1998 Ford Crown Victoria headlight problems

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

WE BOUGHT OUR 1998 CROWN VICTORIA USED IN 2001. AT THE TIME OF THE SALE I WAS ASKED IF THERE WAS ANY PROBLEM WITH THE CAR, AND AT THAT TIME I SHOWED THEM THAT THE HEADLIGHTS HAD A HEAVY FILM THAT CAUSED VERY LITTLE LIGHT TO COME THROUGH. I ASKED THEM ABOUT REPLACING THE HEADLIGHTS AND THE DEALER WENT INTO THE OFFICE AND CAME BACK WITH "NO"...BUT THEY WOULD CLEAN THE OUTSIDE OF THE GLASS FOR ME. I DON'T KNOW WHAT PRODUCT THEY USED BUT IT LOOKED OKAY FOR RIGHT THEN. IT DIDN'T LAST AND I BROUGHT THE CAR BACK IN AND THEY STILL REFUSED TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I FEEL THAT THE LENS ON THE HEADLIGHTS HAVE A LEAK IN THE SEALS, SO THE CALCIUM BUILDS UP, OVER A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME,ON THE INSIDE OF THE HEADLIGHT GLASS. IT CAUSES US TO TRAVEL AT NIGHT WITH VERY DIM LOOKING HEADLIGHTS. SINCE WE'VE HAD THIS PROBLEM, I HAVE BEEN NOTICING THE DIFFERENT VEHICLES THAT HAD THE SAME THING WITH THEIR HEADLIGHTS....AND GUESS WHAT----THEY WERE ALL FORD CARS ; AND I DON'T PARTICULARLY KNOW THE 100'S OF DIFFERENT CARS AND MODELS THAT TRAVEL THE ROADS THESE DAYS...SO I HAVE TO ACTUALLY READ "FORD" ON THE CAR IN ORDER TO KNOW IT IS ONE. AS TIME WENT ON AND I TRAVELED UP AND DOWN THE STATE OF CA. I WAS AMAZED AT EACH CAR I SAW WITH HEAVY COATED HEADLIGHTS WAS A FORD...I THINK FORD DEFINITELY HAS A PROBLEM BUT THE DIFFERENT DEALERSHIPS ARE IGNORING THE PROBLEM AND MAKING THE BUYERS LIVE WITH THE PROBLEM INSTEAD OF SOLVING IT.

NHTSA complaint #10210978 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

DT: HEADLIGHTS LENS FOGS UP AND OWNER CAN'T SEE IN THE DARK. HAPPENS ALL THE TIME. THE LENS IS ALSO DISCOLORED. HAS BEEN LIKE THIS SINCE PURCHASE OF VEHILCE.

NHTSA complaint #10124919 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

CONSUMER NOTICED EXCESSIVE MOISTURE IN THE HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY. THIS CAUSED POOR VISIBILITY TO THE DRIVER WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE CAUSE HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED. AK

NHTSA complaint #10109002 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

EXCESSIVE MOISTURE IN THE HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY, BOTH RIGHT & LEFT. ALWAYS DRIVE WITH BRIGHT ON. NO ONE CAN TELL. WILL HAVE TO INSTALL ADDITIONAL LIGHTS BECAUSE OF SUCH POOR VISION OF THE ROAD. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR NEW.

NHTSA complaint #10098758 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

FRONT HEADLIGHTS - SINCE PURCHASING THE FORD HAD HEADLIGHTS REPLACED TWICE, POOR VISIBILITY, ALWAYS HAVE THE "BRIGHTS ONE" AND THE VIEW OF THE ROAD IS DANGEROUS. THE LEN'S FOG-UP THEREFORE DEFUSING THE CANDLEPOWER. BRIGHTER BULBS CANT' BE USED BECAUSE THE HEAT WOULD DAMAGE THE LENS AND WIREING. IT'S BEEN AN ON GOING PROBLEM SINCE I BOUGHT THE FORD CROWN VICTORIA, 1998.

NHTSA complaint #10088431 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH

MY CROWN VIC HAS 43759 MILES ON IT. WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT NIGHT THE LIGHTS TURNED OFF (APPROXIMATELY 1.5 SECONDS)-FLASHED ON-FLASHED OFF. I TOOK THE BRIGHT LIGHTS OFF & IT QUIT TURNING OFF. I KEPT THE BRIGHTS OFF THE REST OF THAT TRIP BUT COULD STILL SMELL AN PLASTIC BURNING SMELL IN THE CAR WHEN THE LIGHTS WERE ON. I TOOK MY CAR TO THE FORD DEALER ABOUT 12-4-2003 AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS A LIGHT CONTROL MODULE--THEN THEY TOLD ME IT WAS BACK-ORDERED NATIONALLY AND WOULD BE 2 WEEKS BEFORE IT CAME IN. I CALLED 12-26-2003 & IT IS STILL ON BACK ORDER.

NHTSA complaint #10051117 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:CONCEALMENT DEVICES

MOISTURE WAS INSIDE THE HEADLIGHT LENSES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER DURING THE WARRANTY PERIOD FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. THE LENSES WERE REPLACED, BUT THE DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE HOW THE MOISTURE WAS GETTING INTO THE LENSES. *JB RECENTLY, THE SAME PROBLEM DEVELOPED. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER AND THEY REFUSED SERVICE BECAUSE THE WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED. SCC

NHTSA complaint #10017319 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TURN SIGNAL:SWITCH

FIRST FAILURE WAS WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON BY THEMSELVES (7/99), SECOND WAS HEADLIGHTS FAILED WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, TWO TIMES (10/99), THIRD WAS WINDSHIELD WIPERS AGAIN AND RAPID TURNSIGNAL FLASHING (06/01), FOURTH WAS RAPID TURNSIGNAL FLASHING (8/01). ON EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THESE OCCASIONS THEY REPLACED THE "MULTI FUNCTION SWITCH" PART NO. FMC YW3Z 13K359 AB. THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS OTHER OCCASIONS WHERE WE HAVE TAKEN THIS CAR TO THE DEALER FOR THESE PROBLEMS AND THE DEALER RETURNED THE CAR WITH "NO PROBLEM FOUND". IT IS NOW MAY 2002 AND GUESS WHAT?! WE HAVE A FIFTH FAILURE, RAPID TURNSIGNAL FLASHING. WHATS NEXT? ARE MY HEADLIGHTS GOING TO FAIL AGAIN? ARE MY WINDSHIELD WIPERS GOING TO SUDDENLY NOT WORK WHEN I NEED THEM? THIS IS OUR FAMILY CAR THAT WE TAKE TO SOCCER GAMES, GIRLS SCOUTS, BOY SCOUTS, BASEBALL, GYMNASTICS. DO I FEEL SAFE IN THIS CAR? NOT WHERE THE ELECTICAL SYSTEM IS INVOLVED, AND DOES THAT INCLUDE MY AIRBAGS? I SURE HOPE MY SEATBELTS DON'T FAIL ME IF I NEED THEM! I CONTACTED FORD DIRECTLY, TWICE! AT THIS TIME THEY DON'T SEEM TO CARE!

NHTSA complaint #762468 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

INTERIOR LIGHTING

THE HEADLIGHTS AND DASHBOARD LIGHTS START FLASHING ON AND OFF JUST LIKE THE HAZARD LIGHTS. I WAS USING THE AUTOMATIC FEATURE FOR THE HEADLIGHTS THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED THEN TRIED TO CONTROL THEM WITH THE MANUAL SWITCH TO NO AVAIL. I USED ONLY THE MANUAL FEATURE FOR A FEW DAYS AND DID NOT HAVE A PROBLEM. AFTER ABOUT A WEEK , I WAS COMING HOME A NIGHT AND AFTER HAVING THE LIGHTS ON FOR ABOUT AN HOUR THEY STARTED FLASHING AGAIN. TO GET HOME I WOULD TURN OFF THE HEADLIGHTS THEN WOULD SWITCH ON HAZARD LIGHTS FOR ABOUT A MINUTE THEN I COULD TURN THE HEADLIGHTS ON AND THEY WORKED FOR ABOUT FIVE MINUTES BUT WOULD START FLASHING AGAIN. I WOULD REPEAT PROCEDURE AND DROVE THE 25 MILES TO MY HOME. I CONTACTED TEXAN FORD WHO TOLD ME THEY WOULD HAVE TO KEEP MY CAR FOR 2-3 DAYS TO TRY TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM BEFORE THEY COULD FIX IT. THEY LED ME TO BELEIVE THAT THEY HAD NOT EVEN HEARD OF THIS KIND OF PROBLEM. I WENT BY A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY HAD A PROBLEM LIKE THAT RECENTLY AND FOUND IT TO BE IN HEADLIGHT MODULE. I CONTACTED FORD MOTOR COMPANY CUSTOMER LINE TODAY AND WAS TOLD AFTER CHECKING THEIR RECORDS THAT NO COMPLAINTS OF THIS NATURE HAD EVER BEEN REPORTED TO THEM. THEY ADVISED ME TO LEAVE MY CAR WITH TEXAN FORD FOR THEM TO FIND TROUBLE. WHAT MUST HAPPEN OR HOW MANY DEATHS MUST OCCUR BEFORE THEY WILL BE TRUTHFUL ABOUT HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THEIR HEADLIGHT MODULE. PLEASE ADVISE.

NHTSA complaint #761931 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH

WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHTHEADLIGHTS SUDDENLY WENT OUT WITHOUT WARNING. CONTACTED INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. WAS INFORMED COPPER SWITCH HAD OVERHEATED AND WAS CAUSE OF PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #8002185 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

ALL EXTERIOR LIGHTS WENT OFF AND THEN FLASHED BACK ON WHILE DRIVING, UNABLE TO DETERMINE REASON FOR INTERMITTENT FAILURE. MJS

NHTSA complaint #548407 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:HIGH/LOW BEAM DIMMER SWITCH

WHEN TURNING HEADLIGHTS ON HIGH BEAMS, THE LOW BEAMS GO OFF. THE PROBLEM WAS REPORTED TO DEALERSHIP. DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS MADE THIS WAY. THE ONLY WAY THAT HIGH AND LOW BEAMS CAN BE USED AT THE SAME TIME IS TO HOLD THE FLASHER SWITCH IN THE FLASHER POSITION. THIS MEANS HOLDING THE TURN SIGNAL LEVER IN THE FLASHE POSITION WITH ONE HAND EHILE TRYING TO DRIVE WITH THE OTHER.

NHTSA complaint #836272 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

THIS VEHICLE IS A FINE AUTOMOBILE, BUT IT HAS ONE GLARING DESIGN DEFECT. THE HEADLIGHT LOW BEAMS ARE SHUT OFF WHEN THE HIGH BEAMS ARE TURNED ON. I DISCOVERED THIS A WEEK AGO WHEN ON A VERY DARK COUNTRY ROAD. IN A 55 MPH ZONE 25 MPH WAS A MORE APPROPRIATE SPEED. WHEN THE HIGHBEAMS ONLY WERE ON I COULDN'T SEE DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE AND WITH LOWBEAMS ONLY, I COULDN'T SEE ANYTHING DISTANT. I DID FIND OUT THAT I COULD HOLD THE HIGHBEAM FLASHER IN THE UP POSSITION AND KEEP BOTH BEAMS ON WHICH ISN'T TOO SAFE DRIVING WITH ONE HAND. THIS CAN ONLY BE CALLED A VERY STUPID PIECE OF ENGINEERING. IT IS ALSO MY UNDERSTANDING THAT QUITE A FEW OF THE NEWER VEHICLES ARE BUILT THIS WAY. IT IS A VERY REAL SAFETY HAZZARD WHEN DRIVING DARK ROADS AS I FOUND OUT. I ACTUALLY THOUGHT THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE HEADLIGHTS AND WENT TO THE DEALER WHERE I FOUND OUT THAT THE CROWN VICTORIA IS ACTUALLY BUILT THAT WAY. EXCEPT FOR THE HEADLIGHTS IT IS A GREAT CAR. IF EVERY VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN ONLY ON WELL LIGHTED HIGHWAYS THIS WOULD NOT BE A PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #702044 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

INTERIOR LIGHTING

DOME LIGHT SWITCH DESIGN IS VERY OBSTRUCTIVE TO DRIVER'S OPERATION AND VIEWING, CAN ONLY BE ACTIVATED BY DRIVER DUE TO LOCATION.

NHTSA complaint #533512 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.