NHTSA Complaint #10788959 — 2006 FORD FUSION

WHILE DRIVING MY FUSION ON 11/1/15, BOTH FRONT TURN SIGNALS STOPPED WORKING WHEN ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A TURN ONTO AN INTERSTATE. THE DASH INDICATED A WARNING THAT THE LEFT AND RIGHT FRONT TURN SIGNAL LAMP WAS NOT WORKING WHEN THE SIGNAL WAS ACTIVATED BY THE SWITCH. I ASSUMED A BULB HAD BURNT OUT. HOWEVER, ONCE MY CAR WAS TURNED COMPLETELY OFF, THE LEFT FRONT BULB REMAINED ON, DESPITE NO ONE BEING IN THE CAR. THE LIGHT REMAINED ON FOR MULTIPLE HOURS BEFORE I BECAME AWARE OF IT ONCE I RETURNED TO MY VEHICLE. DURING THIS TIME, IT WAS DRAINING THE BATTERY. I THE. HAD TO DRIVE MY CAR ON CITY STREETS AND THE INTERSTATE TO GET HOME. I TRIED PURCHASING NEW BULBS, BUT FOUND THAT BOTH BULBS CURRENTLY IN THE CAR WORKED FINE. NO WIRING WAS LOOSE OR FRAYED. LATER THAT WEEK, I BROUGHT IT TO A MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED IT AS A FAILED SMART JUNCTION BOX THAT HAS LED TO THE TURN SIGNAL NOT WORKING. I CONTACTED MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP IN ACCORDANCE WITH MY MECHANIC'S SUGGESTION. I WAS INFORMED THERE IS NO RECALL ON THIS PART. HOW IS THERE NO RECALL WHEN THIS IS CLEARLY A SAFETY ISSUE? MALFUNCTIONING TURN SIGNALS WHILE DRIVING WITH NO DIRECT CAUSE IS A PROBLEM. ESPECIALLY WHEN IT LEADS TO A LIGHT REMAINING ON LEADING TO KILLING THE CAR BATTERY. ACCORDING TO THE DEALERSHIP, THE ONLY SOLUTION IS PURCHASING A NEW JUNCTION BOX FROM THEM (NO LOCAL PARTS STORES CAN EVEN FIND ONE IN THEIR INVENTORY) AND HAVE IT INSTALLED AND PROGRAMMED BY THEM.