2000 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL Electrical System Problems

The contact owns a 1979 Lincoln Continental. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked and turned off, there was smoke coming from the vehicle. The contact stated that the rear end near the driver's side of the vehicle had caught on fire. The vehicle was extinguished by the Fire Department. A fire report was filed, and a fire report number was provided; however, the cause for the failure was not yet determined. A Police report was not filed. No injuries were sustained. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was towed to an impound lot. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 137,070. The VIN was invalid.

A NEIGHBOR POINTED OUT THAT THE AUTOMOBILE WAS SITTING SEVERAL INCHES LOWER THAN NORMAL CLOSER TO GROUND WHILE PARKED IN DRIVEWAY. I BEGAN TO CHECK ON THIS EVERY TIME I WENT TO USE THE CAR. SOMETIMES VEHICLE WAS NORMAL HEIGHT, SOMETIMES LOWER. I NOTICED THAT, SOMETIMES, WHEN I TURNED THE IGNITION KEY THERE WAS SOUND HEARD LIKE A FAN OPERATING. I ASKED QUESTIONS OF PEOPLE WHO HAD OWNED SIMILAR MODELS AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM IN THIS MODEL SHOWING UP 4 TO 8 YEARS AFTER MANUFACTURE. THIS MODEL HAS A RIDE CONTROL WHICH INVOLVES THREE "RIDE CONTROL" SETTINGS. AS CARS AGE THERE ARE AIR BAGS UNDER THE CAR WHICH CONTROL THE FEEL OF CAR (PLUSH, NORMAL, FIRM) AND THEY ADJUST ACCORDINGLY. BEFORE I START THE CAR, IF IT SITS LOW, TURNING THE IGNITION KEY CAUSES THE RIDE MECHANISM TO RAISE THE CAR FRAME A FEW INCHES ABOVE...

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL. THE POWER DOOR LOCKS ENGAGE AND UNLOCK ON THEIR OWN WITHOUT WARNING. THE DOORS NORMALLY LOCK AUTOMATICALLY WHEN SHIFTING OUT OF PARK. THE INTERIOR LIGHTS ALSO ILLUMINATED WITHOUT WARNING AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, WHICH PREVENTED THE ALARM SYSTEM FROM ENGAGING. THE FAILURE OCCURRED FEBRUARY 5, 2008. THE DOOR IS AJAR WARNING INDICATOR LIGHT INDICATED HAD ILLUMINATED; HOWEVER, THE DOOR WAS SECURE. THE ABS WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED THE WEEK OF JANUARY 28, 2008 WHEN THERE WAS SNOW PRESENT AND DIMMED IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE CONTACT REACHED HIS DESTINATION. THE DEALER HAD NOT YET DIAGNOSED THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 93,000.

COMPLETED A TURN USING THE SIGNAL LIGHT(UNKNOWN IF RELATED) AND SMOKE EMITTED FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. A ODOR OF BURNING WIRING INSULATION WAS DETECTED AT THE SAME TIME. DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE AND NO CORRECTIVE ACTION WAS TAKEN. *JB

DT: CONTACT STATES THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED. DEALER REPAIRED THE PROBLEM NUMEROUS TIMES, BUT AFTER A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME BACK ON. *AK SMOKE EMMITTED FORM THE VEHICLE'S STEERING COLUMN AT THE FLASHER SWITCH. *NM

CONSUMER COMPLAINS OF AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE CAUSING THE ABS BRAKE LIGHT, AIR BAG LIGHT,CHECK TRANSMISSION LIGHT, AND PARKING BRAKE LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE. DEALER REPLACED IGNITION SWITCH AND SENSOR, BUT CONDITIONS STILL EXIST INTERMITTENTLY. *TT

CONSUMER COMPLAINS OF AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE CAUSING THE ABS BRAKE LIGHT, AIR BAG LIGHT,CHECK TRANSMISSION LIGHT, AND PARKING BRAKE LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE. DEALER REPLACED IGNITION SWITCH AND SENSOR, BUT CONDITIONS STILL EXIST INTERMITTENTLY. *TT

WHILE STARTING VEHICLE DASHBOARD INDICATION LIGHTS/ AIR CONDITIONER/ RADIO, AND POWER WINDOWS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL SHORT. AFTER TURNING VEHICLE OFF AND RESTARTING, ALL FUNCTION RETURNED TO NORMAL. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK THERE WAS NO LIGHTS AT DASHBOARD AND NO AUTO LAMP. THE POWER WINDOW AND A/C FAILED. AM RADIO WAS INOPERATIVE. THE POWER STEERING WAS VERY HARD TO TURN. *YH

WHILE DRIVING THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM EXPERIENCED SEVERE FAILURE WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO LOOSE POWER BRAKES, POWER STEERING, TURN SIGNALS AND INSTRUMENTS ON THE DASHBOARD, THE DEALERSHIP DID NOT LOCATED THE FAILURE. *MJS