NHTSA Complaint #10166609 — 1988 FORD MUSTANG

IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE IGNITION SWITCH WAS RECALLED AND REPLACED DURING NHTSA CAMPAIGN 96V071000. FORD PART #F29A-11572-DA. WIRING HARNESS END WAS ALSO REPAIRED DUE TO MELTING DURING OVERHEATING OF TERMINALS. THE SWITCH THAT WAS REPLACED DID NOT MELT OR FAIL INTERNALLY, BUT BECAME SEPARATED. THE ORIGINAL SWITCH AS WELL AS THE REPLACEMENT SWITCH IS MADE OF PLASTIC AND A LIGHT DUTY WHITE METAL THAT ARE CRIMPED ON THE ENDS TO CLOSE THE SWITCH. I FOUND THAT THE OLD SWITCH AS WELL AS THE NEW FAULTY SWITCH, BECAME SEPARATED. THE END CRIMPS SLOWLY BEND OPEN AND THE TOP OF THE SWITCH PUSHES AWAY FROM THE BASE. THIS SEPARATION SEEMS TO BE CAUSED BY THE INTERNAL SPRING PRESSURE ON THE SWITCH PLATES PUSHING ON THE BATTERY SIDE. THE METAL CRIMPS ARE NOT ABLE TO HOLD THE SWITCH CLOSED. THERE IS NO OTHER MECHANICAL FASTENERS HOLDING THIS SWITCH TOGETHER. THE INCREASED GAP BETWEEN THE CONTACT PLATES CAUSES AN OVERHEATING OF THE SWITCH, PRIMARILY AT THE BATTERY CONNECTORS, MELTING THE SWITCH AND HARNESS ASSEMBLY. MY FIRST SWITCH ONLY CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE HARNESS AND WIRES. BECAUSE I CHECKED INTO THE SMELL OF BURNING INSULATION IN THE COLUMN I DID NOT EXPERIENCE A FIRE OR SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THIS TIME, I DID NOT SMELL ANYTHING, BUT LOST POWER TO MY TURN SIGNALS WHILE DRIVING THE CAR ON THE ROAD. WHEN I TRACED THE POWER LOSS I CAME TO THE IGNITION SWITCH AND FOUND THE HARNESS MELTING AGAIN AND THE SWITCH NEARLY SPLITTING IN HALF WHEN IT WAS UNBOLTED FROM THE COLUMN. AGAIN THE SWITCH OPENED UP AS THE METAL BASE GAVE WAY. *JB