NHTSA Complaint #10280857 — 2009 FORD F-150

I HAVE HAD NO ANSWER TO MY CONCERN. I PURCHASED A NEW 2009 FORD XLT FOUR DOOR EXTENDED CAB PICKUP IN FEBRUARY. IN APRIL 2009, I NOTICED THAT THE INSIDE DASH LIGHTS (GAUGES, SPEEDOMETER, ETC.) CAME ON ONLY WHEN IT WAS VERY DARK OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE. THIS IS TRUE WHETHER THE LIGHT SWITCH IS IN THE MANUAL OR THE AUTOMATIC POSITION. THE DASH LIGHTS WILL NOT RESPOND WHEN THE HEADLIGHTS ARE ILLUMINATED IN THE MANUAL OR AUTOMATIC POSITION UNLESS IT IS VERY DARK OUTSIDE OR YOU PLACE YOUR FINGER OVER THE ELECTRIC EYE. THE FORD DEALER FROM WHOM I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AGREED THAT THE DASH LIGHTS SHOULD ILLUMINATE WHENEVER THE HEADLIGHTS ARE ON AND KEPT THE VEHICLE FOR FIVE DAYS TRYING TO FIND THE PROBLEM. THEY FINALLY GOT HOLD OF THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY HOT LINE AND WERE TOLD THAT THE CURRENT LIGHTING SYSTEM FOR THIS VEHICLE IS A RESULT OF A PROGRAMMING CHANGE MADE BY THE COMPANY FOR 2009. I WAS INFORMED THAT THE ONLY SOLUTION TO MY CONCERN WOULD RESULT AS A PROBABLE RECALL FOR ALL OF THE VEHICLES TO FIX THE PROBLEM. IN LATE MAY 2009, I CALLED THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY'S RELATIONSHIP CENTER AND RELATED THE ABOVE-STATED CONCERN. THE REPRESENTATIVE WAS VERY ATTENTIVE AND COURTEOUS AND INDICATED THAT HE WOULD FORWARD THIS INFORMATION TO APPROPRIATE DEPARTMENTS WITHIN THE FORD ORGANIZATION. HOWEVER, HE DID NOT FEEL THAT I WOULD BE GETTING ANY RESPONSES. I UNDERSTAND THE YOUNG MAN'S DILEMMA (IT'S A TECHNICAL PROBLEM WHICH NEEDS A TECHNICAL INPUT). I AM STILL WONDERING WHETHER A FORD COMPANY PROGRAMMING CHANGE IS THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM OR IF MY CONCERN IS JUSTIFIED. I BELIEVE THERE ARE SOME SAFETY ISSUES TO BE ADDRESSED, I.E. SHOULDN'T YOU BE ABLE TO TELL IF YOUR HEADLIGHTS ARE ON BY GLANCING AT YOUR DASH LIGHTS DURING DAYLIGHT STORM CONDITIONS? *TR