2003 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS Complaints

I WAS DRIVING AT EARLY DAWN WHEN I REALIZED IN SOME SHADIER AREAS THE HEADLIGHTS WEREN'T WORKING. I PULLED OVER AND CONFIRMED THIS. I THOUGHT THAT INSTANCES OF INTERMITTENT HEADLIGHT FAILURE THE WEEK BEFORE WAS A MISPERCEPTION ON MY PART. I HAD RECEIVED A LETTER FROM FORD WEEKS EARLIER; FORD HAS INDEED CONFIRMED THIS PROBLEM IS DUE TO THEIR LIGHTING CONTROL MODULE, SO MUCH SO THAT FORD'S LETTER CLAIMS THAT THE COMPANY WILL COVER REPLACEMENT FOR AN ADDITIONAL 5 YEARS. MY CAR'S MODULE HAS NOW FAILED COMPLETELY. I AM UNSURE IN HOW MANY EARLIER INSTANCES, ESPECIALLY IN SEMI-LIGHTER ENVIRONMENTS WHERE IT WAS LESS PERCEPTIBLE TO ME, THIS INTERMITTENT HEADLIGHT FAILURE PUT BOTH MYSELF AND OTHER DRIVERS, PEDESTRIANS, AND BICYCLISTS AROUND ME IN REAL DANGER. THE FAILURE OF MY CAR'S MODULE HAS SINCE BEEN CONFIRMED BY MY LOCAL DEALER. IN ADDITION, I CONTACTED FORD DIRECTLY. HOWEVER, AFFECTED DRIVERS, AS WELL AS POTENTIAL FUTURE OWNERS, BOTH OF WHOM HAVE AND WILL POSE A DANGER TO OTHERS, HAVE NOT AND WILL NOT HAVE A REMEDY ANY TIME SOON, ACCORDING TO FORD, DESPITE THEIR LETTER. FORD DEALER AND REGIONAL MANAGERS SUGGEST THAT THE PART IS OUT OF STOCK INDEFINITELY. FUTURE DRIVERS WILL HAVE NO REMEDY TO THEIR CARS' UNSAFE CONDITIONS. AN ALLUSION HAS BEEN MADE TO SOME UNSANCTIONED, UNCOVERED, AND PRICEY, UNREIMBURSABLE FIX WITH NO GUARANTEE OF SUCCESS, HENCE TO GUARANTEE OF SAFETY EITHER. WORSE STILL, FORD HAS CATEGORIZED THIS ISSUE AS ONE NOT ENTITLED TO RENTAL ASSISTANCE DESPITE THEIR "COVERED" FAILED PART BEING RESPONSIBLE. STATES' INSPECTION PROCESSES WILL FAIL ANY VEHICLE EXHIBITING THIS CLEARLY UNSAFE ISSUE. THE COMMONWEALTH WILL DEEM MY UNSAFE AND UNROADWORTHY THIS MONTH, LEAVING ME WITH NO RECOURSE. AND WITH NO RELIEF EXPECTED FROM THE MANUFACTURER, ANY OTHER CAR SUFFERING THIS FAILURE WILL MEET WITH THE SAME FATE. WHAT IS THE WORTH OF BEING "COVERED" WITHOUT A SAFE FIX? *TR

THE PAINT ON THIS VEHICLE HAS BUBBLED AND FELL OFF THE CAR, ALL OVER THE CAR IN VARIOUS PLACES. THERE DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE A PATTERN TO THE DAMAGE, EXCEPT WHERE THE WINDOW WASH SQUIRTS THERE IS SOME DISCOLORATION AND RUST. PREVENTATIVE MEASURES HAVE NO AFFECT ON THE PAINT COMING OFF AS MULTIPLE WASHES AND OR WAXES DO/ DID NOTHING TO PREVENT IT FROM CONTINUING. PART OF THE DAMAGE FOLLOWS A RIVET OR WELDING LINE ON THE HOOD WHERE IT IS WELDED TO BRACES ON THE BOTTOM OF THE HOOD, OTHER PLACES APPEAR TO BE HIGH WIND OR HIGH STRESS AREAS. THE PAINT FEELS FRAGILE , HAS NO RESISTANCE TO BREAKAGE AND APPEARS TO BE A WELL KNOWN DEFECT WHEN RESEARCHED. SANDING , RESURFACING AND REPAINTING HELPS SOME, BUT UNLESS THE WHOLE CAR IS REDONE IT IS UGLY AND VERY HARD TO CONTROL AND IT IS ALSO DISAPPOINTING. *TR

CANNOT GET LIGHTS TO WORK, PULLED OVER BY POLICE (TWICE)GOING DOWN THE ROAD,AND DIDNT KNOW LIGHTS WERE OUT. THEY COME AND GO. POLICE SAID TO DO SOMETHING LIKE TAKE IT TO DEALER. THEY TOLD ME I WAS TO FAIL AUTO INSPECTION FOR THIS ON THE SPOT. DEALER SAYS THEY WANT TO TEST FOR A WEEK AND THEN THEY SAY THEY CANT GET PARTS. IF I GOT TO COURT ONE MRE TIME OR CAR IS IMPOUNDED I AM SEKING MY ATTORNEY. THIS IS A SAFETY DEFECT WITH DANGEROUS AND NEGLIGENT CONSEQUENCES. *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS THE STEERING MALFUNCTIONED AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO PULL TO THE RIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN INTERMEDIATE SHAFT WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 132,000.

LETTER FROM CONGRESSMAN JONES ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENT REGARDING A PROBLEM SHE HAS ENCOUNTERED WITH HER 2003 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS AND FORD MOTOR COMPANY; ATTN: WILLIAM MOORE. *SMD THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM NOTICE, REGARDING A POTENTIAL PROBLEM MAY EXIST WITH THE ELECTRONIC MODULE, THAT SUPPLIED POWER TO THE HEADLIGHTS, MAY FAIL.

LIGHTS WOULD NOT TURN ON AT NIGHT. HAD TO HOLD THE BRIGHT LIGHT HANDLE ON STEERING COLUMN UP TO DRIVE HOME. CHECKED FUSES FOR LEFT HEADLAMP AND RIGHT HEADLAMP. THEY WERE GOOD. HAVE BEEN TOLD THE PROBLEM IS A LIGHTING MODULE THAT COST UP TO $600.00 DOLLARS TO REPLACE. *JS

I PURCHASED NEW TIRES TODAY FOR THIS VEHICLE. DEALER ADVISED HAVING FRONT END ALIGNMENT CHECKED DUE TO WEAR PATTERNS ON TIRES. BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO MY FRONT END ALIGNMENT SHOP AND TOLD THEN THAT THERE IS "A FLAT SPOT WHEN TURNING THE WHEEL' THE TECHNICIAN DROVE THE VEHICLE AND BROUGHT IT INTO THE SHOP TO INSPECT THE FRONT END PRIOR TO DOING ANY ALIGNMENT WORK. THE TECHNICIAN CALLED THE PARTS DEALER AND GAVE THE VIN NUMBER AND WAS TOLD THE AVAILABILITY OF THE OEM AND AFTER MARKET PARTS. AFTER HANGING UP THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT FORD HAD PREVIOUSLY RECALLED THE 2003 GRAND MARQUIS FOR THE SAME ISSUE, (LOWER STEERING SHAFT BINDING), BUT THEY COULDN'T FIND ANY OPEN RECALL FOR THIS VEHICLE. I WAS QUOTED $270.00 FOR THE PART NOT INCLUDING LABOR, ALIGNMENT AND TAX. I BELIEVE THIS ISSUE SHOULD BE RE-VISITED IF IT WAS ORIGINALLY A RECALL ISSUE. OTHER THAN THAT I WILL HAVE TO PAY THE REPAIR BILL. AND FOR THE RECORD, THIS IS MY 4TH MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS THAT I OWN AND NEVER IN TIME THAT I HAVE BEEN THE OWNER , THIS ISSUE EVER SURFACED. THANK YOU. *TR

I OWN A 2003 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. MY STEERING SHAFT IS CORRODED AND IT IS NO LONGER SAFE TO DRIVE. I CONTACTED MY LOCAL FORD DEALER ABOUT THE ISSUE AFTER REALIZING THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE SAME PART BUT ONLY TO FIND OUT THAT THE RECALL WAS FOR 2005-2011 . BUT WHEN I GO TO BUY THE PART. ITS LISTED FOR YEARS 2003-2011. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY 2003 WAS NOT ON THE RECALL? *TR

BRIDGESTONE INSIGNIA SE 200 WITH 35,000 MILES. CAR WAS DRIVING NORMALLY AT 40 MPH, BEGAN FEELING A VIBRATION. SOON THE CAR WAS WIGGLING LIKE A WHEEL WAS LOOSE. HANDLING WORSENED RAPIDLY. IN 5 MILES I BECAME SO CONCERNED I PULLED OFF THE ROAD & CALLED AAA. ONE TIRE HAD BULGES. PUT THE SPARE ON AND SAW THE TIRE HAD BEGAN TO SEPARATE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TREAD ABOUT 8 INCHES LONG & DOWN TO STEEL BELT. ANOTHER SEPARATION INSIDE NEAR SIDEWALL. *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME EXTREMELY HARD WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE FLEXIBLE JOINTS IN THE STEERING SHAFT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 76,000. DR