THE HEADLIGHTS STARTED TO FLICKER ON AND OFF WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT NIGHT, THEN THE CAR STALLED. I INSTINCTIVELY PUT IT IN NEUTRAL TO TRY AND RESTART WHICH I DID BUT IT STALLED AGAIN AND THIS TIME IT WAS COMPLETELY DEAD WHILE UNFORTUNATELY ON THE CURVE OF A 2 LANE BRIDGE WITH NO SHOULDER OR BREAKDOWN LANE. LUCKILY THE…
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THE HEADLIGHTS STARTED TO FLICKER ON AND OFF WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT NIGHT, THEN THE CAR STALLED. I INSTINCTIVELY PUT IT IN NEUTRAL TO TRY AND RESTART WHICH I DID BUT IT STALLED AGAIN AND THIS TIME IT WAS COMPLETELY DEAD WHILE UNFORTUNATELY ON THE CURVE OF A 2 LANE BRIDGE WITH NO SHOULDER OR BREAKDOWN LANE. LUCKILY THE HAZARD LIGHTS WERE ENOUGH FOR ON COMING TRAFFIC AND TRACTOR TRAILERS TO SEE ME IN TIME OR I COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN KILLED ON THAT BRIDGE. GREAT APPRECIATION TO DISPATCH AND THE STATE TROOPERS FOR THEIR ASSISTANCE. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10588751
60,000 miles · Jun 30, 2009
Electrical SystemExterior Lighting
HEADLIGHTS IN 2004 MERCURY MARAUDER BEGAN GOING OUT INTERMITTENTLY AT ABOUT 60K MILES, ALSO INTERMITTENTLY NOT COMING ON WHEN TURNED ON BY SWITCH. THEY NOW RARELY STAY ON FOR MORE THAN 5 MINUTES AT A TIME. THIS IS UNDOUBTEDLY RELATED TO THE WIDELY REPORTED FAILURE OF MOTOROLA-MANUFACTURED FORD LIGHTING CONTROL MODULE (LCM, FORD…
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HEADLIGHTS IN 2004 MERCURY MARAUDER BEGAN GOING OUT INTERMITTENTLY AT ABOUT 60K MILES, ALSO INTERMITTENTLY NOT COMING ON WHEN TURNED ON BY SWITCH. THEY NOW RARELY STAY ON FOR MORE THAN 5 MINUTES AT A TIME. THIS IS UNDOUBTEDLY RELATED TO THE WIDELY REPORTED FAILURE OF MOTOROLA-MANUFACTURED FORD LIGHTING CONTROL MODULE (LCM, FORD P/N 4W7Z13C788BB) UNITS IN MANY FORD 'PANTHER' PLATFORM MODELS (CROWN VIC, GRAND MARQUIS, MARAUDER) THROUGH MODEL YEAR 2004. NHTSA ACTION PE08066 ADDRESSES THIS ISSUE. THE FORD/MERCURY DEALER I SOUGHT SERVICE FOR THIS ISSUE FROM RECOMMENDED REPLACEMENT OF THE LCM AT A COST OF $700 FOR PARTS AND LABOR. THE PART IS AVAILABLE THROUGH INTERNET SOURCES FROM $300 TO $500. THE DEALER WOULD NOT GUARANTEE THAT THIS PART REPLACEMENT WOULD FIX THE INTERMITTENT HEADLIGHT PROBLEM, SO I HAVE DECIDED TO PURCHASE AND REPLACE THE UNIT MYSELF AND RETURN THE PART IF THIS DOES NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THIS IS AN ISSUE OF PUBLIC SAFETY THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY A RECALL -- CARS TRAVELING AT NIGHT WITHOUT HEADLIGHTS ARE A DANGER TO THE DRIVING AND PEDESTRIAN PUBLIC. IT IS HARD TO FATHOM WHY THE NHTSA WOULD DISAGREE WITH THIS LOGIC AND CLOSE THIS INVESTIGATION. SINCE MANY OWNERS AND THIRD-PARTIES ARE NOW SHARING STORIES AND HOME-GROWN SOLUTIONS ON THE INTERNET (REPLACING/RE-SOLDERING THE DEFECTIVE NEC RELAY P/N EQ1-11111S, WHICH IS THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM), THE NHTSA IS PASSING OWNERSHIP AND RESPONSIBILITY OF FORD'S BAD MANUFACTURING DECISION ON TO VEHICLE OWNERS. THIS IS A TERRIBLE MESSAGE TO GIVE THE PUBLIC, IT FURTHER ERODES ANY TRUST A CONSUMER COULD POSSIBLY HAVE IN FORD PRODUCTS. THE HUGE VOLUME OF FLEET VEHICLES (TAXI, POLICE, MUNICIPAL) THAT ARE AFFECTED MAKES THIS AN EVEN MORE CRITICAL SAFETY ISSUE. THE NHTSA SHOULD HAVE ITS LEGAL POSITION PREPARED FOR A WORST-CASE SCENARIO IN WHICH AN ACCIDENT RESULTING IN DEATH IS LINKED TO THIS DEFECT. *TR
NHTSA ODI #10275317
Official recalls
0
No recalls in this snapshot.
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
PE14021 · Steering Column Shaft Obstruction
Opened Jul 7, 2014 · Closed Nov 21, 2014
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling:exhaust System; Steering
On July 7, 2014 the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a preliminary evaluation based on five complaints (VOQs) alleging incidents ofinterference between dislodged exhaust manifold heat shields and the lower steering shaft/knuckle, including one alleging the interference resulted in a crash on a highway entrance ramp. Since opening this investigation, ODI has received four additional owner complaints.One indicated that the shield was removed before binding could occur.The other three occurred at low speed and produced some momentary steering binding that was overcome by the driver when additional steering effort was applied.Once the shield was repaired or removed, the steering returned to normal.The single incident ODI identified as a possible crash (VOQ No. 10578715) related to this condition could not be verified and the description of the crash in the complaint was not supported by the police accident report.No additional crash allegations have been identified related to the alleged defect condition.Information provided by Ford in its September 10, 2014 response to ODI's information request letter identified 10 additional incidents resulting in a low rate of 1.6 incidents per 100,000 vehicles sold in vehicles ranging from 7 to 11 years in service.Six of these incidents were reported by a single source, a state police fleet that corrected the problems in March 2011 and has not reported any additional failures since.Ford also reported 5 warranty claims, but these incidents occurred at very low mileages and appeared to be caused by loose or missing heat shield attachment hardware rather than the corrosion condition that was the cause of the more recent incidents and the focus of this investigation.This investigation is closed. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist. The Agency will continue to monitor complaints and other information relating to the alleged defect in the subject vehicles and take further action in the future if warranted.The following VOQs are associated with this investigation:10643753, 10615584, 10611362, 10610451, 10578715, 10479681, 10471833, 10317493.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Engine And Engine Cooling:exhaust System
On July 7, 2014 the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a preliminary evaluation based on five complaints (VOQs) alleging incidents ofinterference between dislodged exhaust manifold heat shields and the lower steering shaft/knuckle, including one alleging the interference resulted in a crash on a highway entrance ramp. Since opening this investigation, ODI has received four additional owner complaints.One indicated that the shield was removed before binding could occur.The other three occurred at low speed and produced some momentary steering binding that was overcome by the driver when additional steering effort was applied.Once the shield was repaired or removed, the steering returned to normal.The single incident ODI identified as a possible crash (VOQ No. 10578715) related to this condition could not be verified and the description of the crash in the complaint was not supported by the police accident report.No additional crash allegations have been identified related to the alleged defect condition.Information provided by Ford in its September 10, 2014 response to ODI's information request letter identified 10 additional incidents resulting in a low rate of 1.6 incidents per 100,000 vehicles sold in vehicles ranging from 7 to 11 years in service.Six of these incidents were reported by a single source, a state police fleet that corrected the problems in March 2011 and has not reported any additional failures since.Ford also reported 5 warranty claims, but these incidents occurred at very low mileages and appeared to be caused by loose or missing heat shield attachment hardware rather than the corrosion condition that was the cause of the more recent incidents and the focus of this investigation.This investigation is closed. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist. The Agency will continue to monitor complaints and other information relating to the alleged defect in the subject vehicles and take further action in the future if warranted.The following VOQs are associated with this investigation:10643753, 10615584, 10611362, 10610451, 10578715, 10479681, 10471833, 10317493.
Steering
On July 7, 2014 the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a preliminary evaluation based on five complaints (VOQs) alleging incidents ofinterference between dislodged exhaust manifold heat shields and the lower steering shaft/knuckle, including one alleging the interference resulted in a crash on a highway entrance ramp. Since opening this investigation, ODI has received four additional owner complaints.One indicated that the shield was removed before binding could occur.The other three occurred at low speed and produced some momentary steering binding that was overcome by the driver when additional steering effort was applied.Once the shield was repaired or removed, the steering returned to normal.The single incident ODI identified as a possible crash (VOQ No. 10578715) related to this condition could not be verified and the description of the crash in the complaint was not supported by the police accident report.No additional crash allegations have been identified related to the alleged defect condition.Information provided by Ford in its September 10, 2014 response to ODI's information request letter identified 10 additional incidents resulting in a low rate of 1.6 incidents per 100,000 vehicles sold in vehicles ranging from 7 to 11 years in service.Six of these incidents were reported by a single source, a state police fleet that corrected the problems in March 2011 and has not reported any additional failures since.Ford also reported 5 warranty claims, but these incidents occurred at very low mileages and appeared to be caused by loose or missing heat shield attachment hardware rather than the corrosion condition that was the cause of the more recent incidents and the focus of this investigation.This investigation is closed. The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist. The Agency will continue to monitor complaints and other information relating to the alleged defect in the subject vehicles and take further action in the future if warranted.The following VOQs are associated with this investigation:10643753, 10615584, 10611362, 10610451, 10578715, 10479681, 10471833, 10317493.
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