NHTSA Complaint #10283656 — 2000 MERCURY COUGAR

THE LIGHTS ON THE INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR OF MY CAR HAVE BEEN FLICKERING SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR FROM AN INDIVIDUAL A FEW YEARS AGO. LAST WEEK I SMELLED BURNING WIRES WHILE DRIVING AND ME AND MY HUSBAND PULLED OFF THE ROAD AND HE INVESTIGATED THE PROBLEM AS TO WHERE THE SMELL WAS COMING FROM. HE NOTICED THE BATTERY CABLES WERE HOT AND MELTED INSULATION ON THEM AT THE BATTERY POSTS. NOW INSTEAD OF A FLICKERING ALTERNATOR LIGHT,HEADLIGHTS,AND DASH LIGHTS, I HAVE AN ALTERNATOR LIGHT THAT STAYS ON AND EVERYTHING ELSE IS STILL FLICKERING. WE TOOK THE CAR TO A MECHANIC BECAUSE THE CAR QUIT RUNNING,APPARENTLY BECAUSE THE BATTERY WENT DEAD. THEY REPLACED THE BATTERY AND THE ALTERNATOR WHICH COST ME 320.00. I STILL HAVE FLICKERING LIGHTS AND THE ALTERNATOR LIGHT IS STILL ON. I TOOK IT TO HAVE THE ALTERNATOR CHECKED EVEN THOUGH IT WAS BRAND NEW,JUST TO BE SURE AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A WIRING PROBLEM,THAT THE CHARGE FROM THE ALTERNATOR WAS NOT GETTING BACK TO THE BATTERY. ALL FUSES WERE CHECKED AND TO MY UNDERSTANDING MY CAR IS NOT INVOLVED IN ANY RECALLS ACCORDING TO THE VIN I FURNISHED FORD. I WANT THIS FIXED ,AND I SEE ON ALL THE RESEARCH I HAVE DONE CHECKING THE WEB FOR SIMILAR PROBLEMS,THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY MERCURY COUGAR OWNER OF THIS YEAR MODEL THAT CAN'T SEEM TO GET ANY HELP WITH AN APPARENT SAFETY ISSUE. ALSO I HAVE A SUNROOF THAT HAS TO BE TAPED DOWN TO KEEP IT FROM BLOWING OUT OF THE CAR AND LEAKS WHEN IT RAINS IF IT DOESN'T HAVE TAPE ON THE SEAMS. *TR