2004 MERCURY MARAUDER Complaints

THE STEERING HAD BECOME STIFF AND "NOTCHY" WHILE TURNING, AND THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD NOT RETURN TO STRAIGHT AHEAD ON ITS OWN. IT WAS FOUND THAT THE LOWER STEERING SHAFT HAD 1 OF THE 3 BEARING FROZEN AND REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. THIS IS THE SAME EXACT PARTS AND SYMPTOMS AS LISTED LISTED IN FORD RECALL 13S08

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCURY MARAUDER. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS WOULD SUDDENLY SHUT OFF. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT, BUT WORSENED AND RECURRED MORE FREQUENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE LIGHT CONTROL MODULE WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. HOWEVER, THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE AND NO ESTIMATED TIME FOR RECEIVING THE PART COULD BE PROVIDED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 113,000.

I WAS DRIVING MY 2004 MERCURY MARAUDER ON A TWO LANE ROAD IN DELAWARE COUNTY NY WHEN MY HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT. DRIVING THE BACK ROADS TAKES TOTAL CONCENTRATION DUE TO THE LARGE NUMBER OF NOCTURNAL ANIMALS WHICH CAN CROSS ROADS. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THIS CAR AND I TAKE GREAT PRIDE IN MAINTAINING IT TO THE UTMOST TOP CONDITION. IT IS RARE TO FIND THIS MODEL CAR(A MARAUDER) BUT IT IS A GRAND MARQUIS/ CROWN VIC AND WHILE CERTAIN PARTS LIKE TIRES ARE HARD TO COME BY, A LIGHT CONTROL MODULE(LCM) IS A DIME A DOZEN. FORD HAS A PROGRAM 14N01 (RECALL?) TO REPLACE THESE MODULES. REPEATED CALLS TO FORD CUSTOMER CARE AND MY DEALER HAS PROVED THAT FORD WANTS TO HELP YET MAKES NO COMMITMENT OTHER THEN OFFERING ME A AFTERMARKET PART. THE FORD PART IS ON BACK ORDER. I FEEL FORD WILL HELP ME BUT ONLY AFTER MY 18 YEAR SON HAS CRASHED DUE TO FORD RELUCTANCE TO IMMEDIATELY CORRECT A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS CONDITION. IF THE PROPER PART IS ON BACK ORDER WHEN WILL THE PART BECOME AVAILABLE? I PURCHASED THE PART FROM A FORD DEALER AND REPLACED IT MYSELF. WHY? I CAN BUY THE LCM FROM A DEALER IN TEXAS BUT MY NY DEALER CAN'T GET THE PART? FORD RECOGNIZES THE PROBLEM USES A EXCUSE OF NO PARTS? MORE IMPORTANT, FORD AND FORD DEALERS WANT TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY WITH A NON OEM PART? WHY? FORD NO LONGER HAS MANUFACTURING RESOURCES? HOW ABOUT A POTENTIAL HEAD ON COLLISION DUE TO A FAILED RELAY OR RELAYS IN THE LCM WHICH COSTS $20 IN PARTS TO REPLACE. SHAME ON YOU FORD! HOW DARE YOU PUT PUBLIC SAFETY JOB # WHO KNOWS! *TR

OEM TIRES FOR REAR P245/55-18 NOT AVAILABLE FROM MANUFACTURER FOR EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME. PART # SHOWS TIRE IS NOT DISCONTINUED YET NO TIRES ARE AVAILABLE BY B.F. GOODRICH. NO SOLUTION IS OFFERED AND BF GOODRICH DOES NOT RETURN PHONE CALLS RELATED TO THIS ISSUE. REPEATED PHONE CALLS TO BF GOODRICH OVER EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME SHOWS PROBLEM IS RECOGNIZED-NO PRODUCTION DATE OF THIS TIRE KNOWN. *TR

THE HEADLIGHTS STARTED TO FLICKER ON AND OFF WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT NIGHT, THEN THE CAR STALLED. I INSTINCTIVELY PUT IT IN NEUTRAL TO TRY AND RESTART WHICH I DID BUT IT STALLED AGAIN AND THIS TIME IT WAS COMPLETELY DEAD WHILE UNFORTUNATELY ON THE CURVE OF A 2 LANE BRIDGE WITH NO SHOULDER OR BREAKDOWN LANE. LUCKILY THE HAZARD LIGHTS WERE ENOUGH FOR ON COMING TRAFFIC AND TRACTOR TRAILERS TO SEE ME IN TIME OR I COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN KILLED ON THAT BRIDGE. GREAT APPRECIATION TO DISPATCH AND THE STATE TROOPERS FOR THEIR ASSISTANCE. *TR

WIPERS CONTINUING FOR TWO YEARS TO OCCASIONALLY TURN ON AND OFF WITHOUT SWITCH ACTIVATION. ALTHOUGH THE ISSUE IS WELL DOCUMENTED IN MANY OF THE FORUMS FOR MARAUDERS, THE FACT THAT FORD HAS MADE NO RECALL IS SHAMEFUL. ONLY KNOWN FIX IS TO REMOVE THE FUSE WHEN THE WIPERS ARE NOT NEEDED, THOUGH IT IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED AND REPAIRED. *TR

2004 MERCURY MARAUDER HEADLIGHTS OCCASIONALLY STOP FUNCTIONING WITHOUT WARNING. RUNNING LIGHTS AND FOG LIGHTS CONTINUE WORKING, NO LOW/HIGH BEAM HEADLIGHTS AT ALL. SWITCH SEEMS TO BE THE ISSUE, FUSES ARE FINE AND NO BULBS OUT. RECENTLY HAD DEALERSHIP REPLACE DRIVER SIDE HEADLIGHT, ONLY CHANGE TO VEHICLE BEFORE ISSUE STARTED. POSSIBLE ISSUE CONTINUES IN DAYTIME, BUT HEADLIGHTS ARE NOT AS NEEDED IN DAYLIGHT. DUE TO NECESSARY DRIVING AT NIGHT ON HIGH SPEED AND UNLIT COUNTRY ROADS, THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE. *TR

THE HEADLIGHTS BECAME INOPERATIVE AND TURNED OFF WHILE TRAVELING DOWN THE ROAD. THE LIGHT CONTROL MODULE WAS FOUND FAULTY AND REPLACED. SEARCHING THE INTERNET REVEALED THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THIS BASE MODEL CAR (FORD CROWN VICTORIA, MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS, AND MERCURY MARAUDER) AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AS A SAFETY ISSUE AS THE LOSS OF LIGHTS CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. *TR

THE HEADLIGHT RELAY PORTION OF THE LIGHTING CONTROL MODULE INTERMITTENTLY FAILS CAUSING THE HEADLIGHTS TO TURN OFF. THIS RESULTS IN LOSS OF VISIBILITY, AND COULD RESULT IN A COLLISION. THE LIGHTS REMAIN OFF FOR AN UNKNOWN PERIOD OF TIME AND THEN TURN BACK ON. I HAVE EXPERIENCED 1-2 MINUTE PERIODS WITHOUT LIGHT. THIS IS A WELL KNOW ISSUE WITH 2003-2004 FORD CROWN VICTORIA, MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS, AND MERCURY MARAUDER (LINCOLN TOWN CAR MAY ALSO BE INVOLVED). *JS

BACK IN 2007 NOTICED SMALL BUMPS IN PAINT ONLY ON THE ROOF,WENT TO FORD DEALER,THEY SAID NO PROBLEM WITH THE PAINT. TIME WENT ON, PAINT GOT WORSE,MORE BUBBLES AND CRACKS,.IN 2008 WROTE TO FORD ABOUT PROBLEM THEY SAID THEY HAD NO COMPLAINTS ABOUT ROOF PAINT. NOW THE ENTIRE ROOF IS BUMPY,CRACKED, WITH BARE RUSTED METAL SHOWING. COST TO FIX IS 1000.00. *TR