NHTSA Complaint #10283886 — 2004 LINCOLN AVIATOR

EARLY THIS MORNING WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY IN OUR 2004 LINCOLN AVIATOR. THERE WAS A MODERATE RAIN FALL AND ZERO NATURAL LIGHT WAS AVAILABLE. WITHOUT WARNING, THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, INCLUDING THE HEADLIGHTS, IN THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF. I WAS TRAVELING AT APPROX. 70 MPH AND WAS CARRYING A TOTAL OF SEVEN PEOPLE. UNABLE TO SEE, I DROVE OFF THE ROAD AND WAS HORRIFIED TO DISCOVER THAT I ALMOST RAN INTO THE GUARD RAIL. WHILE THIS SITUATION DID NOT RESULT IN ANY DAMAGE OR FATALITIES, THIS COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN A DISASTER RESULTING IN MULTIPLE DEATHS. I SPOKE TO THE LOCAL LINCOLN DEALERSHIP WHO TO MY SURPRISE, INDICATED THAT HE WAS AWARE OF SIMILAR BEHAVIOR ON A SIMILAR FORD VEHICLE. APPARENTLY, A LEAK IN THE WINDSHIELD SEAL CAN DIRECT WATER INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND INTO THE PRIMARY ELECTRONIC CONTROL COMPUTER. I AM TAKING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION, HOWEVER, THIS PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT AND WILL THEREFORE BE VERY DIFFICULT TO DIAGNOSE. THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED ANOTHER TIME A FEW MONTHS BACK, BUT THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM CAME RIGHT BACK ON SO WE DID NOT ATTEMPT TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. I AM PARTICULARLY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE IT COULD HAVE BEEN THE CAUSE OF MULTIPLE FATALITIES AND THE CAUSE COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN ATTRIBUTED TO MY FALLING ASLEEP AT THE WHEEL. PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS IMPORTANT PROBLEM. THANK YOU. *TR