1998 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS Complaints

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE ENTERING A DRIVEWAY AT 5 MPH, AN UNIDENTIFIED NOISE WAS HEARD. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO REVERSE OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY, THE REAR WHEELS SPUN. THE CONTACT TURNED OFF THE IGNITION AND EXITED THE VEHICLE TO INSPECT THE PROBLEM. THE FRONT RIGHT WHEEL WAS TURNED TO THE RIGHT AND THE LINKAGE WAS LAYING ON THE DRIVE WAY, AND THE FRONT WHEEL WAS STILL POINTED STRAIGHT AND RESPONDED TO THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. UPDATED 11/30/2006 -THE FAILURE WAS THE TIE ROD END WHICH FAILED DUE TO LACK OF GREASE. THE GREASE FITTING COULD NOT BE GREASED. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC BUT WAS UNABLE TO IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM WAS WITH THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROLS AS ACCELERATION WAS SLUGGISH AND THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL NEEDED TO BE PUMPED TO INCREASE SPEED. AT OTHER TIMES THE VEHICLE WOULD ACCELERATE UNCONTROLLABLY FOR NO REASON AND THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WOULD HAVE TO BE PUMPED BEFORE THE SPEED WOULD REDUCE TO NORMAL. WHILE TRAVELING AT 50 MPH, ON A DRY PAVED ROAD IN CLEAR CONDITIONS, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL. THE CONTACT VEERED LEFT TO AVOID A HEAD ON COLLISION WITH A VEHICLE DIRECTLY AHEAD AND WAS UNABLE TO SLOW OR STOP. THE VEHICLE ENTERED A FOUR WAY STOP INTERSECTION AND STRUCK THE PASSENGER SIDE OF ANOTHER VEHICLE, THAT WAS PASSING THROUGH THE INTERSECTION FROM LEFT TO RIGHT. THE CONTACT (20 YEARS OLD) WAS INJURED AND THERE WAS ONE FATALITY (AGED 79). A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN AND AN INVESTIGATION WAS CONDUCTED. A FENCE AND PALM TREE WERE DAMAGED, AND PHOTOS WERE TAKEN. THE SERVICE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE NAME AND ADDRESS LISTED IS FOR THE ATTORNEY OF THE CONTACT. THE CONTACT WAS JOSE GARCES, OF P.O. BOX 126, DONNA TEXAS.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SHIFTED INTO REVERSE AFTER IT WAS PUT IN TO PARK. THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT INVOLVED. THE CONTACT BELIEVES THIS IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT AND NOT SOMETHING CAUSED BY WEAR AND TEAR. THIS WAS THE FIRST OCCURRENCE AND THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED BY A DEALER. UPDATED 8/16/2006 - *NM

DT: THE CALLER SAID HER CAR BURNED UP IN 2000. NOW SHE IS FINDING OUT ABOUT THE INVESTIGATION INTO THE CRUISE CONTROL FIRES. SHE BELIEVES THAT THE CAR SHOULD BE INCLUDED. AT THE TIME SHE WAS TOLD TO CALL THE INSURANCE COMPANY, THEY SAID TO CALL MANUFACTURER, AND SHE WAS GETTING THE RUN AROUND. SHE SAW ON CNN AND THE NEWSPAPER ABOUT THE CURRENT PROBLEM THEY ARE HAVING AND WANTED SOMEONE TO HELP HER. THERE IS A FIRE REPORT. *AK THE VEHICLE FIRE WAS CONTAINED TO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND DASH AREA. *SC *JB

1) NORMAL DRIVING USAGE; 2) PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD CRACKED, OVERHEATING CAR; 3) PART WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED $590 FROM FORD MOTOR COMPANY. *AK

FALIURE HAS NOT HAPPENED YET BUT HAS THE POTENTIAL WITH ALL OF THE OTHER 1998 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLDS ARE DEFECTIVE FROM FORD AND CAUSE COOLANT LOSS. THIS CAN CAUSE ENGINE DAMAGE AND POSSIBLE ENGINE FAILURE. RECALL APPLYING TO FLEET VEHICLES SHOULD APPLY TO PRIVATE USE VEHICLES AS WELL. AVERAGE REPAIR COSTS BETWEEN 700-1000 DOLLARS.

WHILE DRIVING 18 MPH THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIE ROD BROKE. AS A RESULT, THE STEERING FAILED. NO IMPACT REPORTED.*AK DEALER REPLACED PASSENGER AND DRIVER'S SIDE OUTER TIE ROD END, AND PASSENGER SIDE INNER TIE ROD AND SLEEVE. *TT

THE FRONT UPPER BALL JOINTS WERE SQUEAKING DUE TO DRYNESS,WHICH CONSUMER HAS BEEN INFORMED THAT THEY CAN BREAK AND CAUSE THE WHEELS TO FALL OFF.*AK

ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS THE VEHICLE HAS STALLED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. *NM EACH TIME THIS HAPPENED THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE RESTARTED AND HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE NEAREST GARAGE. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT SERVICE BULLETIN 12950 AS ISSUED IN 1999 IDENTIFYING A FIX FOR THIS PROBLEM. SINCE THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY HE WAS FORCED TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR. *NM

ELECTRICAL SHORT ON 1998 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS CAUSES ENGINE TO STALL AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. POWER BRAKES AND STEERING NOT OPERABLE WHEN ENGINE STALLS. CANNOT RESTART ENGINE WHEN CONDITION OCCURS. CAR TOWED ALL THREE TIMES. PROBLEM DOCUMENTED IN FORD SERVICE BULLITIN 12950. PROBLEM OCCURED 3 TIMES: NOVEMBER 2003 OCTOBER 2004 NOVEMBER 2004. *AK