Ford Recalls Grand Marquis With Headlight Failure Finally!
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I wrote earlier this year about my hairy ride home at night without working headlights in the Grand Marquis. Have you ever tried driving at night without headlights? Of course not voluntarily. And highly not recommended. I do mean highly – not – recommended. Read my Grand Marquis experience here.
A quick internet search revealed a long history of Grand Marquis and Crown Victoria owners with headlight failure due to a faulty LCM (Lighting Control Module.) The car forums were chock full of affected owners and their experience with driving sans headlights.
This is a view of my street from the Mercury Grand Marquis without headlights. Try navigating this at night.
Grand Marquis LCM Recall Notes
POINT: The affected models of Grand Marquis and Crown Victoria cars are years 2003-2005. Need I point out we are one month away from 2016. Not very timely Ford, understatement.
POINT: In my view, the demographics for Grand Marquis owners would be mature drivers. The demographics for Crown Victoria owners are the police and taxi drivers. Really Ford? Apparently mature drivers and the police don’t need headlights?
POINT: Why has Ford resisted issuing a recall until December 2015?
POINT: An NHTSA investigation was opened in 2008 and subsequently closed in 2009; clearly Ford knew of the issue and failed to issue a safety recall until December 2015.
POINT: Ford’s response to the LCM issue was to issue a “Customer Satisfaction Campaign”; 12N01 and 14N01 customer satisfaction campaigns were issued to allow affected owners extended warranties on a faulty LCM. Customer Satisfaction Campaigns are also called secret warranty or silent recalls. You can read my attempt at dealing with Ford and its’ Customer Satisfaction Campaign here.
POINT: Shame on you Ford. Shame on you.
You know better, you should do better. Too little too late for those of us who experienced a harrowing drive without headlights and stalling on issuing a recall. This does not instill a desire to purchase a Ford car.
Grand Marquis and Crown Victoria Owners Owe Thanks to North Carolina Consumers Council
Shout out to the North Carolina Consumers Council @NCConsumer for spearheading opening an investigation with NHSTA in April 2015. Read the letter to the NHTSA by the NCCC here.
According to Reuters, NHTSA reviewed 3,600 complaints, had 15 reports of crashes and one injury in their investigation of 500,000 plus Ford Crown Victoria and Mercury Grand Marquis cars.
I filed one of the 3,600 complaints with NHTSA regarding our LCM failure; thank you to the North Carolina Consumers Council for looking out for the consumer. Now let’s see what Ford has to say …