2006 Lincoln Town Car

The contact owns a 2006 Lincoln Town Car. The contact stated that after it rained, rainwater entered the vehicle, soaking the rear passenger’s and rear driver's side seats. The contact removed the debris around the doors, but the failure persisted. Additionally, the front driver's seat remained extremely hot even after the seat heater was turned off. The contact stated that the dealer had previously replaced the intake manifold; however, the failure recurred, and the vehicle made an abnormal sound while being started. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

ON THE PREVIOUS DAY I HAD REPLACED THE LEFT SIDE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT BULB TWICE WHICH DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A SIMPLE FIX FOR A BURNT OUT BULB. TURNS OUT THE ORIGIONAL BULB WAS NOT BAD AT ALL. TOOK CAR TO DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC CHECK. PROBLEM TURNED OUT TO BE A LIGHTING MODULE ($659.25 PART) NOT REPAIRABLE, THAT HAD TO BE PROGRAMED ($239.63 FEE) BY DEALER BEFORE BEING REINSTALLED. THIS MODULE ALSO AFFECTED MY BRAKE LIGHTS WHICH I WAS TOLD WERE NOT WORKING. IF I HAD BEEN OUT ON THE ROAD WHEN THIS OCCURED INSTEAD OF MY LOCAL TRAFFIC AREA I THINK IT COULD HAVE BEEN A SAFETY ISSUE. I FEEL THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN A SAFETY SITUATION SINCE I NEVER KNEW MY BRAKE LIGHTS WERE NOT WORKING AND ALSO NOT BEING ABLE TO GET MY HEADLIGHT TO WORK. WHAT IF BOTH HEADLIGHTS HAD GONE OUT WHILE I WAS DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED BECAUSE OF THIS MODULE. THIS SITUATION ALSO PUT ME AS CAR OWNER INTO THE POSITION OF NOT BEING ABLE TO FIX A SIMPLE HEADLIGHT PROBLEM AND TURNING IT INTO A MAJOR CAR REPAIR ($905.61 BILL). I FEEL THE USE OF MODULES TO CONTROL HEADLIGHT LIGHTING IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. IT SHOULD NOT COST NINE-HUNDRED DOLLARS TO FIX A HEADLIGHT PROBLEM. I FORESEE DOWN THE ROAD A WHOLE LOT VEHICLES WITH THESE MODULES HAVING NO LIGHTS. SO MUCH FOR THE MODERN ERA. GIVE ME THE OLD STYLE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WITH JUST WIRE AND FUZES. PART NO: FMC 7W1Z 13C788 A PROCESSOR - LIGHTING. *TR

THE PASSIVE RESTRAINT INDICATOR LIGHT (SHOWS AN AIRBAG AND SEATBELT), ALSO CALLED SEATBELT RETRACTOR, CAME ON AND REMAINED ON WITH AN AUDIBLE ALARM (5 BEEPS, 5 TIMES) REPEATING EVERY 30 MINUTES. THE PROBLEM DIAGNOSIS WAS FOR THE LEFT FRONT SEAT BELT PRETENSIONER ( DRIVER'S SIDE). A LINCOLN DEALER SERVICE EMPLOYEE SAID THE AIRBAG WILL NOT WORK WITH THIS PROBLEM. AT ANOTHER LINCOLN DEALERSHIP I WAS TOLD MANY 2006 TOWNCARS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. IT STARTED BEEPING AT 122,000 MILES AND I WAS NOT INVOLVED IN A CRASH. A FORD EMPLOYEE TOLD ME LAST YEAR'S SUPPLIER WENT OUT OF BUSINESS, SO THEY HAD TO CHANGE THE MANUFACTURER FOR THE NEW PART. THE PRICE WENT FROM $150.00 FOR THE PRETENSIONER TO $360.00 FOR THE KIT (FROM THE NEW MANUFACTURER), WHICH IS THE ONLY THING YOU CAN GET TO FIX THE PROBLEM, EVEN THOUGH YOU DON'T NEED A NEW SEAT BELT, BUCKLE, ETC. BECAUSE OF THE ADDITIONAL INSTALLATION COSTS ($200.00 TO $330.00), MANY PEOPLE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO AFFORD THE FIX, PUTTING THEIR LIVES AT RISK AS WELL AS THEIR PASSENGER'S. *TT

THE PASSIVE RESTRAINT INDICATOR LIGHT (SHOWS AN AIRBAG AND SEATBELT), ALSO CALLED SEATBELT RETRACTOR, CAME ON AND REMAINED ON WITH AN AUDIBLE ALARM (5 BEEPS, 5 TIMES) REPEATING EVERY 30 MINUTES. THE PROBLEM DIAGNOSIS WAS FOR THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT BELT PRETENSIONER (PASSENGER SIDE). A LINCOLN DEALER SERVICE EMPLOYEE SAID THE AIRBAG WILL NOT WORK WITH THIS PROBLEM. AT ANOTHER LINCOLN DEALERSHIP I WAS TOLD MANY 2006 TOWNCARS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM, BUT ON THE DRIVER? SIDE, MINE IS ON THE PASSENGER. THE PROBLEM STARTED AROUND 114,000 MILES, MY CAR IS NOW ABOUT 117,000 MILES. AND I WAS NOT INVOLVED IN A CRASH. A FORD EMPLOYEE TOLD ME LAST YEAR?S SUPPLIER WENT OUT OF BUSINESS, SO THEY HAD TO CHANGE THE MANUFACTURER FOR THE NEW PART. THE PRICE WENT FROM $150.00 FOR THE PRETENSIONER TO $360.00 FOR THE KIT (FROM THE NEW MANUFACTURER), THE ONLY THING YOU CAN GET TO FIX THE PROBLEM, EVEN THOUGH YOU DON?T NEED A NEW SEAT BELT, BUCKLE, ETC?. BECAUSE OF THE ADDITIONAL INSTALLATION COSTS ($200.00 TO $330.00), MANY PEOPLE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO AFFORD THE FIX. IN MY SITUATION, NEITHER LINCOLN, NOR FORD WERE ABLE TO GET MY PART. IT IS NOT BECAUSE MY PART WAS THE WRONG NUMBER, IT IS BECAUSE THE PART IN THE BOX WAS THE WRONG PART. WE ARE SUPPOSED TO GET NUMBER FIVE, I BELIEVE, TOMORROW, 5/15/12. *JS

THIS WAS A CONTINUOUS COMPLAINING THAT THE INTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATION DURING THE DAYLIGHTWAS NOT BRIGHT ENOUGH. THIS GOT WORSE WHEN A HIGHWAY SUCH AS IN ARIZONA OR CALIFORNIAWAS DESIGNATED A SAFETY SECTION AND REQIUIRED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS MUST BE ON. THEN THE PANEL WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE. THISWAS DANGEROUS AS IT TOOK ATTENTION AWAY FROM THE ROAD MANY TIMES. THE DEALER STATED THAT WAS THE WAY ITWAS BUILT, BUT CANNOT LINCOLN COME UP WITH A RETROFIT FIX? THEIR ENGINEERS SHOULD TAKE A RIDE IN A LATE MODEL HONDA ACCORD TO SEE WHAT THE PANEL SHOULD LOOK LIKE IN THE DAYLIGHT.*AK