NHTSA Complaint #10607048 — 1997 FORD EXPLORER

THE 1997 FORD EXPLORER 4D EDDIE BAUER EDITION HAS A COMPUTER CONTROLLED MESSAGE CENTER. THE MESSAGE CENTER CONTROLS AMONG OTHER THINGS THE VEHICLE HEADLIGHTS AND FOG LAMPS. THE LIGHT OUT MODULE (LOM) ALSO KNOWN AS THE INDICATOR WARNING SYSTEM CONTROL IS LOCATED INSIDE THE MESSAGE CENTER CONSOLE AND RUNS "HOT" IN TEMPERATURE BECAUSE OF A FLAWED DESIGN. THE CURRENT DESIGN LEADS TO INTERNAL ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURES THAT RESULT IN A LOSS OF THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS. THE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO NOTIFY THE DRIVER OF A HEADLIGHT OR LAMP FAILURE, ETC, HOWEVER, THE FAILURE OF THE NOTIFICATION SYSTEM CAUSES THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS (AND FOG LAMPS AS THEY ARE ON THE SAME CIRCUIT) TO FAIL. ON JUNE 25, 2014, THE SECOND FAILURE OF THE SYSTEM OCCURRED (WE ARE THE ORIGINAL OWNERS AND HAVE PREVIOUSLY REPLACED THE INDICATOR WARNING SYSTEM CONTROL OR LIGHT OUT MODULE (LOM) AT GREAT EXPENSE). FORD MOTOR COMPANY MUST RECALL THE 1997 FORD EXPLORER EDDIE BAUER EDITION AND ANY OTHER LIKE DESIGNED FORD PRODUCT WITH A LIGHT OUT MODULE (LOM) THAT FAILS LEAVING THE DRIVER WITHOUT LOW BEAMS AND NO MEANS OF FIXING THE SAID DEFECT WITHOUT AN AUTHORIZED FORD DEALER'S REPAIR (AT GREAT EXPENSE) THAT IS LIFE THREATENING IN THE INTERIM. SUCH REPAIRS ARE NOT POSSIBLE IF ON AN EXTENDED TRIP IN RURAL SETTINGS. THE ABSENCE OF LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS AFTER SUNSET AND BEFORE SUNRISE IS LIFE THREATENING AND UNACCEPTABLE TO THE OCCUPANTS OF A 1997 FORD EXPLORER AS WELL AS TO PEDESTRIANS AND OTHER VEHICLES WHO CANNOT SEE THE FORD EXPLORER OPERATING WITHOUT HEADLIGHTS. THE CORRECTIVE SOLUTION NEEDS A VENTING SYSTEM SUCH THAT THE MESSAGE CENTER DOES NOT CONTINUALLY MELT THE INDICATOR WARNING SYSTEM CONTROL OR LIGHT OUT MODULE (LOM). THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND FOR YOUR PROMPT ATTENTION TO THIS DEFECT REQUIRING A CORRECTIVE RECALL. *TR