NHTSA Complaint #10070362 — 1999 LINCOLN TOWN CAR

WE PURCHASED TWO NEW TOWNCARS FROM GERMAIN LINC.-MERC., NAPLES, FL, IN 1999 AND 2000 MY CAR'S,VIN [XXX], 1999 TOWN CAR, AND MY WIFE'S 2000 TOWN CAR, VIN [XXX]. MY FIRST COMPLAINT IS REGARDING MY CAR THAT DEVELOPED ELECTRONIC PROBLEMS RIGHT AFTER IT RAN OUT OF WARRANTY, AND NEEDED A $500 REPAIR. A WEEK LATER, IT DEVELOPED A LEAK, AND WAS REPAIRED AT $1000. IS THIS PLANNED OBSOLESCENCE? THIS WAS AT 56,000 MILES OF USE. SHOULDN'T THE DEALER CHECK BASIC SYSTEMS AND MAKE SURE THEY ARE WELL MAINTAINED? MY WIFE'S TOWNCAR HAS A FAR MORE SERIOUS AND HAZARDOUS HISTORY. SHE, ALONG WITH OUR GRANDSONS, EXPERIENCED A TIRE BLOWOUT AT 33,000 MILES. AFTER THE TIRE WAS CHANGED TO THE SPARE, SHE DROVE TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT BOTH REAR TIRES SHOULD BE REPLACED FOR SAFETY. SHE AGREED. WHEN SHE PICKED UP THE CAR, ALL 4 TIRES (!)HAD BEEN REPLACED AT THE COST OF $548. THERE WAS NO PRICE ADJUSTMENT FOR ANY OF THE 4 TIRES REMOVED. ON 12-23-02 (3 DAYS LATER) SHE REPORTED TO THE DEALER THAT THE BRAKES WERE NOISY (SQUEAKED). WHEN SHE GOT THE CAR, THE BILL FOR THE BRAKES WAS $420. WHEN DRIVING OUR 2 DAUGHTERS AND 2 GRANDSONS THE FOLLOWING DAY, THE BRAKES DID NOT HOLD, AND SHE WAS UNABLE TO STOP AT A RED LIGHT, NEARLY HITTING THE CAR IN FRONT OF HER. ONLY BY FORCED PUMPING WITH BOTH FEET, AND SWERVING INTO THE TURN LANE, DID SHE AVOID A CRASH. HAD CARS BEEN COMING IN THAT TURN LANE, ANY NUMBER OF PEOPLE, PARTICULARLY IN OUR FAMILY, COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. SHOULDN'T THE CUSTOMER "ADVISOR" ADVISE A MINOR BRAKE-PAD REPLACEMENT RATHER THAN WAIT FOR A MAJOR EXPENSIVE/DANGEROUS PROBLEM? WE STRONGLY DOUBT THAT WE WOULD CONSIDER ANOTHER FORD PRODUCT. THIS IS A SHORT HISTORY OF 2 REGULARLY-DEALER-MAINTAINED LUXURY CARS. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR