NHTSA Complaint #10138223 — 1991 LINCOLN TOWN CAR

DT: THE CONTACT STATED 1991 LINCOLN TOWN CAR HAD ONLY 17,000 MILES ON IT. ON 8-25-05 HE FELT LIKE HIS BRAKES WERE LOW. HE WENT TO HAVE THEM INSPECTED AND THE CAR PASSED THE INSPECTION, BUT HE HAD THE BRAKES CHANGED ANYWAY. HE SMELLED THE BRAKES BURNING THAT DAY AS HE WAS DRIVING HOME FROM THE GARAGE. HE PARKED THE CAR IN THE GARAGE ,AND DID NOT DRIVE THE CAR UNTIL ABOUT A MONTH LATER WHEN HE SMELLED WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS THE BRAKES BURNING AGAIN. WHEN HE GOT IN TO DRIVEWAY, HE SAW FIRE UNDER THE WHEELS. HE PUT THE FIRE OUT WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER. HAD HE NOT HAD THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER THE CAR WOULD HAVE BLOWN UP. THE GARAGE THAT FIXED THE BRAKES SAID THE CALIPER HUNG UP AND THAT WAS WHY THE FIRE HAPPENED. ALSO, THE CONSUMER THOUGHT THIS MAY BE A DEFECT IN THE DESIGN OF THE BRAKES THAT WOULD CAUSE THE CAR TO CATCH ON FIRE OR DID NOT FIX THE BRAKES PROPERLY. HE CALLED FORD, AND THEY TOLD HIM THAT WITHOUT A WARRANTY THEY DID NOT KNOW WHAT THEY COULD DO, AND THEN THEY TOLD HIM THEY WOULD SUBMIT HIS COMPLAINT TO THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT. THE CONTACT WAS NOT SURE IF THE CAR HAD ABS BRAKES BECAUSE THE CAR WAS A 1991 MODEL. HE THOUGHT IT DID BUT WAS NOT SURE. HE WAS THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THE CAR. *AK