2008 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE USING THE CRUISE CONTROL, APPLYING THE BRAKES AND RESUMING TO NORMAL THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED TO HIGHER SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE STOPPED AFTER THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE SINCE THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE IT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 4,500.

ON OCTOBER 27, 2010, MY WIFE WAS DRIVING WITH ME IN THE CAR AND SHE STARTED TO BRAKE FOR A RED LIGHT. SHE WAS GOING ABOUT 30 MILES PER HOUR. AS SOON AS SHE APPLIED THE BRAKE, THE ENGINE ACCELERATED AND SHE HAD TO USE A LARGE AMOUNT OF BRAKING PRESSURE TO STOP THE CAR. AS SOON AS THE CAR STOPPED, SHE TOOK HER FOOT OFF THE BRAKE AND THE ENGINE RETURNED TO IDLE. YESTERDAY, I WAS DRIVING THE CAR AT APPROXIMATELY 55 MILE PER HOUR AND STARTED TO MOVE INTO THE PASSING LANE WHEN THE TRAFFIC LIGHT AHEAD TURNED RED. I APPLIED THE BRAKE AND THE SAME THING HAPPENED. I HAD TO APPLY A LARGE AMOUNT OF PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE PEDDLE IN ORDER TO STOP THE CAR WHILE THE ENGINE RACED ON. AS SOON AS THE CAR STOPPED, THE ENGINE RETURNED TO IDLE AND THE PROBLEM WAS OVER. YESTERDAY, I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE IT WAS PURCHASED AND THEY KEPT THE CAR OVERNIGHT TO RUN VARIOUS TESTS. THEY FOUND NOTHING. I PICKED THE CAR UP THIS AFTERNOON AND AM GOING TO NOW TAKE IT TO ANOTHER DEALER FOR INSPECTION. *TR

2008 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT IS ACTIVATED INDICATING AIR BAG WILL NOT DEPLOY WHEN A PASSENGER IS SEATED . OCCURS ABOUT 10 -15 % OF THE TIME STARTING ABOUT 6 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING THE CAR NEW .. CONDITIONS THAT HAVE BEEN OBSERVED INCLUDE RECLINING SEAT, PUSHING SEAT BACK, MAKING TURNS, HITTING A BUMP OR POTHOLE . HAVE HAD IT IN FOR SERVICE ON SIX SEPARATE OCCASIONS AND DEALER CANNOT FIND ANY DIAGNOSTIC CODE INDICATING THAT THE AIRBAG SYSTEM IS MALFUNCTIONING EVEN WHEN THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT IS ON . THE DRIVER SIDE MASTER AIRBAG WARNING SYSTEM DOES NOT COME ON WHEN THE PASSENGER SIDE WARNING LIGHT COMES ON . FORD CONFIRMS THAT WHEN THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT COMES ON THE AIRBAG WILL NOT DEPLOY IN EVENT OF A CRASH . FORD ASSIGNED A CASE NO. XXXXXX , AVAILABLE ON REQUEST , AFTER REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO DIAGNOSE PROBLEM BY SERVICE DEPT . ,LEITH LINCOLN MERCURY, RALEIGH NC , FINALLY A FORD SERVICE ENGINEER CHECKED THE AIRBAG SYSTEM . FORD CLAIMS THE SYSTEM IS WORKING AS DESIGNED AND THAT MY WIFE'S WEIGHT 110 # IS THE PROBLEM .FORD CONFIRMS THAT WHEN THE PASSENGER SIDE WARNING LIGHT IS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG WILL NOT DEPLOY . FORD CANNOT EXPLAIN WHY THIS MALFUNCTION IS INTERMITTENT AND WHY SEAT POSITION , BUMPS OR TURNS CAUSE A MALFUNCTION . WE TRIED A 2010 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS WITH SAME AIRBAG SYSTEM AND COULD NOT GET THE WARNING SYSTEM TO ACTIVATE DUPLICATING THE CONDITIONS AS NOTED ABOVE . FORD'S CUSTOMER RELATIONS DEPT REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING MORE TO FIX THE DEFECT SAYING THAT THE AIRBAG SYSTEM IS FUNCTIONING AS DESIGNED . *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. THE CONTACT STATED HE STARTED THE VEHICLE AND WHEN DEPRESSING THE BRAKES, THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE UNINTENDED ACCELERATION AND THE VEHICLE DROVE OVER A CURB AND CRASHED INTO A SIGN. THE CONTACT AND PASSENGER BOTH SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES TO THEIR NECKS FROM THE SEAT BELT. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL FRONT END DAMAGES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND INSPECTED BUT THE CAUSE OF THE UNINTENDED ACCELERATION FAILURE WAS NOT DISCLOSED TO THE CONTACT. THE BODY DAMAGE WAS REPAIRED AND THE CONTACT TRADED THE VEHICLE FRO ANOTHER. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 500. UPDATED 10/01/2010. *LJ UPDATED 10/04/10

MY GRAND MARQUIS LS 2008 PAINT HAVE CRACKED AND FALLING OFF THE HOOD, TOP, AND BACK. IT IS RUSTED ON TOP WERE THE PAINT HAVE PEEL OFF AND NOW ITS STARTING ON THE HOOD. TOOK BACK TO DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE PAINT ON CAR WAS NOT COVER. IT START PEELING TWO MONTH AFTER WE GOT THE CAR DIDN'T HAVE THEM MANY MILES. SO WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT MY CAR PEELING PAINT. EVERY TIME YOU WASH THE CAR MORE PAINT COMING OFF. AFTER THAT THE ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM WENT OUT AND THEY TOLD ME THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. AFTER DRIVING IN REVERSE AND SHIFTING INTO DRIVE FROM A STOP LIGHT THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD AND CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. ONE PERSON WAS REPORTED INJURED. SMOKE WAS SEEN COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACTS RESIDENCE. THE FAILURE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 42,000.

LOUD BANGING NOISE COMING FROM THE RIGHT REAR SUSPENSION AREA WHEN GOING OVER SPEED BUMPS AND MAKING RIGHT HAND TURNS. I HAVE HAD THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP 13 TIMES AND THEY HAVE TOLD ME NOT TO BRING IT BACK, THAT I NEED TO LEARN TO LIVE WITH IT. *TR

CRUISE CONTROL, SUDDEN ACCELERATION. CAR WENT TO 80 BEFORE I COULD STOP IT VEHICLE IS A 2008 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS LS WITH 27,500 MILES ON IT . THE DEALER REPLACED THE ECM. THIS HAPPENED TO MY WIFE ALSO AT 35 MPH WENT TO 65 BEFORE SHE STOPPED IT. *TR

IN JULY 2009 I PURCHASED A SLIGHTLY USED 2008 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. ON MANY OCCASIONS WHILE DRIVING I HAVE APPLIED THE BRAKES ONLY TO FEEL THE CAR ACCELERATE WITHOUT WARNING. I HAVE NOT HAD ANY ACCIDENTS, BUT I FEEL THAT IT IS JUST A MATTER OF TIME .... THE PROBLEM RESIDES IN THE CLOSE PROXIMITY OF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO THE BRAKE PEDAL. MY CAR HAS AUTO-ADJUST PEDAL HEIGHT, BUT UNFORTUNATELY BOTH PEDALS ADJUST AS A SINGLE UNIT, RATHER THAN ONE-AT-A-TIME. SIMPLY, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS TOO FAR TO THE LEFT - ABOUT TWO INCHES FROM THE RHS EDGE OF THE BRAKE PEDAL, AND WHEN I DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL, OFTEN THE RIGHT-HAND EDGE OF THE SOLE OF MY SHOE CONTACTS THE SURFACE OF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, LEADING TO THE SURGE OF POWER -- WHICH IS THE PROBLEM. THIS IS MADE WORSE IN THAT WHEN THE BRAKE IS APPLIED, THE PEDAL WILL PASS TO AND THROUGH THE PLANE OF THE SURFACE OF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THUS MAKING THIS SHOE-CONTACT MORE LIKELY. THERE IS ABUNDANT ROOM TO MOVE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO THE RIGHT - WITH A NEWLY-DESIGNED PEDAL SHAFT. (THE PRESENT PEDAL "HOOKS" TO THE LEFT AT THE BOTTOM PART, SORT OF LIKE THE LOWER PART OF THIS "9" DIGIT) OR, THE PEDALS COULD BE RAISED UP/LOWERED INDEPENDENTLY, IN ORDER TO INCREASE THE VERTICAL DISTANCE BETWEEN THEM. A THICKER RUBBER PAD ON THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD ACCOMPLISH THIS HANDILY -- IT WOULD NEED TO BE ABOUT ONE INCH THICKER. I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS. I CONTACTED FORD MOTOR COMPANY ABOUT THIS PROBLEM WITHIN A SHORT TIME OF BUYING THE CAR. I HAVE CONTACTED THEM SEVERAL TIMES, INCLUDING TODAY, BUT SO FAR THEY HAVE BEEN UNRESPONSIVE. (BUT OF COURSE TODAY'S CONVERSATION MAY BEAR FRUIT. WE SHALL SEE.) IN THE NOTES OF MY FIRST CALL, ACCORDING TO THE PERSON WHO READ THEM TO ME ON A SUBSEQUENT CALL, MY CONCERN WAS DESCRIBED AS "... OWNER NEEDS TO KNOW THE LOCATION OF THE ACCELERATOR AND BRAKE PEDALS ..." OR WORDS SUCH AS THOSE! *CN

I WAS PREPARING TEST DRIVE 2008 MERCURY MARQUIS AT HONOLULU FORD. I WAS STOPPED AT THE EXIT TO HOUGHTAILING ST WHEN THE ENGINE ACCELERATE. I LOOKED DOWN AND MY FOOT WAS NOT ON THE GAS IT WAS ON THE BRAKE. THE CAR STARTED TO MOVE OUT INTO THE STREET CROSSING THE ROAD HITTING ANOTHER VEHICLE AND A LIGHT POLE. *TR