1994 Lincoln Mark Viii

MAY 3, 2001 I HAVE BEEN ADVISED BY THE FORD CORPORATION TO SEND THIS INFORMATION TO THE ASSOCIATIONREGARDING A SAFETY ISSUE WITH FORD PRODUCED AUTOMOBILES.REGARDING A SAFETY ISSUE WITH FORD PRODUCED AUTOMOBILES. REGARDING A SAFETY ISSUE WITH FORD PRODUCED AUTOMOBILES.THIS SAFETY ISSUE INVOLVES A SENSOR OR SWITCH ATTACHED TO ALL FORD PRODUCTS EQUIPPED WITHAN AOD-E/4R70W AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. FORD WOULD HAVE TO PROVIDE THE DATES THE DEFECTIVE SENSORS WERE USED.THE PROBLEM REVOLVES AROUND A RESISTOR NETWORK IN THE SENSOR THAT IS USED BY THE AUTOMOBILE'S COMPUTER TO CONFIGURE THE TRANSMISSION RELATIVE TO THE MANUAL SHIFT LEVER POSITION. WHEN THE SHIFT LEVER IS PLACED IN DRIVE THE COMPUTER PROGRAMS SHIFT POINTS AND EFFICIENTLY CAUSES THE TRANSMISSION TO BE IN 4TH GEAR AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. ONE OF THE ORIGINAL PART NUMBER F3LP-7F293-BA SENSORS WAS DEFECTIVE SINCE NEW. IT CREATED NOISE ON THE SIGNAL LINE TO THE COMPUTER. THE COMPUTER IN TURN CAUSED THE TRANSMISSION TO LOSE THE PULL (TORQUE) TO THE REAR WHEELS. AT THE SAME TIME THE ENGINE REVS WILDLY TO THE RED LINE AS IF IN NEUTRAL, ESPECIALLY IF THE CRUISE CONTROL IS ENGAGED. I HAVE HAD NEAR MISSES WITH THIS DEFECT. WITH THE ENGINE RPM AT THE RED LINE AT SPEEDS OF 65 MPH THE TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY DISENGAGES AND THEN ENGAGES CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LURCH OUT OF ITS LANE. AT ANOTHER TIME WHILE PASSING ON A 2-LANE ROAD THE VEHICLE LOST ITS PULL AND I CAUSED CONFUSION TO ALL DRIVERS AS I WAS FORCED TO BREAK TO GET BACK IN THE PROPER LANE. UNFORTUNATELY FORD FAILED TO DIAGNOSE OR REPAIR MY VEHICLE WHEN IT WAS REPORTED AND UNDER FACTORY WARRANTY AND THE DEFECT WAS KNOWN. AT THE PRESENT TIME FORD WILL NOT ADMIT TO THE DEFECTIVE SENSOR ALTHOUGH THERE ARE NUMEROUS TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS WRITTEN FOR THEIR TECHNICIANS CONCERNING AND CORRECTING THIS PROBLEM. THE OLD DEFECTIVE PART ALSO HAD MOUNT BUSHINGS THAT WERE LOOSE IN THE MOLDED PART, THIS POOR QUALITY ALLOWED EXCESSIVE VIBRATION TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE UNSTABLE PERFOR

TANSMISSION REAR SEAL REPLACED, CONTINUED TO SLIP, THEN THE POWER STEERING PUMP WENT OUT AIR RIDE SYSTEM WAS REPLACED BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT 4 TIMES (2) FRONT (2) REAR.. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED ALARM WOULD GO OFF WHILE DRIVING LOCKS WHOULD LOCK ON YOU WHILE TRYING TO ENTER CAR IF YOU COULD BET THE LOCKS THE ALARM WOULD GO OFF .. ALTERNATOR WENT OUT AGTER I WAS TOLD THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY PROBLEM WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. VIBRATION IN CAR WHILD DRIVING AND IDILING. OVER HEATED NEW RADIATOR AND THERMOSTAT, 2 TIMING BELTS, INTAKE GASKETS NUMEROUS OTHER PARTS TO GET RID OF VIBRATATION ENGINE HAS BEEN TORN DOWN 3 TIMES ITS NOW IN A ENGINE SHOP. ENGINE MAY NEED TO BE REPLACED. I HAVE BEEN WITHOUT MY CAR SINCE AUG.2, 2000. *AK

AUTO TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFTS 1 OR 2 GEARS WHILE CRUISING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, RPM GOES OVER 4500 AND TIRES GRAB THE PAVEMENT.. THIS WILL CAUSE A VERY SERIOUS ACCIDENT ON ICY OR WET ROADS. THIS TRANSMISSION WAS A PROBLEM EARLIER AND WAS WORKED ON BY THE DEALER ABOUT 3 THOUSAND MILES AGO. BECAUSE IT WAS STORED ALL WINTER, IT WAS NOT EVIDENT TO THE OWNER THAT THE REPAIR WORSENED THE PROBLEM SHORT TRIPS ARE OK, IT SEEMS TO HAPPEN WHEN THE CAR IS WARM LIKE ON A TRIP OF OVER A 100 MILES. I REPORTED THE PROBLEMS TO THE LINCOLN CONSUMER NUMBER . I BELIEVE THIS CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. *AK