HOW MANY COMPLAINTS DOES IT TAKE UNTIL YOU DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT???? THIS IS NOT ONLY A VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR TO MAKE, BUT FAILURE, WHICH CAN HAPPEN WITHOUT WARNING, RESULTS IN WINDSHIELD FOGGING AND INABILITY OF THE SYSTEM TO CLEAR THE WINDSHIELD . THE LINCOLNS OF DISTINCTION CLUB, WHICH SUPPORTS MARK 8'S HAVE HAD OVER 30-40 FAILURES TO DATE, SOME REPEATEDLY. WE NOW FOUND THAT THIS FAILURE HAPPENS IN LINCOLN TOWN CAR/ TARAUS, ETC, AND THAT FORD HAS RECENTLY CHANGED THE REPLACEMENT PART DESIGNATION. THIS STRIKES US AS AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT THEY ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, BUT DON'T WANT TO BELLY UP TO THE BAR AND ADMIT IT . CAN'T YOUR OFFICES DO ANYTHING OR IS THIS JUST A WASTE OF OUR TIME TRYING TO GET A GOVERNMENT AGENCY TO MOVE ON SOMETHING THAT THEY CLAIM THEY WANT TO ASSIST BUT ENDS IN FRUSTATION OF THE CITIZENS WHO TAKE YOUR CHARTER SERIOUSLY?.

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, BECAUSE OF THE WEATHER CONDITIONS, I NOTICED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WAS GETTING CLOUDED OVER. TURNED ON MY HA/C TO DEFOG THE WINDSHIELD BUT ONLY COLD AIR CAME OUT ADDING GREATLY TO THE WINDSHIELD FOGGING. I WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR BEFORE RUNNING INTO OPPOSITE LANES OF TRAFFIC SINCE I COULDN'T SEE OUT THE WINDSHIELD. I GOT A CLOTH AND WIPED IT CLEAR TO PROCEDE. TOOK TO LOCAL DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM TO THESE CARS ASWELL AS TOWN CARS IN THAT THE BLEND DOOR ACTUATOR CAUSES THE DOOR'S ARM TO BREAK IN A SET POSITION. THUS IF BROKE ON HOT SETTING YOU GET ONLY HEATED AIR- VICE VERSA ON A COLD SETTING. IT WAS AN APPARENTLY POORLY DESIGNED PLASTIC ITEM; HOWEVER THE CHARGE TO FIX IT WITH ANOTHER SIMILAR ARM WOULD BE OVER $500 BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO TAKE THE DASH OFF THE CAR MAKE THE REPAIR, THOUGH THE PART IS LSS THAN $35.00. I COULD NOT AFFORD THE REPAIR AT THAT TIME, SO A TECHNICIAN SHOWED ME HOW TO LAY UNDER THE DASH AND MANUALLY PULL THE DOOR TO EITHER HOT OR COLD. DT