NHTSA Complaint #10545477 — 2006 MERCURY MONTEGO

WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, SUDDENLY THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER GAUGES STOPPED WORKING AND WHEN TO ZERO VALUE. THEY FLICKERED MOMENTARILY AND CONTINUED THIS FOR ABOUT 1 MINUTE WHILE DRIVING. THE APPEARED TO HAVE RESET THEMSELVES. HOWEVER, TWO DAYS AFTER THE INITIAL INCIDENT THE GAUGES STOPPED WORKING AGAIN, AND HAVE CONTINUED TO NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY. THE MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE (I ALMOST GOT INTO AN ACCIDENT) IS THAT WHEN THE GAUGES DON'T WORK, THE REVERSE LIGHTS COME ON. THIS MAKES OTHER DRIVERS THINK I AM REVERSING WHEN I AM NOT. I HAVE DONE ADDITIONAL ONLINE RESEARCH AND FOUND A SERVICE BULLETIN PUBLISHED BY FORD INDICATING THIS IS AN ISSUE WITH THESE MODELS. *JS