1997 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS Complaints

DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY AT 60 MPH., WHEN THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD SUDDENLY RUPTURED DUMPING OUT ALL THE ANTIFREEZE. HIGH VOLUME OF TRAFFIC, WE COULD BARELY GET OFF HIGHWAY, STEAM COMING FROM MY CAR BLOCKING VISION. COULD HAVE CAUSED A MAJOR ACCIDENT. CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO LOCAL GARAGE, THEN TOWED TO MY HOME AND LOCAL GARAGE FOR REPAIRS. WE HAD TO RENT CAR TO GET HOME. MECHANIC SAID OUR INTAKE MANIFOLD RUPTURED CAUSING HEAD GASKET FAILURE AND POSSIBLE ENGINE FAILURE. ON 8-23-05, GOT CLASS ACTION SUIT PAPERS IN MAIL STATING PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLDS COULD RUPTURE CAUSING COOLANT TO LEAK AND FORD WOULD REIMBURSE PEOPLE WHO HAD THE PROBLEM AND PAID FOR REPAIRS. WHEN I GOT THE PAPER I WENT TO MECHANIC AND TOLD HIM TO STOP REPAIRS TO SEE WHERE I STOOD IN SUIT. SUIT DID NOT MENTION GASKET REPAIR REIMBURSEMENT AND ENGINE FAILURE REIMBURSEMENT. I CALLED FORD TODAY AND GOT THE USUAL STORY THAT THEIR WAS NO RECALL ON MY CAR, ETC. HOWEVER FORD DID RECALL POLICE CARS, TAXIS AND FLEET CARS WITH THE SAME ENGINE THAT I HAVE. FORD KNEW ABOUT THE POORLY DESIGNED PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLDS FOR YEARS AND DID NOT CARE ABOUT CUSTOMER SAFETY. WE COULD HAVE DIED FROM THEIR NEGLECT. W

DT: CONTACT HAD TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE- INTAKE MANIFOLD ON 1997 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. IT BLEW ANTI-FREEZE ALL OVER HIS ENGINE. THIS HAPPENED ON 7-20-05 , AND HE JUST GOT THE CAR BACK ON 7-26-05. CONTACT HAD A LOCAL SERVICE DEALER REPLACE THE MANIFOLD. HE WOULD LIKE TO FILE A COMPLAINT BECAUSE HE FELT THIS WAS A DEFINITE DEFECT. THE SERVICE DEALER STATED HE HAD TO REPLACE A LOT OF OTHER MANIFOLDS. CONTACT TALKED TO FORD, AND THEY BASICALLY TOLD HIM THAT IF THEY WON THE LAW SUIT AGAINST THE MANUFACTURER OF THE MANIFOLD THEY MAY GET THE $1,100.00 THAT HE HAD TO PAY REFUNDED TO HIM.*AK

1997 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS INTAKE MANIFOLD FAILURE HAS HAPPENED TWICE, UNKNOWN IF THERE IS ANY OTHER DAMAGE BECAUSE OF THIS FAILURE. THIS IS A PLASTIC MANIFOLD BOTH HAVE CRACKED. FORD HAS REFUSED TO TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE FIRST FAILURE WAS IN 2003. THE SECOND IN 2005. FLUID LOSS AND STEAM WAS SO HEAVY ON THE SECOND FAILURE THAT THE DRIVER COULD NOT SEE AND ALMOST HAD AN ACCIDENT ON THE ROADWAY.

DT: THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A CUSTOMER SATISFACTION NOTICE, 04B26 ON 1997 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. IT STATED THE REAR BRAKE TUBE MAY ABRADE AND LEAK UNDER THE FRONT SEATS. THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR THIS VEHICLE. CONSUMER CALLED THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE REPAIR WORK SCHEDULED. ON THE WAY OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY TO GET THE VEHICLE REPAIRED THE BRAKE LINE BURST. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE BRAKE LINE DID NOT BRAKE WHERE THE NOTICE HAD STATED, AND IT WAS NOT COVERED. ALSO WAS TOLD THE BRAKE LINES WERE RUSTED. THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD CONSUMER THEY WOULD DISCOUNT THE WORK. FORD MOTOR COMPANY WAS NOTIFIED, AND THEY STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT HELP CONSUMER BECAUSE THERE WAS NO WARRANTY.*AK

CONSUMER HAS DEFECTIVE MANIFOLDS IN BOTH OF HIS 1996 TOWN CAR AND THE 1997 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS.*MR THE MANUFACTURER REFUSED TO REIMBURSE THE CONSUMER FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD IN EITHER OF THE VEHICLE'S . *NM

THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED A COOLANT LEAK FROM THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET ON HIS/HER 1997 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. *JB *NM

THE HEADLIGHT SURROUNDS (CLEAR PLASTIC POD THAT ENCLOSE THE HEADLIGHT BULBS) ON MANY FORD AND MERCURY MODEL CARS AND TRUCKS TURN FROM "CLEAR" TO A FOGGED UP "MILKY-WHITE", REDUCING SEVERALLY THE AMOUNT OF LIGHT THAT CAN REACH THE ROAD IN FRONT OF THE AFFECTED VEHICLE, THEREBY CREATING A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD. OTHER COMPANIES SUCH AS HONDA USE PLASTIC AROUND THEIR HEADLIGHT BULBS AND THEIR PLASTIC STAYS CLEAR ALLOWING HEADLIGHT BULBS TO PROPERLY LIGHT UP THE ROAD. I HAVE CONTACTED FORD BY E-MAIL, SEVERAL TIMES TO ASK FOR ANY HELP THEY WOULD OFFER-FROM REPLACEMENT TO FREE INSTALL: THEY SENT OUT COMPUTER GENERATED "FORM" LETTERS AND TOTALLY IGNORED MY SAFETY PROBLEM. THERE MUST BE A MILLION FORD PRODUCT CARS AND TRUCKS AFFECTED THE SAME WAY (I CAN BARELY SEE IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE).

DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY, 60 MPH, TEMPERATURE GUAGE SHOWED AN EXTREME INCREASE IN TEMPERATURE. I SMELLED ANITFREEZE INSIDE THE CAR. THE VOLTAGE METER GUAGE WAS INCREASING AND DECREASING. I THEN PULLED OFF THE HIGHWAY AND TURNED CAR OFF. STEAM WAS COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. POPPED THE HOOD, ANTIFREEZE WAS EVERYWHERE, NONE LEFT IN RESEVOIR. INTAKE MANIFOLD IS CRACKED DIRECTLY BEHIND THE ALTERNATOR, CAUSING CAR TO LEAK ALL ANTIFREEZE. HAD TO HAVE CAR TOWED HOME.

MOTOR HEATED UP, WAS EXTREMELY HOT, HAD TO HAVE VECHICLE TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP.THEY FOUND A CRACKED PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD . IT WAS REPLACED AND RESOLVED THE PROBLEM

1997 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS DEVELOPED A CRACK IN THE CROSSOVER DUCT PORTION OF THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. *MR THE UNIT WAS MADE OF PLASTIC. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE PART. *SC *JB