NHTSA Complaint #10714205 — 2002 FORD TAURUS

TRAVELING ON DARKENED ROAD WITH AUTOMATIC HEADLAMPS ENGAGED AT NIGHT. HEADLIGHTS SUDDENLY CUT OFF, AND HAD TO CHANGE SELECTOR SWITCH TO MANUAL HEAD LIGHTS. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES.. I HAD THE LIGHT SENSOR REPLACED BUT NO CHANGE. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH, THE CAUSE IS MOST LIKELY THE AUTOMATIC HEADLAMP RELAY, WHICH IS NOT REPLACEABLE, AS IT IS BURIED BEHIND THE FUSE BOX, AND EXCESSIVE COST (>$300) TO REPLACE. I FEEL FORD SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL, BECAUSE IT APPEARS THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH FORD VEHICLES. APPARENTLY THE RELAY USED TO ENERGIZE THE HEADLIGHTS IN "AUTOMATIC " MODE IS NOT ABLE TO HANDLE THE CURRENT, AND I SUSPECT, BURNS OUT AND BECOMES UNABLE TO MAINTAIN THE ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT. THE AUTOMATIC HEADLIGHT FEATURE, (WHEN IT WORKS) IS A GREAT SAFETY ADVANCEMENT, AS MANY DRIVERS FAIL TO TURN ON HEADLIGHTS AT DUSK, THEREFORE THE AUTOMATIC ON FEATURE GREATLY IMPROVES VISIBILITY OF ONCOMING VEHICLES AT DUSK AND EARLY EVENING. SINCE IT IS NOT PREDICABLE WHEN THE LIGHTS WILL FAIL, MANY PEOPLE WILL CONTINUE TO USE THE AUTOMATIC ON/OFF FEATURE, PREFERRING TO SWITCH TO MANUAL ON/OF ONLY WHEN AUTOMATIC FAILS. BUT THIS COULD BE ANY TIME AT FREE WAY SPEEDS, AND IS THEREFORE A HAZARDOUS CONDITION THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR RECTIFYING, AS IT MOMENTARILY DISTRACTS THE DRIVER. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! [XXX] SYSTEMS AND SAFETY ENGINEER PROGRESS RAIL SERVICES, ALBERTVILLE, ALABAMA A DIVISION OF CATERPILLAR INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR