Ford Headlight Failures and Wrecks Draw Second U.S. Probe - Bloomberg
Some models of Ford Motor Co. sedans are being scrutinized by U. S. regulators for the second time since 2008 after continuing reports that headlights suddenly turn off, leading motorists to veer off roadways and sometimes crash. The defect investigation focuses on more than 500,000 model year 2003-2005 Ford Crown Victoria and Mercury Grand Marquis vehicles, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in a notice posted to its website Friday. The agency said it had received 605 consumer complaints indicating failures of both low-beam headlights while driving. “We will cooperate with NHTSA on this investigation, as we always do,” Ford spokeswoman Kelli Felker said in an e-mailed statement. NHTSA previously investigated the safety flaw in 2008 and 2009, closing the probe without finding enough evidence of a defect. Ford had only received about 300 complaints at the time of that investigation but the company has since received more than 3,000 similar reports from car owners. Continued Complaints The consumers council pressed the agency in its petition to reopen the probe, citing continued complaints. As part of the earlier investigation, Ford’s chief safety officer said in a January 2009 letter that the failure rates were “significantly lower” than in past agency investigations that were closed without a recall. Source: www.bloomberg.com
