Saturday, May 4, 2013

Ford fails to issue recall after more than 1500 complaints filed yet no RECALL on safety issue

As a fleet manager of a County Law Enforcement Agency, we have expierienced several headlight failures. Being a member of the forum and using the handy serch function I have seen that this is a common problem, and should be addressed. I have been in contact with the NHTSA and am currently putting out a Teletype to all Law Enforcement agencies nationwide. I did however feel that this information would be helpful to members here who have had the same issue. The info in the Teletype is as follows:

This agency has experienced several failures of lighting control modules on 2005 Ford Crown Victoria’s. While driving down the road, we have experienced a sudden loss of headlights, and in some cases, the headlights have not came back on for a substantial period of time. The failures occurred without warning. We have contacted Ford Fleet services and made them aware of the issues but at this time they have not issued any recalls. We have also contacted the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) and filed a complaint. ODI has currently opened an investigation into the issue which is referenced under NHTSA Action Number : PE08066. Due to the safety issue of this defect and the cost associated with repairs, I would ask that anyone with this problem contact the NHTSA at 1-888-327-4236 and file a complaint in an attempt to have a recall issued from Ford. The current investigation covers Ford Crown Victoria’s and Mercury Grand Marquis’s, model years 2003-2005.

As stated I would encourage anyone that this failure applies to also contact the NHTSA and file a complaint. Maybe with enough of a response we can get Ford to acknowledge the problem and issue a recall.

Thank You,
Jeff

Customer replied 1115 days and 11 hours ago.
Headlamps will not come on after driving awhile and parking car. Then after you start the car the headlamps will not come on at either headlamp control, auto or lamps on. All other lamps work, dash, stop, turn, left turn, right turn, driving lights, tailights. You can hold up the dim-bright lever to flash to pass and head lamps will come on bright after car sets over night. Head lamps work ok.
Expert:  Tim replied 1115 days and 8 hours ago.
Sounds like a bad Lighting control module.It is located above the gas pedal. Check fuses 19 and 21 in the interior fuse box and let me know if you have power on each side of the fuses.
 

The headlight on my 2005 Ford Crown Victoria [53k miles] turns off intermittently. Should I replace the LCM?

Sometimes the Photocell functions well: turns on the light after ignition switch and wiper are activated, or when I cover the cell by hand. However, during the evening times the low headlight including the high do not turn on; I will be forced to use the High beam by pulling the switch lever and holding.
 

2005 Crown Victoria Headlights will not turn on only the high beems turn on when I pull back on the High beem flasher on the turn signal arm?

Answer:
Might have to replace the head lite switch, in the car. You have a timer on it, might be bad. Edit 521: On my 2005 CVPI, I had a similar problem. Mounted under the dash, just above the OBD connector is a box (appx. 4" X 6" X 2" roughly) with a couple of wiring harnesses plugged into it (if I recall, 3 plugs total). This is an electrical control module that the lights and horn and other stuff goes through. When I removed mine and opened it up, I found that on one of the small relays inside, the solder had broken loose from one of the pins on the relay to the board, causing it to intermittently prevent contact to power the headlights. The part is rather expensive from the dealer, but if you have any soldering skills, a good magnifier, and a set of torx type drivers, you should be able to make the repair yourself. I had to look really close to see it, as it only looked like a small ring around the pin, but was actually a broken solder joint. A simple reheating to melt the solder back to the pin, and a dab of fresh solder over it, and no more issues for me. Note also that this was sometimes an intermittent problem, as I could be driving along and the lights switch off, then a few minutes later (sometimes longer) I would hear a click under the dash as the relay again made contact, and the lights would come back on. Until then, I had to hold the High Beam switch for lights. Hope this helps!

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