2003 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS Complaints

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE PARKED WITH THE IGNITION ON; THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LURCHED FORWARD WITHOUT WARNING. THE BRAKES WERE DEPRESSED AND THE IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF, WHICH STOPPED THE VEHICLE AFTER IT TRAVELED 60 FT. THIS HAD OCCURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. ALSO, WHILE TRAVELING 60 MPH WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED, THE VEHICLE SPED UNCONTROLLABLY TO 80 MPH. THE BRAKES WERE DEPRESSED, BUT DID NOT DISENGAGE THE CRUISE CONTROL. ALSO, WHILE TRAVELING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED SUDDENLY, CAUSING THE CONTACT TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE INTO A DITCH TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A BRUISE TO THE SHOULDER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED, AND PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER TWICE, WHERE THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS REPLACED, BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTED.

I OWN A 2003 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS THAT WAS ORIGINALLY BUILT BY THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY TO BE PLACED INTO FLEET SERVICE AS A HERTZ RENTAL VEHICLE IN JULY 2002. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AS A USED CAR FROM A DEALER IN ASHLAND KY KNOWING THAT THE CAR HAD BEEN IN PREVIOUS FLEET SERVICE. ON JULY 15, 2004, FORD ACKNOWLEDGED THAT PANTHER VEHICLES BUILT FOR FLEET SERVICE WERE PRONE TO PREMATURE AXLE FAILURES AND ISSUED THE FOLLOWING RECALL. ------ FORD MOTOR COMPANY COMPONENT DESCRIPTION: SUSPENSION:REAR DEFECT SUMMARY CERTAIN POLICE, COMMERCIAL, AND PASSENGER VEHICLES SOLD TO FLEETS TYPICALLY INPUT HIGHER LOADS INTO THE VEHICLE CHASSIS OVERLOADING THE WHEEL BEARINGS AND AXLES. CONSEQUENCE SUMMARY THIS COULD LEAD TO EARLY BEARING FAILURE AND ULTIMATELY TO AXLE SHAFT FRACTURE. IN THE EVENT OF AXLE SHAFT FRACTURE, THE VEHICLE WOULD LOSE DRIVE FUNCTION AND WOULD COAST TO A STOP. LOSS OF DRIVE FUNCTION COULD LEAD TO A CRASH. CORRECTIVE SUMMARY DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE REAR WHEEL BEARINGS, SEALS,AND AXLE SHAFTS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 15, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673. MADE BETWEEN 11/14/2001 AND 12/3/2002 POTENTIAL NUMBER OF UNITS AFFECTED: 47,314 DATE OWNER NOTIFIED BY MFR: 7/15/2004 RECALL INITIATOR: OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V328000. *JB MISSING FROM THIS RECALL ARE ALL MERCURY MODELS THAT WERE BUILT FOR FLEET SERVICE AS RENTAL VEHICLES. MY VEHICLE HAS PRODUCED THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS THE CARS MENTIONED IN THE ASSOCIATED RECALL, BUT IT WAS NOT INCLUDED. HOW DO I SEEK MEDIATION FOR DAMAGES SUFFERED DUE TO A KNOW MANUFACTURERS DEFECT?

DT*: ON THREE OCCASIONS WHEN THE GEAR WAS PLACED INTO DRIVE THE VEHICLE WOULD LURCH FORWARD OR WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED THE SAME THING WOULD OCCUR CAUSING THE TIRES TO SCREECH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALERS WHO DETERMINED THAT THE GAS AND BRAKE PEDALS WERE TO CLOSE TO EACH OTHER. WHEN DEPRESSING ONE PEDAL THE OTHER PEDAL WAS ALSO APPLIED. THE DEALERS ALSO DETERMINED THAT BECAUSE THE PEDALS WERE IN CLOSE PROXIMITY IT WOULD CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO UNINTENTIONALLY ACCELERATE. THE DEALERS CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER WHO CONFIRMED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THIS ISSUE. UPDATED 7/14/2006 - *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE SPLASH GUARD PANEL UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE THAT PROTECTS THE RADIATOR, POWER STEERING, AND VACUUM HOSES, IS VERY LOW TO THE GROUND AND CAN BE STRUCK BY OBJECTS IN THE ROADWAY. ALTHOUGH A FAILURE DID NOT OCCUR, THE VEHICLE WAS SEEN BY A DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. . SPLASH GUARD ALWAYS MADE CONTACT WITH THE BUMPER STOP ON PARKING LOT, WHEN A CAR PULLED OUT THE SPLASHING GUARD MADE CONTACT WITH IT, MAKING A TERRIBLE NOISE, THE PANEL BECAME MORE WARPED EACH TIME THAT IT HAPPENED. BECAUSE IT COVERED VITAL ENGINE AND STEERING PARTS, THIS PANEL SHOULD BE STRAIGHT AND MORE SECURE. *AK

FUEL GAUGE THAT COMES OFF FULL TOO QUICKLY AND READS LOWER THEN ACTUAL FUEL TANK LEVEL. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED OVER A PERIOD OF TWO YEARS ACORNS HAVE ACCUMULATED INSIDE THE HOLES SURROUNDING THE WINDSHIELD WIPER ARMS. THE HOLES ARE TWO INCHES IN DIAMETER. THE CONTACT LIVES NEAR AN ACORN TREE AND THE ACORNS FUNNEL THEMSELVES DOWN INTO THE HOLES. THERE WERE 50 OR MORE ACORNS INSIDE THAT CAUSED THE MECHANISM TO BIND. THE CONTACT BELIEVES THIS IS A DESIGN DEFECT. THIS CAUSED THE WIPING MECHANISM TO BIND AND STRIPPED THE GEAR IN THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR CAUSING THE WIPERS TO STOP WORKING. THE WIPERS HAVE BEEN REPAIRED. UPDATED 3/9/2006 - *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED AFTER HEARING THERE WAS A MANUFACTURER'S OFFER TO REPLACE THE GASOLINE STORAGE TANK ON POLICE VEHICLES DUE TO A RISK OF FIRE IN THE EVENT OF A REAR END COLLISION, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE DISPLAYED NO PRIOR PROBLEMS OR HAD ANY EXISTING FAILURES, THE CONTACT INSTRUCTED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO REPLACE THE FUEL TANK STORAGE ASSEMBLY. THE CONSUMER WANTED TO KNOW WHY HE HAD TO PAY FOR SERVICE WHEN THE POLICE VEHICLE WERE BEING REPAIRED FOR FREE. UPDATED 02/27/06. *JB UPDATED 4/6/2006 - THE GAS TANK WAS NOT REPLACED. A GAS TANK PROTECTION SHIELD WAS INSTALLED IN POLICE CARS FREE OF CHARGE. THE CONSUMER WAS UPSET BECAUSE HE HAD TO PAY TO HAVE ONE INSTALLED IN HIS VEHICLE. *NM

SAME AS ODI 10142807.....FORD MOTOR ISSUED A RECALL (NHTSA CAMPAIGN 04V328000 & NHTSA PE 04010) FOR 2003 FORD CROWN VICTORIA & LINCOLN TOWN CAR ABOUT REAR BEARING SEALS AND AXLES. FORD L/M WILL NOT REPAIR MY 2003 MERCURY MARAUDER BASED ON THIS. IT IS THE EXACT SAME VEHICLE, ESPECIALLY THE REAR END. MARAUDER IS A LIMITED ADDITION WITH THE POLICE PACKAGE MENTIONED IN THE RECALL. *JB

I HAVE A 2003 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS WITH 49,000 MILES. IT STARTED HAVING A GRINDING NOISE IN THE REAR END. I CARRIED THE VEHICLE TO MY MERCURY DEALER. HE STATED THAT FORD HAD MADE AXLES WITH A SOFT METAL WHICH CAUSED THE WHEEL BEARING TO MAKE A GROOVE IN THE AXLE. TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM I WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE BOTH AXLES AND WHEEL BEARINGS. I FEEL THAT FORD DOES NOT CORRECT THIS PROBLEM THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF THE AXLES BREAKING AND CAUSING THE WHEEL TO COME OFF AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. I THINK FORD SHOULD RECALL THESE AXLES. *NM

2003 GRAND MARQUIS DEVELOPED PROBLEMS WITH THE ALTERNATOR, THE THROTTLE STICKING OPEN AND ALIGNMENT PROBLEMS.*MR THERE WAS ALSO A RATTLE NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE AND THE DIGITAL READOUT ON THE DASH WAS NOT READING PROPERLY. *TT