1994 Mercury Grand Marquis Electrical Problems

I WAS DRIVING MY 1994 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS GS HOME FROM WORK ONE NIGHT AROUND 12:00 AM AND I EXPERIENCED TOTAL LIGHTING FAILURE. ALL OF THE SUDDEN EVERYTHING WAS PITCH BLACK NO LIGHTS WHAT SO EVER. EVERY LIGHT ON THE CAR WOULD GO OUT AND COME BACK ON SIMULTANEOUSLY,CAUSING ME SWERVE, ALMOST CRASHING HEAD ON WITH ONCOMING TRAFFIC. I HAVE READ ONLINE OF OTHER GRAND MARQUIS' AND FORD CROWN VICTORIA'S DOING THE SAME THING.THIS WAS ONLY MY FIRST EXPERIENCE WITH THE LIGHTS. I HAVE OWNED THE CAR SINCE JAN 23,2013 AND THE LIGHTS CONTINUE TO DO THIS THEREFORE I CANNOT DRIVE IT AT NIGHT. THE CAR IS ALL ORIGINAL NO AFTERMARKET NOTHING BUT A CD PLAYER. LIGHTS WERE DOING THIS BEFORE I INSTALLED THE CD PLAYER. SO AFTER THIS EXPERIENCE I PULLED THE LIGHT SWITCH OFF ONLY TO FIND THAT THE FACTORY WIRING HARNESS THAT PLUGS INTO THE BACK OF THE LIGHT SWITCH HAD MELTED WHERE THE POSITIVE BATTERY WIRE SLOT IS.SO I REPLACED THE HARNESS WITH A BRAND NEW ONE,AND NOTHING.LIGHTS STILL GO OUT. A COUPLE WEEKS LATER I TOOK THE LIGHT SWITCH OFF AGAIN TO FIND THE NEW WIRING HARNESS I HAD JUST BOUGHT 2 WEEKS PRIOR MELTED JUST LIKE THE ONE FROM THE FACTORY, SAME WIRE SLOT. SO NOW I HAVE TO GO OUT AND BUY ANOTHER ONE. I HAVE ALSO REPLACED THE BATTERY AND THE AUTO LIGHTING CONTROL MODULE TOO THAT DIDNT FIX ANYTHING EITHER.IM GOING TO TRY A NEW HEADLIGHT SWITCH AND A NOTHER NEW HARNESS TOO. HOPEFULLY THAT WILL FIX IT.BUT UNTIL I GET THE MONEY TO FIX ONE OF FORD/MERCURY'S MOST ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS I WONT BE DRIVING IT AT NIGHT. BUT REALLY THIS CAR SHOULD BE RECALLED AND FORD SHOULD HAVE TO FIX THIS. GRAND MARQUIS AND CROWN VICS HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THEIR LIGHT SYSTEMS FAILING ALL THE WAY UP UNTIL THEY QUIT MAKING THEM IN 2011. WISH I WOULD HAVE KNOWN THIS ON 1/23/2013 I WOULDN'T HAVE BOUGHT MINE, THEY JUST ARE NOT SAFE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10510680

Incident

Jan 25, 2013

Mileage

92,727 mi

DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IN MAY 2005 THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE STARTED IN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IN THE STEERING COLUMN UNDER THE HOOD. THERE WAS NOTHING UNUSUAL ABOUT THE WAY THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING BEFORE THIS HAPPENED. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN PARKED ABOUT TWENTY MINUTES WHEN IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE MELTED ALL THE PLASTIC UNDER THE HOOD BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT GET THE HOOD TO OPEN TO PUT THE FIRE OUT. *AK *JB

NHTSA ID

10134060

Incident

May 16, 2005

CAR PARKED IN GARAGE. NOT DRIVEN FOR 24 HOURS. FIRE STARTED UNDER HOOD OF CAR. FIRE SPREAD THROUGHOUT ATTIC AND HOUSE. HOUSE DAMAGED $150,000. HOUSE IN FLOOD PLAIN (GRANDFATHERED). HOUSE HAD TO BE DEMOLISHED AND COULD NOT REBUILD ON SITE AS IT STOOD. FORCED TO FIND NEW HOME, REPLACE POSSESSIONS AND AUTOMOBILE. *LA

NHTSA ID

10073286

Incident

Jan 9, 2002

Mileage

70,000 mi

A VEHICLE FIRE STARTED AT NIGHT WHILE PARKED WITH THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DRIVEN FOR 8 HOURS. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE GARAGE. THE ANTI LOCK BRAKE LIGHT WAS ON. *AK *SC

NHTSA ID

10046074

Incident

Apr 17, 2003

Mileage

140,000 mi

THERE WAS A FIRE THAT STARTED FROM DRIVER'S SIDE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING. *AK

NHTSA ID

8007102

Incident

Apr 9, 2002

WAS DRIVING 55MPH AT NIGHT WHEN THE LIGHT SWITCH WENT OUT. HAD NO INTERIOR OR OUTSIDE LIGHTING. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP IN MORNING. WAS INFORMED BY MECHANIC THE LIGHT SWITCH BURNED OUT. THE FUSE WAS STILL GOOD & DID NOT BLOW OUT. THE WIRE HARNESS HAD MELTED THE PLASTIC CONNECTOR. *AK

NHTSA ID

855002

Incident

Nov 30, 1999

WAS USING HIGH BEAMS, ALL ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WOULD FLICKER & THEN GO OUT. TOOK TO DEALER & HAD IT REPAIRED. PROBLEM LATER RETURNED. *AK

NHTSA ID

844900

Incident

Mar 19, 1999

HORN BUTTON DESIGN FLAW, BUTTONS TOO SMALL TO FIND WHEN NECESSARY, CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO FIND DURING EMERGENCIES.

NHTSA ID

539115

DIFFICULTY ACCESSING HORN BUTTONS.

NHTSA ID

511336

Incident

Nov 4, 1996