NHTSA Complaint #10662600 — 2010 MERCURY MILAN

ON 12/5/2014, I NOTICED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE TAIL LIGHT WAS DIMMER THAN THE DRIVER'S SIDE TAIL LIGHT AND THE BRAKE LIGHT DID NOT BRIGHTEN WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THE WHOLE TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED AT AN ESTIMATED COST OF BETWEEN $400-500 SINCE THIS IS AN LED INTEGRATED SYSTEM. FROM AN INTERNET SEARCH AND THE NHTSA COMPLAINTS, IT SEEM THAT THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT IS OCCURRING AT LOW MILEAGES. I CANNOT AFFORD TO REPLACE THE TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY AND WILL THEREFORE CONTINUE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE AS IS. I'M SURE THERE MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE THIS ISSUE THAT CANNOT AFFORD TO REPLACE THE TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY. IN SOME CASES, BOTH THE DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE TAIL LIGHTS/BRAKE LIGHTS HAVE FAILED AT LOW MILEAGES, WHICH MIGHT COST UP TO $1000 TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE. IN COLORADO, WE DO NOT HAVE AN INSPECTION PROGRAM, SO THIS ISSUE WOULD NOT KEEP DRIVERS FROM DRIVING THEIR CARS IN AN UNSAFE CONDITION. I'M AFRAID IT WILL TAKE A FATALITY AND A LAWSUIT TO ELEVATE THIS ISSUE TO THE POINT WHERE FORD WILL ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. *TR