go here and file your complaint. http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/

EVERYBODY!!! DO THIS!!! With enough complaints we all get NEW lights!

I actually sent a complaint months ago and never heard anything back. But I just sent in another complaint. Hopefully we can all get some HID's. Great idea turborich! Now we just need everyone else.

i did!!

Hey, let's also file a complaint for the stuff that breaks on our mark VIII's! :rolleyes:

The things people will do for a "freebie".

I did it, hope it works!

All I have to say is STICKY.

done!

who knows if this will work but it is sure worth a try!!! after all driving at night can be dangerous.

Did it!

This will only work if you bought the car new..Good luck to us who didnt

What is defective about Mark VIII headlights?

What is defective about Mark VIII headlights?
can't see at nite

What is defective about Mark VIII headlights?


1st generation VIII's have a problem with the headlights dulling out over the years. the reflective coating inside the parabola turns chalky and can't reflect the light it used to, which KILLS night time driveability.


The only REAL solution to this is to either buy new halogen units, or upgrade to 96 LSC HIDs.



Mike

I want to do it....what did you guys put in your complaint?

Did a Gen II (they were replaced at Lincoln the first year of the car due to excessive yellowing of the lens) and did a second for my old Gen I.

I basically just stated poor night visibility due to sever degradation of OEM headlamp system and 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.

i got my car used.. so yea. but while we are on the subject of complaining about of cars over 10 years old.. i didnt like how them Edsel's from 1958 were always breaking down. or those chevy corvairs they were unsafe as well. haha :p

Done.
You know, my Contour and Tempo both had headlight problems.

i got my car used.. so yea. but while we are on the subject of complaining about of cars over 10 years old.. i didnt like how them Edsel's from 1958 were always breaking down. or those chevy corvairs they were unsafe as well. haha :p
Funny....
Toyota just came out with a campaign...center link on pickups and 4runners. The newest one covered is 1995.

I filed mine.

I feel like Don Quixote! Die, windmill!!

Done.
You know, my Contour and Tempo both had headlight problems.

My 94 -E-150 head lamps go yellow every 3 years until I finally used a Mr Clean Majic ERASER and water and they come out super nice -added some wax to protect every few months and has lasted 3 years and no sign of yellow. Easy to do becaues the lens is not crystal like our Marks and the inner reflector is still good. Funny thi sall made me check my wifes' 200 stang and sure enough they are starting to cloud- from the inside. These lamps are cheap and even come in smoke lense now to help with this issue.

PLEASE for G*d's sake make this a sticky!! With enough complaints we'll get a recall!

:confused:

yes sticky please!

Re the new vs used, ANY safety recall covers ALL owners, ALL mileage.... we can get this done people!! STICKY PLEASE?

Sticky-icky!!!!!!

I'm gonna go ahead and sticky this because of the requests. But if I remember correctly, this has been brought up before with not so great results. But hey, it never hurts to try.

I guess I just got lucky and have a set of HID's in all 3 of my marks


Mike

Thanks! I pushed on this because I used to be a Parts and Service Engineer for Ford and know how the system works - if some mysterious preset number of complaints are received the NHTSA will flip a switch and the Light Fairy will put a gift under all our pillows!

I just want to thank everyone so far thats put in their complaint. And for makin this so STICKY, Thanks 94m5. Hopefully we'll get what we deserve...cool lights. We need more complaints!!!:headbang:

Add one more to the list!

Joe

done

Be gentle it's my first time!

Done did it!

Raoul

And greetings to all!

....great NIC!

I did it, and it says I don't have cruise or ABS.....

Done.

Well, lets all hope for the best! we need some more people to file! new lights sure would be nice.

Be gentle it's my first time!

Done did it!

Raoul

And greetings to all!
:W to :V

Just filed my complaint and had such a good time put one in for the air bags.:D :D

Done! Good idea! Let's hope for the best, eh?

Did it

Just logged my complaint. Hope it works!! New lights would look great in the front end of my Mark.

Saturday Night Live had a bit where the new President George W. Bush in the year 2145 said that the levies in New Orleans will now withstand a level 5 hurricane, unfortunatly they expect a level 12 to hit within the week. I will submit a second time but I expect that by the time action, if any, is taken, we will all be traveling in vacuum tubes. Ed :cool:

Great post!!! :Beer :yourock: DONE!!! :D

THIS IS WHAT I WROTE:

"I have a 1995 Lincoln Mark viii. The head lights are so dim, at night I am unable to have a full visual of what most car-owners are able to see. This problem is due to the headlights on my car, (with brand new bulbs).I know a few people that have around the same year as me with the same model (2 1994's and 1 1995) and they have the same problem. I have also looked into it through vast amounts of mark viii forums and the result is the same. This is a hazard to everyones safety in and around these vehicles, and this is a problem that Must be rectified by the Lincoln manufactor. This is a deffinet recall matter. thank you "
Nicolas

I only buy Gen2's. Sorry. :(

Hey guys, I found this site about lincoln mark VIII compaints. Read the numerous complaints on the headlights!!! How can we get these recalled? Anyone have any ideas?

http://www.lemonlawresources.com/complaints/reports/7917.html

Here are the complaints for the 1995 model year too. I know we can get this done!!! come on guys lets do this.

http://www.lemonlawresources.com/complaints/reports/177.html

I know we have all filled complaints, lets try e mailing them too. its worth a try!

https://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/email.cfm

THIS IS WHAT I WROTE:

"I have a 1995 Lincoln Mark viii. The head lights are so dim, at night I am unable to have a full visual of what most car-owners are able to see. This problem is due to the headlights on my car, (with brand new bulbs).I know a few people that have around the same year as me with the same model (2 1994's and 1 1995) and they have the same problem. I have also looked into it through vast amounts of mark viii forums and the result is the same. This is a hazard to everyones safety in and around these vehicles, and this is a problem that Must be rectified by the Lincoln manufactor. This is a deffinet recall matter. thank you "
Nicolas
I shaved off the front of the lights & Dremeled out the rear holes enough to fit in seal beam headlights from a mid 90's cutless (thin-type rectangle). Now I can see very well at night. By itself the car looks good, different when it has company, but still good. Ed :cool:

Ed...can you post a pic of your Cutlass beams installed in your Gen 1 housings?

I thought about fabbing in a set of the GM smalls, but i was told that they too suffer from light output....

ok...so...when you got to the EQUIPMENT page, how did you all fill out the manufacturer when Sylvania isnt even in the list.

https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/equipment.cfm?tostep=4&CFID=1577901&CFTOKEN=87141975


I mean, they want serial numbers of your car's headlights, etc etc etc

You folks do realize that if you dont fill the complaint for out properly, it will never get a second glance...

Ed...can you post a pic of your Cutlass beams installed in your Gen 1 housings?

I thought about fabbing in a set of the GM smalls, but i was told that they too suffer from light output....
I'd like to see that too....
You are just a few miles south of me Ed....I am in the South Shore area.

Well I posted a complaint so to speak. I have to drive at night with my Hi Beams to see anything and no oncoming cars ever flash me because the lights are so weak.

I recently got a 1996 LSC HID setup off EBAY minus one housing. My friend at a body shop got me a price of $300 on another housing but the bulb is also burned out. That is a fun one to try to find. The Sylvania rep doesn't seem to know of these bulbs :confused:

I have sold HID bulbs at work for over $300 each. The computers that go with them are about $800, IIRC.

done

go here and file your complaint. http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/
Complaint filed!

I cannot post my complaint on this site.:confused:

should i file even if i baught it used?

Has anyone ever installed an aftermarket HID conversion kit into a 1995 Lincoln Mark VIII. I am wondering if that will solve the problem of the bad headlight on my 1995 Mark VIII LSC.

If someone has done this, could you let me know if it worked!

Thank’s

I just filed a complaint.

Has anyone ever installed an aftermarket HID conversion kit into a 1995 Lincoln Mark VIII. I am wondering if that will solve the problem of the bad headlight on my 1995 Mark VIII LSC.

If someone has done this, could you let me know if it worked!

Thank’s

I just filed a complaint.
I bought 2 HID systems out of an LSC for my 96' Mark. Main problem is both had burned out bulbs and new bulbs are quite expensive! Plus I do not know if the ballasts are bad and are the cause of the bulbs frying?

I then tried to find an aftermarket HID system but the way the bulbs screw in seems to be for just that system! We are attempting to retrofit a Lexus H4 HID system to see if it works :confused:

yea i just joined today and i did the complaint i refuse to pay over 600$ per side to fix a problem ford should have taken care of years ago

yea i just joined today and i did the complaint i refuse to pay over 600$ per side to fix a problem ford should have taken care of years ago
EXACTLY!!! besides looking bad it is a REAL safety hazzard. I have almost bought a set of HID's a few times, but then I think about it. Why am I going to spend over a grand on headlights for an 11 year old car? The lights cost a third of what the freakin car is worth!!!!

I got one filied, bit of a PITA though..., Nice to think it might help, these cars are truley quite dangerous with stock factory lighting...

i filed a complaint

Add one more!

Added mine to the list.

Well what's the chances of this working?

Well what's the chances of this working?

Somewhere between zero and none.

Well, you never know, If there is enough complaints it might get somewhere.

done!

If you want Ford to move, it'll take nothing less than a lawyer and a class-action suit.

I know this is an old post, but I bought fog lights and a remote switch today so I can install them behind my grill, and am going to do that tomorrow-
this is my second Mark, its a 96 without HID's, I had a 93-so I did know they were bad headlights, but it seems to me if they can be responsible for potential fire hazards related to a shorted switch for the cruise control, they should also have some responsibility for the joke of a lighting system on these cars. I also know that this is like pissing into the wind, but I filed a complaint anyway-the NTSB should at least make Ford provide some solution, rather than the home-made remedies that owners have to come up with at their cost-this is a serious safety issue, and I hate driving mine on rainy nights far from home in areas that I am unfamilar with-I drive something else when I have any doubts about what it might be like later at night, and that pisses me off. The link for the complaint form I used was on page one of this thread, and it is still there and it does work-you have to get creative with some fields (just put in a number for 'deaths')-what the hell, at least many have complained, if nothing else, it has to be considered a matter of record that this is a known problem.

Obsolete parts.
Gen 2 HID replacement bulbs are not available from the OEM.
Housings on gen 1's are replaceable but this will be filed under wear and tear, unforeseeable environmental damage.
Air suspension parts are on the maint. schedule for replacement at x number of miles.

So i would say that the only one of these complaints that could be considered legit would be the gen 2 HID bulbs.

The other stuff, slim to none, as you can fix those problems easily. (cheaply no, but easy fixes.)

that being said, i also filed! :) What the hell, it can't hurt and only took a minute.

When I got my 96' VIII I filled out this report as I had to drive with the High Beams on all the time to see at night. No one ever even flashed me so that should say how bad the output was at the time.

I did watch EBAY and picked up both HID assemblies from separate auctions with bad bulbs. I gave them to a friend at a body shop and he put some DS2 bulbs (I do believe from a Lexus) into the housings.

They work great and I replaced one bulb already once for only $20 :D

While I agree Ford really needs to supply some replacement parts I was able to fix the system for a bit over $300 all told after selling off the old Ballasts and parts.

It's pretty sad when EBAY becomes the only supplier for parts for a car that is not even an Antique :mad:

Housings on gen 1's are replaceable but this will be filed under wear and tear, unforeseeable environmental damage.





how is the chrome plating INSIDE the housings burning seen as enviromental damage or wear and tear? its a poor design with the bulb too close to the top of the housing. all that heat from the bulb literally burns the housings. i wouldnt hesitate to file the warranty claim as a defective part.

Oh i wouldn't either, im just "devils advocating." I agree it's a piss poor design, but I also know what is going to be said about it.

Since i about wiped mine out tonight in the dark due to the :q:q:q:qty lights, im investigating. I think mine aren't aimed correctly, after the car had been lowered.

The hella driving lights in my grill do make a big difference, but i need to adjust the aim outwards.

http://www.stryfe.net/images/mark/three.jpg

Filed also. Car has become totally undriveable in the rain, so i am re-chroming the insides right now. :)

ok, whats the best way to do that? is this a do it yourself type project or do i need to send the housing out to get this done?

DIY. Have a read of this thread. Jamie97lsc's results are very good!

http://www.lincolnvscadillac.com/showthread.php?t=35804&highlight=headlights

I installed the driving lights behind the grill with a remote switch, OMG, it is like night and day-all together, I spent about $50 and it took about 45 minutes-I hate having to go through the extra step of having to switch off and on the lights, but on dark roads, it makes the Mark a normal car-I can actually see the road markings, and the curb, etc. BIG DIFFERENCE. I removed the bracing for the grill, now the lights are providing the support for the grill assymbly. The remote I bought has a built-in relay and is fused, so I went right to the battery posts for + and -, so it was easy. If you hate your lights (and, honestly, who doesn't?) you need to do this. I might go to the extra step and wire it into one of the fuses under the hood so that it only works when the ignition is on, but for now, I can drive it at night and actually see what I'm doing. YEA!!!!:) :) :) :) :D

I might go to the extra step and wire it into one of the fuses under the hood so that it only works when the ignition is on, but for now, I can drive it at night and actually see what I'm doing. YEA!!!!:) :) :) :) :D

I would just wire the relay trigger into the headlight bulb wire by the light and then you would have all the Mark VIII factory light features. It would be telling the relay when to turn the lights on at that point and you would not need to do wiring in the fuse box.

That is how mine is wired. Did it the proper way to the low beam.

U Think This Will Work On 98 'gen 2's

I Mean It Is Goin To Be A 10yr(98 -2008) Old Car And Things Are Already Are Obsolete!

yeah you can see how mine were done in my gallery. it works great, and if you buy a good set of driving lights it works very well. like i said, mine are hella's but i dont know the exact model.

i originally was going to wire it to the pos wire on the low beam pos but instead just wired it to the battery and turn it off and on by the remote switch. The reason I changed my mind was, when I had my 93, I bought halogen bulbs that were 100 watt and they screwed up the auto lights to the point that it had to be disabled (always on, even with the key off). I remember the back of the connector being burned/melted and I replaced the headlight switch in the dashboard. I always blamed the extra wattage for that, and these foglights are 55 watts each and the silverstars are 60 watts-I prefer to keep these on seperate circuits, just switched so that when I turn off the ignition they have no power going to them. The remote setup has a built in relay, so if I wire it into one of the high powered fuses under the hood, it should not be an issue. I drove it tonight over 100 miles in the dark, and it was really nice for a change to see lane markers, and the white lines. I see no reason this wouldn't be a major improvement in any mark, but I thought that second Gens had HID's and were good as they were-why would you want to do this to a 98?

ah, my hella's have a relay. detect on from the harness, relay clicks and turns them on from a wire from the battery, my switch/stuff sees nothing.

well i filed too. hope this works.

I put my complaint in and put in the description (with a little bit of quote from Frat-man-du)

"Headlight housings reflective surface no longer reflective and plastic lenses on front of housings have become foggy. Light output with low beams is hardly more noticeable than driving with just parking lights. This makes for very poor night visibility due to severe degradation of OEM headlamp system and 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. This is clearly a defect in workmanship and/or design flaw and Ford/Lincoln/Mercury needs to fix this issue with the 93-95 Mark VIII's with halogen bulbs systems before accidents are caused, lives lost and class action lawsuits begin."

Hope maybe at least we can get new headlight housings or better yet have the break out the molds for the 96 LSC HID housings and bring us in from a recall.

I'm not going to hold my breath though.

DarkStorm (Steve)
94 Opal Pearlescent Lincoln Mark VIII
with candles for headlights:(

Thanks! I pushed on this because I used to be a Parts and Service Engineer for Ford and know how the system works - if some mysterious preset number of complaints are received the NHTSA will flip a switch and the Light Fairy will put a gift under all our pillows!
Hey John Hubertz. Since you used to work for them have you heard of anything yet? I know this sticky has been here a long time but we've got to have at least 87 complaints so far.
Got any idea how many it takes to make the NHSTA switch on?

Steve

Sumited