NHTSA Complaint #11342607 — 2003 FORD CROWN VICTORIA

A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WHILE ON VACATION 200 MILES FROM HOME WITH MY FAMILY THE HEADLIGHTS SUDDENLY WENT OUT. AFTER A LITTLE INSPECTION I FOUND WE STILL HAD FLASH TO PASS HIGH BEAMS. THE NEXT DAY (JULY 3RD) I WENT TO THE LOCAL DEALER AND THE PARTS HOUSES AND NO ONE HAD A REPLACEMENT. AS A FORMER USAF JET ENGINE MECHANIC I WENT BACK TO THE CAMPER AND FOUND A WIRING DIAGRAM. I FIGURED OUT IT WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE LIGHTING CONTROL MODULE. I TOOK IT APART AND REPLACED THE DEFECTIVE RELAY. WE FINISHED OUR VACATION AND I SOON FORGOT THE ISSUE. I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR THE MODULE AND TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR REPLACEMENT. I WAS INFORMED BY THE SERVICE MANAGER THAT SINCE I HAD REPAIRED THE PART FORD WOULD NOT TAKE IT BACK SO THEY COULD NOT HELP ME. I HAD THE SNEAKING FEELING I WAS BEING LIED TO. I WENT HOME AND RESEARCHED THE RECALL. I FOUND THE REPAIR DOES NOT EVEN INVOLVE REPLACING THE PART BUT TAPS INTO THE WIRING BEFORE THE MODULE. I CALLED FORD CORP AND WAS TOLD THEY DID NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT AS THEY WEREN'T A TECHNICIAN BUT THEY STOOD BY THEIR DEALERS DECISION. I DON'T FEEL THAT I SHOULD BE PUNISHED FOR DOING WHAT IT TOOK TO GET MY FAMILY HOME SAFELY. I HOPE YOU CAN HELP ME WITH THIS PROBLEM