NHTSA Complaint #10626830 — 2010 LINCOLN MKZ

MKZ RIGHT SIDE OUTER LED TAILLIGHT ASSEMBLY IS DISPLAYING ALL THREE BANDS OF LED'S AT ALL TIMES, INSTEAD OF ONLY WHEN BRAKING. THE CORRECT DISPLAY WITHOUT BRAKING IS ONLY THE CENTER LED BAND. ALSO, AT RANDOM TIMES, THE THREE LED BANDS FLASH AS IF A TURN SIGNAL IS ACTIVATED, WHEN IT IS NOT. THESE CONDITIONS CAUSE OTHER DRIVERS TO NOT UNDERSTAND WHETHER THE CAR MIGHT BE BRAKING OR TURNING, WHEN IT IS ONLY PROCEEDING STRAIGHT AHEAD. THIS IS AN INTEGRATED LED TAILLIGHT ASSEMBLY THAT HAS NO REPLACEABLE BULBS. THE ENTIRE ASSEMBLY MUST BE REPLACED BY A DEALER AT A COST OF $500.00 BULBS CANNOT BE REPLACED BY AN OWNER, EVEN IN AN EMERGENCY. THE LEFT SIDE (DRIVER SIDE) OUTER LED ASSEMBLY OPERATES CORRECTLY, WITH THE CENTER BAND OF LED'S OPERATIVE AND THREE BANDS LIGHTING ONLY WHEN BRAKING. THIS ADDS TO THE CONFUSION OF OTHER DRIVERS FOLLOWING THE VEHICLE. FORD MOTOR AND LINCOLN DIVISION REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE A PROBLEM, AND STATE THAT UNLESS IT IS WITHIN A WARRANTY PERIOD, NO REPLACEMENT WILL BE MADE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. IT HAS BEEN REPORTED TO LINCOLN MOTOR DIVISION FOR THE PAST 18 MONTHS AND THE PROBLEM CONTINUES TO DATE. *TR