NHTSA Complaint #10294184 — 2008 FORD EDGE

DASH CLUSTER (SPEEDOMETER) IS NOT VISIBLE DURING CERTAIN TIMES OF THE DAY WHILE DRIVING CREATING A SAFETY HAZARD. BACKGROUND ON VEHICLE CLUSTER IS SILVER AND THE ILLUMINATED NUMBERS ARE NEON GREEN. WHEN LIGHTS ARE REQUIRED FOR DRIVING DURING DUSK, THE NUMBERS DISAPPEAR FROM VIEW. THERE ARE TIMES THAT WE LEAVE OUR LIGHTS OFF WHEN THEY ARE NEEDED BECAUSE IT IS EASIER TO SEE THE DASH INSTRUMENTS. IF WE TURNED ON THE LIGHTS, THE NUMBERS WOULD DISAPPEAR AND WE WOULDN'T KNOW HOW FAST WE WERE TRAVELING. EVEN DURING NIGHT DRIVING THE NUMBERS ARE ONLY SOFTLY ILLUMINATED. BROUGHT BACK TO DEALER THREE TIMES TO HAVE THIS CORRECTED BUT THEY SAY THEY CANNOT TOUCH THE ODOMETER AREA OR CHANGE THE COLOR DUE TO FEDERAL REGULATIONS. THEY SAY THAT THE PART MUST MATCH THE ORIGINAL VIN NUMBER. WE FEEL IT IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. OUR DEALER IS WILLING TO WORK WITH US BUT FORD WILL NOT. THE CAR IS BRAND NEW (ONLY 6,000 MILES ON IT). AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH WE HAVE FOUND THAT THERE ARE THREE DIFFERENT DASH CLUSTERS FOR THIS VEHICLE. ALL WE WANT IS ONE THAT IMPROVES OUR SAFETY AND HAS BETTER VISIBILITY. *TR