NHTSA Complaint #722446 — 1998 LINCOLN MARK VIII

SINCE PURCHASE OF VEHICLE, I HAVE RETURNED IT TO THE LINCOLN DEALER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS DUE TO COMPUTER FAILURE. THE CONPUTER CONSOLE READ THE GAS MILEAGE, DRIVER DOOR AJAR, OTHER VEHICLE ERRORS QUITE OFTEN. WHEN REQUESTED FOR AN ENGINEER FROM FORD MOTOR COMPANY TO COME DOWN AND INSPECT THE VEHICLE FOR COMPUTER MALFUNCTION PROBLEMS I WAS TOLD THAT THE FORD ENGINEER WAS SPOKEN TO OVER THE PHONE AND HE SUGESSTED TO WAIT AND THE COMPUTER WOULD RESET ITSELF NORMALLY. I FEEL THAT THE CONSTANCE MALFUNCTIONING OF THE COMPUTER COULD ALSO BE THE CASUE FOR THE AIRBAG NOT DEPLOYING DOING THE ACCIDENT. WHEN I SPOKE WITH THE SERVICE WRITER AS THE FREEDOM FORD LINCOLN MERCURY REPAIR SHOP ABOUT THE POSSIBLE AIRBAG PROBLEM I WAS TOLD THAT THE AIRBAG WAS LOCATED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GRILL (FENDER) AND UNLESS THE CAR WAS DAMAGED IN THAT PARTICULAR AREAR THEN THE AIRBAG WOULD NOT DEPLOY. I INIDICATED TO THE GENTLEMEN THAT THE ANSWER HE GAVE TO ME WAS NOT SATISFACTORY NOR WAS IT LOGICAL BECASUE IF I WAS HIT FROM THE REAR AT TA FAST RATE OF SPEED AND THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY BUT I HIT THE WINDSHIELD OR WENT THROUGH THE WINSHIELD THEN BASED ON HIS ANSWER OF SOLUTION THE AIRBAG STILL WILL NOT DEPLOY. I ASK THAT THE PROBLEM IS TAKEN MORE SERIOUS WITH FORD AND THE DEALER AND RECTIFIED IF THERE IS IN FACT IS A PROBLEM. I NEVER DID GET AN ANSWER FROM FORD MOTOR COMPANY BEACUSE THE GENTLEMENT THAT ASSISTED ME WAS VERY CONDESENDING TO SAY THE LESS AND NOT COOPERATIVE. *AK