NHTSA Complaint #738456 — 1996 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL

MY CAR WAS FACTORY EQUIPPED WITH A DONNELLY ELECTRONICS ELECTROCHROMIC INSIDE REARVIEW MIRROR. THIS MIRROR DARKENS WHEN IT SENCES THE LIGHT FROM A CAR BEHIND YOU. SINCE 1996 WHEN I BOUGHT THIS CAR NEW, THIS MIRROR HAS FAILED 4 TIMES. WHEN IT FALES HALF THE MIRROR WILL DARKEN AND THE OTHER HALF WILL NOT. THIS IS EXTREMELY HARD ON THE EYES AT NIGHT, SINCE THE MIRROR HAS NO MANUAL ADJUSTMENT. IT'S PUT UP WITH THAT OR NOTHING. EVERY 1995 AND NEWER LINCOLN CONTINENTAL I HAVE SEEN HAS A BAD MIRROR. MINE HAS BEEN REPLACED FOR TIMES NOW, AND NOW NOT ONLY THIS TIME DID IT DO THE SAME THING AGAIN, IT MADE A POPPING SOUND WHILE I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK, CRACKED AND THEN BLEW FLUID ALL OVER THE INSIDE OF MY CAR. I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH INTO THIS AND THERE ARE 2 COMPANYS THAT MAKE SUCH A MIRROR. HOWEVER, DONNELLY'S ARE THE ONLY ONES THAT FAIL. I HAVE 2 OTHER CAR WITH SUCH MIRROR SYSTEMS AND AFTER 10 YEARS THERE ARE STILL ON THERE ORGINAL MIRRORS. I WOULD THINK THAT IT WOULD BE MY CAR EXCEPT FOR THE FACT THAT EVERY LINCOLN CONTINENTALL 1995 AND NEWER HAS A BAD MIRROR. 1995 IS WHEN FORD MOTOR CO. SWITCHED FROM THE OTHER BRAND TO DONNELLY CORP. ON THE CONTINENTAL'S ONLY. THIS IS A REAL SAFTEY HAZZARD DRIVING WITH A MIRROR WITH 2 DIFFERENT REFLECTIVE SURFACES, AND NOW WITH THE MIRROR CRACKING AND BLOWING FLUID ALL OVER MY CAR I DO THINK THAT THIS MATTER MUST BE LOOKED INTO. I DO THINK THAT DONNELLY HAS A QUALITY CONTROL ISSUE BUT REFUSES TO ADDRESS IT. I HAVE CONTACTED JULES ROMAN FROM THERE COMPANY AND TOLD HIM OF THIS AND THEY PRETTY MUCH TOLD ME TOUGH LUCK, AND DID NOT FEEL THAT THERE WAS ANY SAFETY CONCERN. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT I AM THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM. HOWEVER THE PARTS MANAGER AT MY LOCAL LINCOLN MERCURY DEALER SAYS DIFFERENT. I THINK THAT IF YOU LOOKED AT FORD'S WARRANTY CLAMES ON THESE CARS YOU MIGHT FIND A DIFFERENT STORY. OR BETTER YET PICK 5 OF THESE CARS AT RANDOM, I GARANTEE THAT THE DONNELLY MIRROR WILL BE BAD. I THANK YOU FOR YOU HELP....MIKE. *AK