NHTSA Complaint #10469449 — 2006 LINCOLN TOWN CAR

ON THE PREVIOUS DAY I HAD REPLACED THE LEFT SIDE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT BULB TWICE WHICH DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A SIMPLE FIX FOR A BURNT OUT BULB. TURNS OUT THE ORIGIONAL BULB WAS NOT BAD AT ALL. TOOK CAR TO DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC CHECK. PROBLEM TURNED OUT TO BE A LIGHTING MODULE ($659.25 PART) NOT REPAIRABLE, THAT HAD TO BE PROGRAMED ($239.63 FEE) BY DEALER BEFORE BEING REINSTALLED. THIS MODULE ALSO AFFECTED MY BRAKE LIGHTS WHICH I WAS TOLD WERE NOT WORKING. IF I HAD BEEN OUT ON THE ROAD WHEN THIS OCCURED INSTEAD OF MY LOCAL TRAFFIC AREA I THINK IT COULD HAVE BEEN A SAFETY ISSUE. I FEEL THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN A SAFETY SITUATION SINCE I NEVER KNEW MY BRAKE LIGHTS WERE NOT WORKING AND ALSO NOT BEING ABLE TO GET MY HEADLIGHT TO WORK. WHAT IF BOTH HEADLIGHTS HAD GONE OUT WHILE I WAS DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED BECAUSE OF THIS MODULE. THIS SITUATION ALSO PUT ME AS CAR OWNER INTO THE POSITION OF NOT BEING ABLE TO FIX A SIMPLE HEADLIGHT PROBLEM AND TURNING IT INTO A MAJOR CAR REPAIR ($905.61 BILL). I FEEL THE USE OF MODULES TO CONTROL HEADLIGHT LIGHTING IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. IT SHOULD NOT COST NINE-HUNDRED DOLLARS TO FIX A HEADLIGHT PROBLEM. I FORESEE DOWN THE ROAD A WHOLE LOT VEHICLES WITH THESE MODULES HAVING NO LIGHTS. SO MUCH FOR THE MODERN ERA. GIVE ME THE OLD STYLE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WITH JUST WIRE AND FUZES. PART NO: FMC 7W1Z 13C788 A PROCESSOR - LIGHTING. *TR