1993 MERCURY COUGAR Exterior Lightingheadlightsswitch Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 MERCURY COUGAR. WHILE DRIVING 75 MPH, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS AND THE HEADLIGHTS DIMMED. THE CONTACT ALSO NOTICED SMOKE RISING FROM THE DASHBOARD. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW HEADLIGHT SWITCH AND THEY MADE THE REPAIR. APPROXIMATELY ONE YEAR LATER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE DEALER STATED THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 99V275000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 189,000.

I WAS DRIVING HOME GOING DOWN A COUNTRY ROAD AND MY HEADLIGHTS QUIT WORKING. I ALMOST WRECKED,AND I ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE. I ENDED UP DRIVING IT HOME WITH NOTHING BUT PARKING LIGHTS ON WHICH WAS A GOOD HALF HOUR JOURNEY. *NM

HEAD LIGHTS FLICKER OFF AND ON. I HAD TO PLAY WITH THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH TO FINALLY GET THEM BACK ON. AT FIRST THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WOULD NOT COME ON, BUT BARELY PULLED ON SWITCH AND THEY CAME ON. PULLED DASH APART AND NOTICED THE SWITCH BRACKET WAS MELTED A LITTLE AND A (BROWN AND GRAY?) WIRE WAS SCORCHED, MELTED, FRAYED.*JB

INTERNAL LIGHTS AND HEADLIGHTS COME ON AND OFF INTERMITTENTLY. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM. *AK RECALL 99V275 DEALS WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM, HOWEVER CONSUMER WAS INFORMED BY THE FORD RECALL HOTLINE THAT HER VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED, CONSUMER WILL NOT DRIVE THE VEHICLE AT NIGHT. *JB

HEADLIGHTS STARTED FLASHING, AND BLINKING, AFTER A FEW MILES OF DRIVING. WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON A COUNTRY ROAD, THIS FLASHING ATTRACTED A DEER ONTO THE ROAD, WHICH CAUSED SOME BODY DAMAGE TO MY CAR. THE PROBLEM WAS IN THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH. MY CAR DOES NOT HAVE FOGLIGHTS, SO IT DID NOT QUALIFY FOR RECALL 99V275000, BUT WAS ACTING JUST THE SAME. THE REPAIR SHOP CHANGED THE HEADLAMP SWITCH, AND THE FLASHING ENDED. I WAS TOLD THE HEADLAMP SWITCH HAD A SHORT IN IT.