NHTSA Complaint #11119888 — 2004 MERCURY SABLE

WHILE PARKED, TRIED TO PUT CAR IN REVERSE TO BACK OUT OF DRIVEWAY BUT CAR WILL NOT SHIFT OUT OF PARK. ONLY WAY TO GET CAR TO SHIFT OUT OF PARK IS TO APPLY EMERGENCY BRAKES THEN SHIFT CAR INTO NEUTRAL WHILE KEY TURNED TO OFF POSITION. BREAK LIGHTS WILL NOT ILLUMINATE WHEN BRAKE PEDAL APPLIED. I CHECKED ALL THE FUSES AND REPLACED THE BREAK LAMP BULBS TO TROUBLESHOOT ISSUE ACCORDING TO OWNERS MANUAL HOWEVER PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. WHEN RESEARCHING ONLINE I READ ABOUT THE SAME EXACT ISSUES OCCURRING IN SAME MODEL AND MAKE THAT WERE RECALLED. I WENT TO MY NEAREST FORD DEALERSHIP TO INFORM THEM ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND GET SOME ASSISTANCE IN FIXING THE PROBLEM. HOWEVER THEY WOULD NOT HELP IN THE MATTER, AND STATED THAT MY PARTICULAR VIN # AND YEAR MODEL 2004 HAD NO RECALLS. THE RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR FAULTY BREAK LIGHT SWITCHES IN 2003 AND PREVIOUS YEAR MODELS OF MERCURY SABLES. I'VE READ ABOUT NUMEROUS ISSUES OCCURRING WITH OTHER 2004 MERCURY SABLE OWNERS THAT ALSO CANNOT GET HELP WITH THIS MATTER. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A SAFETY ISSUE AND IT IS MY HOPE THAT THE NHTSA INVESTIGATES TO FIND OUT WHY 2004 MODELS ARE ALSO EXHIBITING SAME RECALL SAFETY ISSUES. THE PROBLEM OBVIOUSLY LIES WITH THE PART (SAME BREAK LIGHT SWITCH) FORD INSTALLED ON THESE VEHICLES AND NOT NECESSARILY THE YEAR THE VEHICLE WAS MADE. IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE PRIMARY MISSION AND ROLE OF THE NHTSA IS TO HELP KEEP THE PUBLIC SAFE AND INFORMED ABOUT POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUES. THEREFORE, I HOPE THEY NOT ONLY INVESTIGATE WHY FORD USED THE SAME FAULTY PART ON OTHER YEAR MODEL VEHICLES BUT ALSO ISSUE THE NECESSARY RECALL FOR SAID VEHICLES WITH THOSE PARTS. IF, WHILE TRAVELING WITH MY FAMILY, A CAR SLAMS INTO US BECAUSE NO BREAK LIGHTS WILL ENGAGE, WHOSE FAULT IS THAT? I'VE BROUGHT THIS SAFERY ISSUE CONCERN TO THE ATTENTION OF FORD AND NOW THE NHTSA. FAILURE TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE PUTS THE PUBLIC IN DANGER!