1992 Ford Thunderbird

HEADLAMPS FLICKER ON AND OFF AS DESCRIBED IN NHTSA'S RECALL CAMPAIGN ID #99V275000. THE 1992 FORD THUNDERBIRD WAS MANUFACTURED IN THE PERIOD COVERED BY THE RECALL PERIOD. CHECKING WITH FORD MOTOR COMPANY RESULTED IN THEIR SAYING THE VEHICLE IS NOT COVERED BY THAT RECALL. REPEATED REQUESTS TO CONIDER THIS ISSUE SIMILAR TO THAT RECALL WERE DENIED. I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST THAT THE RECALL DID NOT COVER ENOUGH VEHICLES. *AK

WHEN FOG LIGHTS ARE ON THE HEADLIGHTS GO OUT AND WON'T COME BACK ON IMMEDIATELY. THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH HAS BEEN REPLACED, BUT THIS PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. FORD SAYS THE RECALL TIME HAS EXPIRED AND THEY ARE NO LONGER OBLIGATED TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. RECALL WAS DATED 1999 AND ONLY THE SWITCH WAS REPLACED. I PAYED FOR THE REPAIR BEFORE THE RECALL AND WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM HAD ALREADY BEEN TAKEN CARE OF. I AM AFRAID OF CRASHING CAUSING INJURY BECAUSE OF THIS, BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW WHEN HEAD LIGHT FAILURE WILL OCCUR. *AK

ON 12-14-1999 THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH ON MY 1992 THUNDERBIRD WAS REPLACED UNDER RECALL NUMBER 99S30. THE ORIGINAL SWITCH HAD EXHIBITED THE SYMPTOMS LISTED IN THE RECALL LETTER I RECEIVED (I.E. HEADLIGHTS FLICKERING OFF WHEN THE FOG LAMPS WERE USED). I AM NOW BEGINNING TO SEE SIMILAR SYMPTOMS WITH THE SWITCH THAT WAS INSTALLED LAST YEAR BY THE FORD DEALER. THIS MORNING WHEN LEAVING FOR WORK I PULLED THE LIGHT SWITCH OUT FULLY AND HAD NO HEADLIGHTS. I INSPECTED THE CONDITION OF THE HEADLIGHT FUSE AND FOUND IT TO BE GOOD. I THEN TRIED WIGGLING THE SWITCH WHILE IN THE ON POSITION (THAT HAD WORKED WITH THE ORIGINAL SWITCH) AND THE LIGHTS EVENTUALLY DID COME ON. SINCE THEN I TURNED THE LIGHTS ON AND OFF SEVERAL TIMES WITHOUT A FAILURE. I CONTACTED THE DEALER THAT DID THE RECALL WORK LAST YEAR AND FORD'S CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPT., AND WAS TOLD BY REPRESENTATIVES FROM BOTH THAT THERE IS NO WARRANTY ON PARTS REPLACED UNDER A RECALL AND THAT, THEREFORE, I WOULD HAVE TO PAY THE COST OF REPLACING THE SWITCH MYSELF. I WILL BE REPLACING THE SWITCH IN THE NEXT DAY OR TWO, AND WILL RETAIN THE RECEIPT FOR REIMBURSEMENT IN THE EVENT THERE IS ANOTHER RECALL RELATED TO THE SWITCH. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED THAT FORD IS NOT WILLING TO REPLACE THE SWITCH. APPARENTLY THEY ARE NOT UNDER A MANDATE TO DO SO, BUT THEY COULD IF THEY WANTED TO IN THE NAME OF "CUSTOMER SATISFACTION". THEY KNOW AS WELL AS I DO THAT THE SWITCH SHOULD LAST A LOT LONGER THAN ONE YEAR.

RECALL HEADLIGHTS DOES NOT EXAMINE 4-PRONG CONNECTOR TO MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH (HEADLAMPS). CONNECTOR CASING COMPLETELY BURNED THROUGH; 1/2 INCH OUTER EDGE, 3/16 INCH INNER EDGE, WITH SIGNS OF BURNING AND MELTING MULTI-FUNCTION CASING INNER AND OUTER NEXT TO SWITCH ASSEMBLY IGNITION CAUSING INSUFFICIENT OPERATION OF HEADLIGHTS. FOG LAMPS USED AT ALL TIMES DURING OPERATION OF HEADLAMPS. POSSIBILITY OF FIRE?! HEADLIGHTS FLICKER/SHUTOFF WITH OPERATION OF FOG LAMPS BUT RETURN TO NORMAL ONCE FOG LAMPS SHUTDOWN, EVEN WITH DAMAGE TO CONNECTOR. DEALERSHIP SERVICE ASSUMED MULTI-FUNCTION DEFECTIVE BUT WOULD NOT ACKNOWLEDGE AND/OR EXAMINE THE POSSIBILITY OF ELECTRICAL PROBLEM ASSOCIATED WITH HEADLAMP SWITCH. DEALER DID NOT NOTIFY OWNER OF ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED AND DO NOT SEE THIS AS A "SAFETY ISSUE" NOR ACKNOWLEDGE ANY RESPONSIBILITY SINCE NOT COVERED IN ORIGINAL RECALL AND VEHICLE NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY. (VIA FIRST CLASS MAIL: PICTURES) *AK

VEHICLE WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH FOG LIGHTS. ALSO, HEADLIGHT SWITCH MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING HEADLIGHTS TO FLICKER ON AND OFF, AFFECTING DRIVER'S VISIBILITY AND MAY RESULT IN A CRASH. DEALER REPLACED MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH WHICH DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL 99V275000 ALTHOUGH IT HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. *AK *ML