NHTSA Complaint #11268342 — 2005 FORD CROWN VICTORIA

OUR VEHICLE, A 2005 CROWN VICTORIA USED TO TRANSPORT BLIND AND ELDERLY. VEHICLE WAS RECALLED UNDER CAMPAIGN #15S39 TO REPAIR A POTENTIALLY DEFECTIVE LIGHTING CONTROL MODULE. LIGHTS WERE WORKING PERFECTLY AT TIME OF RECALL. FORD DID NOT REPAIR OR REPLACE MODULE, BUT THEY INSTEAD BYPASSED A FUNCTION OF THE MODULE BY HACKING/SPLICING INTO THE ORIGINAL WIRING HARNESS AND ADDING AN EXTERNAL RELAY. TRULY A BAND-AID. NOW, LESS THEN A YEAR LATER. LIGHTS HAVE FAILED COMPLETELY. FORD TECHNICIANS BLAME FAULTY LIGHTING CONTROL MODULE. FORD REFUSES TO REPLACE MODULE, STATING THAT THE WARRANTY PART IS WORKING CORRECTLY, ONLY THE ORIGINAL (SUBJECT OF THE RECALL) PART HAS FAILED. AGAIN, FORD DID NOT ACTUALLY REPAIR THE CAR THE FIRST TIME, THEY ONLY BYPASSED THE LIGHTING MODULE. THERE IS ANOTHER RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE INVOLVING THE INTERMEDIATE SHAFT FOR THE STEERING COLUMN. I ASKED IF THEY PLAN TO 'FIX' IT BY SPLINTING WITH TWO POPSICLE STICKS AND RUBBER BANDS, THEN REFUSE TO HONOR THE REPAIR WHEN THE ORIGINAL SHAFT FAILS. THE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE FAILED TO RESPOND.