NHTSA Complaint #10678359 — 2008 FORD EXPLORER

WHEN MOVING THE INTERIOR LIGHTS COME ON. WENT TO FORD DEALER WHERE PURCHASED RECENTLY TO SEE IF THERE WAS RECALL FOR IGNITION SWITCH PROBLEMS. TEST DROVE WITH A TECH TO SHOW PROBLEM OF IGNITION SWITCH CAUSING THE INTERIOR LIGHTS TO COME ON WHILE CAR IS BEING DRIVEN. WHILE TEST DRIVING AND MOVING THE IGNITION SWITCH, THE INTERIOR LIGHTS DID COME ON. ON THE THIRD EXAMPLE, THE CAR CUT OFF. THE CAR DID NOT LOCK UP, BUT THE CAR HAD TO BE SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL AND RESTARTED. THE LIGHTS COMING ON IS A PROBLEM WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE INTERIOR IS LIGHTED AND EXTERIOR AND ROADS ARE DARK. MY BROTHER HAD A 2008 EXPLORER THAT HE HAD RECENTLY TRADED IN ON A NEW CAR. WHEN TALKING WITH HIM, HE SAID HE HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM WITH THE LIGHTS, BUT ONLY HAD 80,000 MILES ON HIS 2008 EXPLORER. BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT AS IN OTHER CAR TYPES RECENTLY, I THINK THIS SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED. THE DEALERSHIP DID NOT TAKE THE PROBLEM SERIOUSLY AND RECOMMENDED I GET THE SWITCH CHANGED AS IT HAD NOT HAPPENED TO ANY OF THEIR OTHER CUSTOMERS. I WILL GET THE SWITCH CHANGED, BUT IT DOES NOT SOUND LIKE THE SWITCHES LAST THAT LONG. *TR