NHTSA Complaint #11207822 — 2016 LINCOLN MKX

ON 5/11/19, I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 50MPH WHEN THE ENTIRE DASH WENT DARK, WHICH ALSO CAUSED THE ENGINE TO STOP RUNNING (WITH 3/4 TANK OF GAS) AS I LOOKED AT AN 'ALL POWER OFF' DISPLAYED IN THE INFORMATION AREA OF THE DASH (THAT NORMALLY DISPLAYS THE TRIP MILEAGE INDICATOR). I IMMEDIATELY PRESSED THE EMERGENCY FLASH BUTTON WHICH WORKED. FORTUNATELY, I WAS IN THE RIGHT HAND LANE AND HAD ENOUGH SPEED TO SIMPLY COAST TO A SAFE AREA ON THE RIGHT SHOULDER. WITH THE ENGINE NOT RUNNING, I FELT I HAD ONE CHANCE TO USE THE POWER BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP THE CAR. HAD THIS OCCURRED IN A DIFFERENT PLACE, MY ENTIRE FAMILY COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED AND NO ONE WOULD HAVE KNOWN THE REASON WAS DUE TO 'CAR FAILURE'. I LOOKED ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND A NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE ENGINE JUST STOPPING THAT HAVE BEEN DOCUMENTED WITH CASES SENT TO NHTSA. THEIR FRUSTRATION IN SUMMARY IS THIS: THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAYS THEY CAN'T REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM. TO BE CLEAR; I JUST RECEIVED A CALL FROM MY LINCOLN DEALERSHIP ON 5/15/19, AS THE SERVICE REP SAID THEY CAN'T FIND A COMPUTER ERROR CODE FOR THE PROBLEM, AND THERE IS NOTHING ELSE THEY CAN DO AT THIS POINT IF THEY CAN'T REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. AT THIS POINT, I BELIEVE THAT IF YOU SEE SOMETHING FAIL, AND DON'T RESOLVE IT, YOU'LL SEE IT AGAIN. THEREFORE, I DON'T TRUST THIS CAR AS SAFE TO DRIVE. IT IS NOT AN ACCEPTABLE OPTION TO HEAR THAT YOUR SERVICE DEPARTMENT CAN'T REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM. THIS MAY REQUIRE YOUR DESIGN ENGINEERS TO BE INVOLVED. THE QUESTION IS SIMPLE, 'WHAT ITEMS CAN CAUSE THE COMPUTER TO 'ALL POWER OFF'. NO MIDDLE GROUND HERE AS IT IS A LIFE THREATENING ISSUE THAT I JUST LIVED THROUGH.