NHTSA Complaint #707793 — 1998 LINCOLN MARK VII

THIS REPORT IS IN ACCORDANCE OF MY OWNER'S MANUAL THAT SUGGESTS I REPORT ANY SAFETY ISSUE TO THE NHSTA. UPON PURCHASING THE CAR WE REPORTED TO THE DEALER THAT, AMONGST OTHER PROBLEMS, THE REAR VIEW MIRROR VIBRATED AT HIGHWAY SPEED TO SUCH A DEGREE THAT WE COULD NOT MAKE OUT WHAT WAS BEHIND US WITHOUT GRABBING THE MIRROR TO STEADY IT (IN FACT, ON ONE OCCASSION I HAD TO GRAB THE MIRROR TO SEE THAT THE VEHICLE BEHIND ME FLASHING ITS LIGHTS WAS AN EMERGENCY VEHICLE TRYING TO PASS ME )WE RETURNED THE VEHICLE FOR REPAIR, THE DEALER ASSUMED IT WAS THE MIRROR, AND REPLACED THE MIRROR 3 TIMES. THEY ALSO SUGGESTED I PRY SOMETHING UNDER THE MIRROR TO STOP THE VIBRATION. EVENTUALLY THE DEALER DETERMINED THE PROBLEM WAS THE GOODYEAR TIRES, AS PREVIOUS YEARS EQUIPTED WITH MICHELINS DIDNT HAVE THAT PROBLEM, AND THAT THEY NOW HAD OTHER CARS COMING IN WITH THE SAME COMPLAINT. GOODYEAR GRACIOUSLY REPLACED ALL 4 TIRES WITH A DIFFERENT MODEL TIRE. THE PROBLEM, THOUGH MINIMIZED SLIGHTLY, STILL EXISTED (PLEASE NOTE TIRES WERE BALANCED, AND WHEELS ALIGNED, AND TIRES RE-BALANCED )WE RETURNED THE CAR FOR THE SAME PROBLEM AGAIN, ONLY TO TOLD NOW THAT IT WAS NORMAL OPERATION. ON VACATION IN ARIZONA I WAS SITTING IN THE BACK SEAT AND NOTICED THAT AT 70MPH (THE SPEED LIMIT WAS 75) THAT A ROARING NOISE FILLED THE REAR OF THE CABIN, AND THE CAR BEGAN TO VIBRATE.UPON OUR RETURN WE RETURNED TO THE DEALER AND AGAIN WE WERE TOLD IT WAS OPERATING PROPERLY. THE PROBLEM GOT PROGRESSIVELY WORSE, TO THE POINT THE CAR WOULD SHAKE SO HARD, WHILE PASSING A TRUCK, MY WIFE WAS AFRAID SHE WOULD LOSE CONTROL OF THE CAR, AFTER THIS EXPERIENCE WE ONCE AGAIN BROUGHT IN THE CAR. THIS TIME THEY ADMITTED THERE WAS A PROBLEM. THEY REPLACED THE DRIVESHAFT ON MAY 17TH, 1999, THAT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. THE CAR HAS BEEN AT THE DEALERSHIP SINCE THEN WAITING ON PARTS TO RE-BUILD THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL, WHICH THEY ASSUME IS THE PROBLEM, AS FORD (LINCOLN)COULD GIVE THEM NO IDEA OF WHAT THE PROBLEM MIGHT BE. *AK