NHTSA Complaint #10247460 — 2006 FORD FIVE HUNDRED

LOW BEAM HEADLAMP SOCKET ON THE DRIVERS SIDE FAILED. ONE OF THE SOCKET CONTACTS SHOWED EVIDENCE OF A CATASTROPHIC ELECTRICAL FAILURE - LOOKS LIKE SEVERE ARCING, BURNED PLASTIC, BROKEN SOCKET SHELL AND BADLY BURNED PIN IN THE LAMP. THE LAMP ITSELF IS STILL O.K., EXCEPT FOR THE BADLY BURNED PIN. ABOUT A WEEK AND A HALF LATER THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO THE LOW BEAM LAMP ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. SAME DAMAGE TO THE SAME PIN IN THE SOCKET. THAT LAMP IS ALSO O.K. EXCEPT FOR THE BURNED PIN. THIS WOULD APPEAR TO BE A PROBLEM WITH THE SOCKETS/VEHICLE WIRING, NOT THE LAMPS. THESE LAMPS ARE MOUNTED QUITE HIGH AND ARE REASONABLY WELL PROTECTED SO IT IS UNLIKELY THAT THIS IS A MOISTURE PROBLEM. THE COST OF THE REPLACEMENT SOCKET FROM FORD IS SIMPLY OUTRAGEOUS! DEALER SAYS THIS IS THE FIRST CASE THEY'VE SEEN OF THIS HAPPENING - BUT I HEARD THE SAME THING WHEN I HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE REAR BRAKES AND I NOW KNOW THAT CERTAINLY WASN'T TRUE! HAS ANYONE ELSE HAD THIS PROBLEM? *TR