NHTSA Complaint #10419862 — 1996 LINCOLN TOWN CAR ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Complaint Details

ODI Number	10419862
Vehicle	1996 LINCOLN TOWN CAR
Component	ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Date of Incident	August 4, 2011
Date Filed	August 17, 2011
Mileage	120,000 miles
Crash	No
Fire	No
Injuries	0
Deaths	0
Vehicle Towed	No
State	MD

Consumer Description

HEADLIGHTS AND DASH PANEL CUT OFF INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING ON SMOOTH PAVEMENT FOR PAST 10 YEARS. I HAVE HAD DEALERSHIP EXPERIENCE THIS BUT THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY PROBLEM. ALSO, THE SPEEDOMETER SHOWS CAR SPEED AT 100 OR MORE MPH WHEN STARTING CAR BUT GOES TO NORMAL WHEN MOVING. I JUST REPLACED THE MOTORCRAFT ALTERNATOR WITH A REBUILD VERSION AND THE SPEEDOMETER PROBLEM IS GONE. CAN'T BE SURE THAT THE HEADLIGHT ISSUE IS GONE TOO, BUT THIS SEEMS TO BE THE MAGIC FIX. I'M WONDERING IF A BATCH OF INTERMITTENTLY DEFECTIVE MOTORCRAFT ALTERNATORS WERE OEM SINCE THIS SEEMS TO BE A PROBLEM FOR OTHERS. IT IS VERY SCARY TO BE DRIVING 55 MPH AND HAVE THE HEADLIGHTS CUT OFF FOR A SHORT TIME. MONTHS GO BY AND NOTHING HAPPENS; THEN THERE IT IS AGAIN. I WAS THINKING THAT THE CAR WAS HAUNTED. I STILL HAVE THE OLD MOTORCRAFT ALTERNATOR BUT I WILL RETURN IT TO AUTOZONE TO GET MY CORE BACK UNLESS IT CAN BE USED TO DETERMINE IT IS DEFECTIVE. OVER THE YEARS I HAVE SPENT A LOT AT REPAIR SHOPS AND THE DEALERSHIP TRYING TO LOCATE THE CAUSE OF THIS. AT THE SUGGESTION OF THE DEALER SERVICE MANAGER, I REPLACED THE SPEED SENSOR TWICE OVER THE YEARS TO "FIX" THE ERRATIC SPEED AT STARTUP BUT WITHOUT ANY CHANGE. *KB

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#10203204 — September 17, 2007 — TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 LINCOLN TOWN CAR. WHEN DRIVING OVER AN HOUR AT NIGHT, THE EXTERIOR LIGHTS SHUT ON AND OFF...

#10135587 — August 31, 2005 — 1996 LINCOLN TOWN CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE RESULTING IN THE CONSUMER'S HOME CATCHING ON FIRE.*MR *NM

#10117861 — April 20, 2005 — 1996 LINCOLN TOWN CAR STEERING WENT OUT CAUSING CONSUMER TO RUN INTO A FENCE.*MR THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD TURN LEFT ...

#533691 — February 10, 1999 — ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE HORN PAD SWITCH AND WIPER SWITCH, WHILE IN FOR REPAIR VEHICLE FIRE DUE TO ELECTRICAL FAILURE.

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