1996 Lincoln Mark Viii Exterior lighting Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 LINCOLN MARK VIII. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS POOR VISIBILITY WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT NIGHT. THE HEADLIGHT LENSES HAD A CONSTANT FILM, WHICH AFFECTED THE LOW BEAMS. THE CONTACT CLEANED THE LENSES SEVERAL TIMES AND CHANGED THE BULBS, BUT THE VISIBILITY REMAINED POOR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TO BE TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR FURTHER INSPECTION AND REPAIR. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.

NHTSA ID

10824520

Incident

Nov 10, 2015

Mileage

150,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 LINCOLN MARK VIII. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS WERE VERY DIM AND CAUSED POOR VISIBILITY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 112,000. UPDATED 07/07/14*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO BEYOND 50 FEET. THE REFLECTIVE PART INSIDE THE HEADLIGHTS WERE COMPLETELY BLACK. THE LIGHT BULBS WERE REPLACED THE FAILURE PERSISTED. UPDATED 05/28/2015 *JS

NHTSA ID

10658700

Incident

May 5, 2014

Mileage

112,000 mi

VERY POOR HEADLIGHTS, CAUSING AN UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITION WHILE ONLY BEING ABLE TO SEE A SHORT DISTANCE IN FRONT OF YOUR CAR AT NIGHT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10551641

Incident

May 1, 2005

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 LINCOLN MARK VIII. THE VEHICLE HAS HIGH INTENSITY HEADLIGHTS, BUT ONE HEADLIGHT IS BRIGHT WHILE THE OTHER IS DIM. IN 2007, THE PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT WAS REPLACED AND NOW THE DRIVER SIDE LAMP NEEDS REPLACING. FORD NO LONGER MAKES THE PART AND COULD NOT PROVIDE INFORMATION ON HOW IT COULD BE OBTAINED. THE PURCHASE DATE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 40,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 39,000. UPDATE 04-02-08 *BF

NHTSA ID

10219876

Incident

Jan 10, 2008

Mileage

39,000 mi

THE HEADLIGHTS ON THESE CARS (GENERATION 1 LINCOLN MARK VIII, 1993 TO 1996) ARE AWFUL AND IT IS VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND REPLACEMENTS-THE REFLECTIVE COATING ON THE INSIDE DETERIORATES, THE OUTER LENS GETS YELLOW AND DULL-DIFFICULT, ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE AT NIGHT, ESPECIALLY LOW BEAMS-FORD SHOULD MAKE GOOD ON REPAIRS FOR THESE MODELS, THERE ARE THOUSANDS ON THE ROAD, ALL ARE A HAZARD TO THE OWNER AND TO OTHER DRIVERS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10212592

Incident

Dec 22, 2007

Mileage

2 mi

CUSTOMER WANTS UPDATE TO CASE #10176001**CC

NHTSA ID

10187908

Incident

Nov 1, 2006

I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 1996 LINCOLN MARK VIII EQUIPPED WITH LUMINARC HIGH INTENSITY HEADLIGHTS. THE VEHICLE HAS 56,089 MILES. THE DRIVER'S SIDE HEADLIGHT HAS FAILED AND APPARENTLY IS NO LONGER SERVICEABLE. THE MANUFACTURER'S DESIGN DID NOT ALLOW FOR THE SIMPLE REPLACEMENT OF A LIGHT BULB BUT INSTEAD REQUIRES THE REPLACEMENT OF THE ENTIRE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY AT A COST OF APPROXIMATELY $900.00 PLUS LABOR PER SIDE. 97 AND 98 MODELS ARE DESIGNED FOR SIMPLE BULB REPLACEMENT AT A COST OF APPROXIMATELY $260.00 PER BULB. WHILE INVESTIGATING THE FACILITATING OF HEAD LIGHT REPAIRS FOR MY AUTOMOBILE I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT HEAD LIGHT ASSEMBLIES FOR 1996 MODEL CARS ARE OBSOLETE AND REPLACEMENT BULBS FOR 1997-1998 MODEL CARS HAVE BEEN ON BACK ORDER FOR APPROXIMATELY SIX MONTHS AND ARE NOT DUE TO BE AVAILABLE FOR ANOTHER 3-4 MONTHS. MY INTERNET RESEARCH HAS LED ME TO AN UNKNOWN NUMBER OF OWNERS IN SIMILAR PERIL. WE ARE ALL SCRAMBLING FOR SOLUTIONS TO KEEP OUR AUTOS ON THE ROAD BOTH SAFELY AND LEGALLY. INTERNET SEARCHES FOR USED PARTS (LINCOLN CUSTOMER SERVICE ACTUALLY REFERS YOU TO PRIVATE USED PARTS DEALERS RATHER THAN SUPPLY PARTS THEMSELVES), POSSIBLE NEW PARTS AND EVEN FABRICATED NEW LIGHT SYSTEMS (QUESTIONABLE LEGALITY) ARE BEING PURSUED. IT HAS BECOME APPARENT THAT THERE ARE NO GOOD SOLUTIONS AND WE OWNERS HAVE FEW OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO US. THE MANUFACTURER HAS DESIGNED A VEHICLE LIGHTING SYSTEM THAT HAS FAILED TO LAST OR BE SUCCESSFULLY SERVICED WITHIN THE VEHICLE'S USEFUL LIFESPAN. IN CLOSING, FORD MOTOR COMPANY HAS CREATED A CLASS OF CAR OWNER THAT CAN NOT KEEP HIS CAR STREET LEGAL OR SAFE. FORD HAS ABANDONED THESE OWNERS TO FEND FOR THEMSELVES IN PURSUIT OF SAFETY. THESE ARE NOT ANCIENT CARS, THEY ARE WELL WITHIN THEIR USEFUL LIFESPAN AND FORD SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR FACILITATING THEIR SAFE OPERATION DURING THAT TIME. CURRENTLY, FORD HAS NO REASONABLE ANSWERS AND THE SITUATION THEY HAVE CREATED IS WHOLLY ABSURD. CORY A. DAVID. *NM

NHTSA ID

10176001

Incident

Nov 1, 2006

Mileage

56,000 mi

VERY POOR HEADLIGHTS, CAUSING AN UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITION WHILE ONLY BEING ABLE TO SEE A SHORT DISTANCE IN FRONT OF YOUR CAR AT NIGHT. *JB

NHTSA ID

10164620

Incident

Aug 5, 2006

LIGHTS GOES COMPLETELY OUT WHEN PLACED ON DIM. *NM

NHTSA ID

10162837

Incident

May 15, 2006

HEAD LIGHT ON THE MARK VIII ARE NOT STRONG ENOUGH (LOW BEAM). *NM

NHTSA ID

10162026

Incident

Jul 10, 2006

THE HEADLIGHTS ON MY 1996 LINCOLN MARK VIII ARE TERRIBLE, I'VE OWNED THE CAR FOR 8 YEARS AND HAVE REPLACED THE BULBS WITH VARIOUS AFTERMARKET BULBS AND NOTHING INCREASES THE HEADLIGHT POWER. *JB

NHTSA ID

10157611

Incident

Aug 15, 1998

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE SILVER REFLECTORS INSIDE THE HEADLIGHTS BURNED OUT. THIS MADE DRIVING AT NIGHT DIFFICULT DUE TO THE LACK OF LIGHT PRODUCED FROM THE HEADLIGHTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION WHO DETERMINED THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. UPDATED 05/03/06

NHTSA ID

10155515

Incident

Apr 16, 2006

Mileage

85,000 mi

I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COMPLAINT ABOUT MY LINCOLN MARK VIII HEADLIGHTS FROM 1993-1996. THE HEADLIGHTS AFTER A COUPLE YEARS BEGIN TO DEGRADE. THE REFLECTIVE COATING INSIDE THE PARABOLA TURNS CHALKY AND THEREFORE DOES NOT REFLECT LIGHT THE WAY IT WAS INTENDED. THIS MAKES FOR VERY POOR LIGHTING AT NIGHT WHICH COULD CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY OR EVEN DEATH. LINCOLN NEW ABOUT THIS AND SWITCHED TO HID (HIGH INTENSITY DISCHARGE) UNITS IN 1996, BUT ONLY ON THE LSC MODELS. FORD/LINCOLN SELLS THESE UNITS BUT AT A VERY VERY HIGH PRICE. THIS SHOULD BE A SAFETY RECALL AND HID'S INSTALLED IN THE CARS WITH THE DEFECTIVE HEADLAMPS BEFORE SOMEONE DIES. *NM

NHTSA ID

10155029

Incident

Apr 11, 2006

THE DESIGN OF THE HEADLIGHT LENSES ON THE 1996 LINCOLN MARK VIII PROVIDES POOR NIGHT VISIBILITY DUE TO SEVER DEGRADATION OF OEM HEADLAMP SYSTEM. THE REFLECTIVE LENS ON THE INSIDE OF THE HOUSING HAS MELTED AWAY TO THE POINT THAT THIS MAKES NIGHT DRIVING DANGEROUS IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE WITH OUT SOME SORT OF AFTERMARKET LIGHTING SYSTEM OR OEM REPLACEMENTS WHICH WILL SOON FAIL AND CAUSE THE ISSUE ALL OVER AGAIN. *JB

NHTSA ID

10154961

Incident

Jan 10, 2006

Mileage

40,000 mi

THE 1996 LINCOLN MARK VIII WAS PURCHASED IN NOVEMBER 2005 AND THE HEADLIGHTS HAVE BEEN DETERIORATING CONSTANTLY SINCE PURCHASE. I NOW HAVE TO USE THE HIGH BEAM AT ALL TIMES AFTER DARK. OTHER CARS DO NOT EVEN FLASH THERE LIGHTS AT ME BECAUSE THE HEADLIGHTS ARE SO WEAK. ALL OF THE CHROME HAS FALLEN OFF OF THE SURFACES IN THE HEADLIGHTS SO NO LIGHT IS REFLECTED OUT OF THE LIGHTS! *NM

NHTSA ID

10154915

Incident

Dec 20, 2005

Mileage

138,795 mi

THE HEADLIGHT COVERS (HOUSINGS?) FOR LINCOLN MARK VIII'S 93-98, CLOUD OVER (TURN GRAY INSIDE AND OUT) QUICKLY. THIS DEFECTIVE CLOUDING IN THE LIGHT COVERS RESULTS IN NIGHT DRIVING TO BE VERY HAZARDOUS, ALONG WITH RAIN AND FOG. THE KITS TO REPLACE THE LIGHTS AVERAGE AROUND 1,000. LINCOLN KNOWS OF THE VISIBILITY PROBLEM WHEN THE COVERS CLOUD OVER AND HAS NOT TAKEN CORRECTIVE ACTION. *NM

NHTSA ID

10154318

Incident

Sep 1, 1996

Mileage

50,000 mi

I OWN A 1993 LINCOLN MARK VIII AND AT NIGHT YOU CAN BARELY SEE THE ROAD EVEN WITH THE BRIGHTS ON. THE HOUSING LOOKS LIKE THE CLEAR PART HAS SEPARATED INTO ABOUT 3 LAYERS. PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!!!!! *NM

NHTSA ID

10154049

Incident

Mar 29, 2006

1996 LINCOLN MARK VIII HEADLIGHTS. CANNOT SEE AT NIGHT, SEVERE LACK OF ILLUMINATION, VERY DANGEROUS. *JB

NHTSA ID

10153916

Incident

Mar 20, 2006

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE PLASTIC COVER FOR THE HEADLIGHTS ARE DISCOLORED. THIS DOES NOT ALLOW THE HEADLIGHT TO PROJECT ENOUGH LIGHT FOR NIGHT DRIVING. THE CONTACT HAS REPLACED THE LIGHT BULBS, BUT THIS HAS NOT IMPROVED VISIBILITY. THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY MUST BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED. UPDATED 4/6/2006 - *NM

NHTSA ID

10152973

Incident

Mar 17, 2006

Mileage

60,000 mi

POOR HEADLIGHTS ON CAR. LIGHTS ARE AS EFFECTIVE AS A TWO CELL FLASH LIGHT.*AK

NHTSA ID

10148767

Incident

Jan 2, 2006

Mileage

83,000 mi

POOR HEADLIGHT PERFORMANCE ON A 1996 LINCOLN MARK VIII. I UNDERSTAND THIS RESULTS FROM A DESIGN PROBLEM IN MARK VIII'S OF THAT TIME PERIOD. *JB

NHTSA ID

10110460

Incident

Feb 12, 2005

Mileage

80,000 mi

VERY POOR NIGHT DRIVING CONDITIONS DUE TO WHAT SEEMS TO BE POORLY DESIGNED HEADLAMP FIXTURES. THE AGING FACTORY HEADLAMP FIXTURES DO NOT SEEM TO PRODUCE ENOUGH LIGHT FOR NIGHT DRIVING RESULTING IN DANGEROUS CONDITIONS DUE TO LOW VISIBILITY. THE FIXTURES SEEM TO "YELLOW" AND "FOG" ABNORMALLY WITH AGE AND IT ALSO SEEMS THAT THE HEAT PRODUCED BY THE FACTORY SPECIFIED LAMPS ACTUALLY DAMAGE THE INTERNAL REFLECTIVE MATERIAL, BOTH CONDITIONS REDUCE EFFECTIVE OUTPUT OF THE FIXTURES. THESE CONDITIONS SEEM TO OCCUR WITH AGE AND USE, NEW FIXTURE OUTPUT IS ACCEPTABLE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10096394

Incident

Jan 1, 1996

Mileage

74,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING, THE HEADLIGHTS WERE VERY DIM THAT THE SIGNAL LIGHTS WERE FAR MORE BRIGHTER. THE CONSUMER STATED HE COULD NOT SEE AT NIGHT. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VIEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT EVEN IF HE GETS REPLACEMENT HEADLIGHTS THAT THE SAME THING WOULD HAPPEN WITHIN A TWO YEAR TIME SPAN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FUTHER INFORMATION. *JB

NHTSA ID

10095499

Incident

Sep 29, 2004

I JUST PURCHASED A 1996 LINCOLN MARK 8, WHILE DRIVING IT HOME, IT GOT DARK AND I TURNED ON THE LIGHTS...THE LIGHTING SYSTEM WAS TERRIBLE. I COULD HARDLY SEE. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. HOW CAN A PERSON DRIVE AT NIGHT, IF THE LIGHTS FAIL TO PROPERLY ILLUMINATE THE HIGHWAY? AS I GOT TO CHECKING, THIS IS A SEVERE PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR, AS COMPLAINED ABOUT BY OTHER OWNERS. IS THERE ANYTHING THAT CAN BE DONE? THESE ARE THE ORGINAL LIGHTING UNITS FROM THE FACTORY, AND THEY ARE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS.*AK

NHTSA ID

10091244

Incident

Sep 15, 2004

DEFECTIVE HEADLIGHT DESIGN. THE PLASTIC REFLECTOR GETS BURNED FROM THE LIGHT BULB HEAT. I CAN BARELY SEE AT NIGHT TIME. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION! THERE ARE NO "EASY-FIXES" AVAILABLE AND FORD/LINCOLN WANTS A FORTUNE TO REPLACE! *JB

NHTSA ID

10082485

Incident

Jul 22, 1996

Mileage

50,000 mi