1995 Mercury Grand Marquis Exterior lighting Problems

HEADLIGHTS GO OUT WHILE DRIVING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10651999

Incident

Nov 3, 2014

Mileage

130,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE HEADLIGHTS SUDDENLY MALFUNCTIONED AND BECAME INOPERABLE. THE CONTACT SWITCHED ON THE HIGH BEAMS THAT ALSO MALFUNCTIONED WITHIN A FEW MINUTES AND FAILED TO FUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE HEAD LAMP CIRCUIT WAS FAULTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT BUT NO SOLUTION WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 76,000. UPDATED 07/28/14 MA THE CONSUMER REFERENCED RECALL # 95V189000. UPDATED 07/29/14

NHTSA ID

10587441

Incident

May 8, 2014

Mileage

76,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE SPEEDOMETER AND HEADLIGHTS FAILED ON HIS VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE DIGITAL DISPLAY BOARD FAILED. THE REPAIR COST WAS ESTIMATED AT $1,000. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY WOULD ONLY REPAIR THE VEHICLE ACCORDING TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 07V336000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). THE VEHICLE WILL BE REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 82,000. UPDATED 06/27/09 *BF UPDATED 06/23/09.*JB

NHTSA ID

10272363

Incident

May 5, 2009

Mileage

82,000 mi

MY 1995 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS ODOMETER IS OVER 144K. I'VE EXPERIENCED INTERMITTENT FAILURE OF THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH, ESPECIALLY WHEN TEMPERATURE IS NEAR OR BELOW FREEZING. WHEN IT'S COLD OUTSIDE, AND THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SITTING FOR A WHILE AND THEREFORE COLD WHEN I TURN ON THE HEADLIGHTS, I HAVE TO PLAY WITH THE SWITCH FOR THE HEADLIGHTS TO STAY ON. IT'S NOW TAKING LONGER AND LONGER FOR ME TO GET THE LIGHTS TO STAY LIT. I'VE ONLY EXPERIENCED ONE FAILURE WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, AFTER THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN DRIVEN FOR OVER 20 MINUTES. WHEN I FIRST PURCHASED MY VEHICLE, I REPLACED ALL 4 HEADLAMP BULBS BECAUSE THEY WERE TOO DIM. THE REPLACEMENTS DIDN'T RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. FROM WHAT I'VE READ, THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM IS THE PLASTIC COVERING ON THE HEADLAMPS. THE COMPOSITION OF THE PLASTIC BREAKS DOWN WITH AGE AND DISCOLORS, REDUCING THE BRIGHTNESS OF THE HEADLIGHTS. THIS DESIGN FAULT OF USING PLASTIC OVER GLASS IS A DANGEROUS SAFETY HAZARD. IF I CHANGE FROM LOW TO HIGH, MY HEADLIGHTS APPEAR TO ILLUMINATE THE ROAD WITHIN ALLOWABLE BRIGHTNESS, INCREASING VISIBILITY. DRIVING ON ROADS WITH INSUFFICIENT STREET LIGHTS IS DANGEROUS WITH ONLY THE LOW BEAM HEADLAMPS. I'VE CONSIDERED DRIVING WITH THE HIGH BEAMS AT ALL TIMES, TO ENSURE MY SAFETY, BUT HAVE QUESTIONED THE LEGALITY OF SUCH A CHOICE. THE NEWER VEHICLES TODAY SEEM TO BE SPORTING THOSE SUPER BRIGHT HEADLIGHTS, ARE EXTREMELY BLINDING TO THOSE WHO HAVE TO DRIVE IN FRONT OF OR IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION AS THEY BLIND YOU AS THEY GET CLOSER AND PASS YOU. THIS PAST FALL, I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR THE CRUISE CONTROL IN MY GRAND MARQUIS. I TOOK THE VEHICLE INTO THE DEALERSHIP; THEY DISCONNECTED THE CRUISE CONTROL, TAPED THE ENDS OF THE WIRE, AND SENT ME ON MY WAY. I WAS TOLD THAT THE PARTS WOULD BE IN DURING Q4, AND THAT I WOULD RECEIVE A FOLLOW-UP LETTER TO COME BACK AND HAVE THE REPLACEMENT PART INSTALLED. WE ARE INTO Q1 OF THE NEXT YEAR, AND THERE HASN'T BEEN ANY FOLLOW-UP FROM FORD/MERCURY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10214553

Incident

Jul 31, 2007

Mileage

135,500 mi

REAR BRAKE LINE HAD TO BE REPLACED DUE TO SPONGY BRAKES AND EXCESSIVE FLUID LEAKING OUT. PROBLEM CAUSED BY FLOOR PAN STIFFENING RIB CHAFING THE LINE. SECOND PROBLEM WHICH HAS NOT AS YET BEEN CORRECTED IS THAT THE HEADLAMPS ARE COMPLETELY DISCOLORED, YELLOWED MAKING IT DANGEROUS TO DRIVE AT NIGHT. TO REPLACE HEADLAMPS IS OVER $400.00. LAST PROBLEM IS THAT THE EXTERIOR CLEAR COAT IS PEELING. *JB

NHTSA ID

10139442

Incident

Sep 1, 2005

Mileage

69,775 mi

FROSTING AND DISCOLORATION OF PLASTIC HEAD LAMP LENSES SEVERELY REDUCE LIGHT OUTPUT, AND ARE A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD. THIS IS CAUSED BY HEAT FROM THE BULBS AND PERHAPS UV RADIATION FROM SUNLIGHT. LENSES ON MY 1995 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS BECAME DANGEROUS TO DRIVE AT NIGHT AT LEAST TWO YEARS AGO (AT 8 YEARS OLD). DEALER (OEM) REPLACEMENTS ARE $205 EACH, WHICH IS PROHIBITIVE FOR RETIRED OWNERS LIVING ON SOCIAL SECURITY. BY COMPARISON, THE OLD GLASS SEALED-BEAM UNITS LASTED NEAR-FOREVER AND ONLY COST $5 TO REPLACE. MANUFACTURERS SHOULD RECALL AND REPLACE THESE FOR FREE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10114037

Incident

Feb 9, 2004

Mileage

100,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING HEADLIGHTS FLICKERED ON/OFF. THIS CAUSED A VISIBILITY PROBLEM DURING NIGHT HOURS. RECALL#95V189000 WAS ISSUED; HOWEVER, DEALERSHIP WOULD NOT REPAIR THIS VEHICLE FREE OF CHARGE BECAUSE THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK *MR

NHTSA ID

10050556

Incident

Dec 12, 2003

Mileage

144,000 mi

CONSUMER STATE WHILE TRAVELING WITH VEHICLE HEAD LIGHTS ON HEAD LIGHTS GIVES OFF POOR LIGHTING. DEALE SHIP AND MANUFACTURE HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. MR

NHTSA ID

8021107

HEADLAMPS DO NOT ILLUMINATE SUFFICIENTLY,NOT ENOUGH LIGHT, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY.*AK

NHTSA ID

847185

DIRECTIONAL LIGHTS IN VEHICLE DO NOT FUNCTION WHILE DRIVING. PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT. DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

825924

LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS ARE INADEQUATE, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY.

NHTSA ID

524887

LIGHT CONTROL MODULE FAILED PRIOR TO RECALL, CAUSING LOSS OF ALL INTERIOR/EXTERIOR LIGHTS WHILE DRIVING.

NHTSA ID

510423

Incident

Aug 18, 1996

CONSUMER HAS A LEASED CAR, AT NIGHT THE LIGHTS ARE NOT BRIGHT ENOUGH, AFFECTS HIGH BEAM. PLEASE DESCRIBE . *AK

NHTSA ID

980834

HEADLIGHTS ILLUMINATE ROAD SURFACE POORLY. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID

980335

HEAD LIGHTS ILLUMINATE POORLY W/DEALERSHIP NOT ABLE TO ADJUST. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT

NHTSA ID

975659

HEADLIGHTS DO NOT SUFFICIENTLY LIGHTUP DURING NIGHT DRIVING DRIVING. *AK

NHTSA ID

968833

Incident

Jul 14, 1995