2008 MERCURY MARINER Complaints

2008 MERCURY MARINER HYBRID WAS GOING 20MPH ON ELECTRIC MOTOR IN TRAFFIC WHEN TRIANGLE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND THE STOP SAFELY NOW SIGN DISPLAYED. THE VEHICLE GAS ENGINE DID NOT COME ON AND I HAD TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE. I PLACE THE CAR IN PARK AND TURN OFF THE ENGINE. I RESTARTED THE ENGINE AND THE WARNING LIGHT DISAPPEARED. I TOOK IT TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP AND THEY RAN A DIAGNOSTIC ON IT. THEY INDICATED IT WAS THE THROTTLE BODY ON THE CAR THAT NEEDS TO BE CLEAN OR REPLACED, AND THE PCM NEEDS TO BE REPROGRAMMED. I REPLACED IT. THIS IS AFTER I TOOK IT TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP TO FIX THE TWO RECALLS FOR THIS VEHICLE - ELECTRIC STEERING CONTROL AND ELECTRIC COOLANT PUMP FOR THE HYBRID BATTERY. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS WILL FIXED THE STALLING ISSUE SINCE OTHER VEHICLE OWNERS INDICATED THIS PROBLEM PERSISTS, ONLY TIME WILL TELL. IF THIS IS A PERSISTENT PROBLEM PLEASE ISSUE A RECALL SINCE LOSING PROPULSION IN TRAFFIC IS NOT SAFE. *TR

I HAD TAKEN MY VEHICLE IN FOR THE RECALL #14S05, IN 2014; IT WAS FIXED IN A MATTER OF 2 HOURS. AFTER THAT MY STEERING WAS VERY FLEXIBLE AND VERY LOOSE, WHICH I THOUGHT I WOULD HAVE TO GET USED TO. THEN WITHIN A FEW MONTHS THE STEERING COLUMN STARTED TO TREMBLE WHILE IN PARK OR WITH APPLIED BRAKE. I THOUGHT IT WAS FRONT END ISSUES, WHICH I TOOK TO THE SHOP AND FOUND NOTHING WRONG. A MONTH WENT BY AND WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY ON MARCH 9, 2015 GOING ABOUT 60MPH WITH MY 5 YEAR OLD GREAT NIECE IN THE CAR, THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT. IT TOOK ALL MY STRENGTH TO KEEP IT FROM CRASHING. I NOTICED ON THE DASHBOARD THAT IT READ ?POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT?. IMMEDIATELY I THOUGHT TO MYSELF; I TOOK THIS IN FOR THE RECALL, WHY IS THIS HAPPENING. I MADE IT TO A SAFE PLACE AND CALLED THE FORD DEALER AND EXPLAIN EVERYTHING TO THEM. THEY SAID THAT THEY WOULDN'T KNOW IF IT IS RELATED OR NOT UNTIL THEY RUN A DIAGNOSTIC. LATER THAT NEXT DAY THEY CALL AND SAID THAT IT IS NOT RELATED TO THE SOFTWARE THAT WAS REPLACE, WHICH I DISAGREE, AND THEY QUOTED ME A LARGE AMOUNT TO FIX. I TOLD THEM THAT IT IS FORD RESPONSIBILITY BECAUSE I FEEL THAT IT WAS RELATED TO THE RECALL. I COULD HAD DIED AND MY GREAT NIECE AS WELL. THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. I HAD TO PAY FOR TOW AND DIAGNOSTIC AND THE PROBLEM STILL NOT FIX AND I STILL FEEL STRONGLY THAT ITS FORD RESPONSIBILITY. WHEN A RECALL IS PERFORMED AND THE PROBLEM STILL HAPPENED THEN IT'S NO ACCUSE OR DENYING THAT IT IS INDEED A RECALL ISSUE. THIS HAS CAUSE MENTAL STRESS, LOSS OF WAGES, MENTAL STRESS DUE TO AVOIDING AN ACCIDENT AND KEEPING ME AND MY GREAT NIECE OUT OF DANGER. THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE ADDRESS AND FIXED, BEFORE SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPENS TO SOMEONE ELSE. WHETHER OR NOT THE RECALL WAS DONE IT DID NOT PERFORM LIKE IT SHOULD HAVE AND IT CAUSED A DANGER.THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED IMMEDIATELY. THANK YOU. *TR

AS WE DRIVE WHEN WE GO INTO A RIGHT OR LEFT CURVE IT ACTS LIKE THE FRONT WHEELS LOCK UP FOR JUST A FEW SECONDS. I HAD A RECALL ON IT BACK IN LATE SUMMER I HAD TAKEN IT TO TRI-LAKE FORD IN BRANSON MISSOURI THEY SAID THEY FIXED THE PROBLEM BUT IS STILL DOING THE SAME THING. PLEASE CHECK AND SEE IF THERE IS ANYTHING THAT CAN BE DON BEFORE IT CAUSES AN ACCIDENT OR I GET STRANDED BESIDE THE ROAD. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCURY MARINER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST POWER STEERING. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V284000 (STEERING); HOWEVER, THE REMEDY FAILED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TORQUE SENSOR AND THE STEERING COLUMN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 73,000.

WE BOUGHT OUR 2008 MARINER IN JANUARY 2013 AND HAVE NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH IT UNTIL NOW. WE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE ABOUT THE STEERING AND HAD IT FIXED. WE STILL NEVER HAVE HAD ANY PROBLEMS. LAST WEEK, ABOUT FEBRUARY 18TH, 2015, I NOTICED THAT WHILE IN PARK WITH VEHICLE RUNNING, THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED TO VIBRATE/PULSATE WITHOUT ME EVEN TOUCHING IT. SINCE THEN, IT HAS ONLY GOTTEN WORSE, AND I CAN SOMEWHAT FEEL THIS PULSATION EVEN WHILE DRIVING. IT IS NOT ONLY PULSATING NOW, BUT ALSO MAKING A CLICKING OR CLUNKING NOISE WHEN IT PULSES/VIBRATES. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS PROBLEM AND HAVE RUN ACROSS NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS OF THIS SAME PROBLEM, AND PEOPLE LOSING POWER STEERING BECAUSE OF THIS, AND WHEN THEY HAVE CALLED FORD WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS NOT THEIR PROBLEM. I AM REALLY SCARED TO DRIVE IT NOW, BUT DON'T HAVE A CHOICE BECAUSE THIS IS THE ONLY VEHICLE WE OWN. *JS

NEVER HAD A PROBLEM TILL I RECEIVED A PAPER BACK IN NOV.2014 FOR A RECALL ON POWER STEERING SO I TOOK IT IN THEY SAID IT CHECKED OUT THEY UPDATED IT AND EVER SINCE THERE JUST WASN'T SOMETHING RIGHT ABOUT OUR STEERING. AT RED LIGHTS THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD VIBRATE AND JERK BACK AND FORTH WITHOUT ME TOUCHING IT AND THEN TODAY I HEARD 3 CHIMES AND SEEN NOTHING POP UP ON DASH THEN BAM THE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND SAID POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILURE AND I HAD TO USE EVERYTHING I HAD TO STEER IT HOME. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCURY MARINER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH MAKING A LEFT TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON TWO OTHER OCCASIONS. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING FORWARD, THE VEHICLE WOULD PULL TO THE RIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V284000 (STEERING); HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER OR DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,000.

EXPERIENCED THE SECOND OF TWO IN-TRAFFIC DRIVE-TRAIN SHUT-DOWNS AS DANGEROUS AS THE G.M. IGNITION SWITCH MALFUNCTIONS (SEE ODI#: 10683675) OUR INITIAL STOPPING PLACE - IN A "REVERSE GORE-POINT" BETWEEN THE N/B FREEWAY LANES OF THE I-405 FREEWAY IN SANTA ANA, CA AND AN OUTSIDE TRANSITION ROAD WAS UNSAFE IN THE FULL-DARKNESS OF A NON-ILLUMINATED HIGH-SPEED INTERSECTION; WITH TRAFFIC ZOOMING BY ON BOTH SIDES, WITH THE FLASHERS STILL ACTIVE, I RES-STARTED THE ENGINE -- ALL DASH WARNINGS CYCLED ON THEN OFF NORMALLY; ON A DISTINCT UP-GRADE, I REVV'D THE ENGINE AGAINST THE SERVICE BRAKES, AND WATCHED FOR A SUITABLE GAP IN TRAFFIC OVER-TAKING US ON OUR RIGHT SIDE. SEEING SUCH A GAP, I RELEASED THE SERVICE BRAKES AND ACCELERATED TO 30 MPH TOWARDS THE OUTER SHOULDER...BUT ONLY MADE IT PART-WAY ACROSS THE 2 LANES WHEN THE SECOND SHUT-DOWN OCCURRED...THE SAME "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT...THE SAME SQUEALING ENUNCIATOR TONE... THE SAME WORTHLESS "STOP SAFELY NOW" MESSAGE AND AGAIN, THANKS TO COURTEOUS AND ALERT OVER-TAKING DRIVERS, I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO A RELATIVELY BROAD SHOULDER SECTION BESIDE A `DISAPPEARING' RIGHT TRAVEL LANE. IT WAS NOW 7:55PM. WE WERE ON OUR CELL PHONE TO THE AAA WHEN A HIGHWAY PATROL OFFICER STOPPED BEHIND US TO CHECK OUR SITUATION, AND PROVIDE ADDITIONAL PROTECTION UNTIL A TOW-TRUCK COULD ARRIVE ON-SCENE. THIS IS THE SECOND OF OUR FAMILY'S FOMOCO HYBRIDS TO EXPERIENCE SUCH IN-USE DRIVE-TRAIN SHUT-DOWNS THAT PROVIDE THE DRIVER WITH NO USABLE WARNINGS OF IMPENDING DOOM - NOT EVEN "LIMP-AWAY POWER" ... THE "AFTER-IT'S-TOO-LATE" MESSAGE-PANEL MIGHT AS WELL DISPLAY "KISS YOUR A$$ GOODBYE". THE IDIOT FOMOCO ENGINEERS WHO DECIDED TO "PROTECT" THE HYBRID BATTERY BY "STALLING" THE VEHICLE ON THE FREEWAY OBVIOUSLY NEVER CONSIDERED WHAT A FREEWAY-SPEED REAR-END IMPACT WOULD DO TO THEIR PRECIOUS BATTERY...OR TO THE "REPLACEABLE" LIVING OCCUPANTS OF THE VEHICLE. *TR

EXPERIENCED TWO IN-TRAFFIC DRIVE-TRAIN SHUT-DOWNS AS DANGEROUS AS THE G.M. IGNITION SWITCH MALFUNCTIONS... TRAVELING IN 60MPH-70MPH NIGHT-TIME VALENTINE'S NIGHT FREEWAY TRAFFIC ON THE I-405 IN SANTA ANA, CA. IN THE #3 LANE OF 5 LANES, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT SUDDENLY FLASHED ON - ACCOMPANIED BY THE `SCREECH' OF THE `CHECK GAUGES' TONE - AND THE DRIVE-TRAIN LOST ALL POWER -- ALONG WITH THE ABSOLUTELY WORTHLESS TEXT "STOP SAFELY NOW". WITH NO POWER STEERING, AND LIMITED BRAKE BOOSTER RESERVES, I ACTIVATED THE HAZARD FLASHERS - AND THANKS TO ALERT AND COURTEOUS TRAFFIC, WAS ABLE TO STOP IN A "REVERSE GORE-POINT" BETWEEN THE FREEWAY LANES AND AN OUTSIDE TRANSITION ROAD. THINGS COULD HAVE COME OUT FAR-WORSE IF OVERTAKING DRIVERS HAD BEEN INATTENTIVE - OR WE HAD TO CROSS THE PATH OF A BIG-RIG WITH LIMITED BRAKING- OR STEERING CAPABILITIES. AS AN ACCIDENT RECONSTRUCTIONIST, THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. THIS IS THE SECOND OF OUR FAMILY'S FOMOCO HYBRIDS TO EXPERIENCE SUCH IN-USE DRIVE-TRAIN SHUT-DOWNS THAT PROVIDE THE DRIVER WITH NO USABLE WARNINGS OF IMPENDING DOOM - NOT EVEN "LIMP-AWAY POWER" ... THE "AFTER-IT'S-TOO-LATE" MESSAGE-PANEL MIGHT AS WELL DISPLAY "KISS YOUR A$$ GOODBYE". THE IDIOT FOMOCO ENGINEERS WHO DECIDED TO "PROTECT" THE HYBRID BATTERY BY "STALLING" THE VEHICLE ON THE FREEWAY OBVIOUSLY NEVER CONSIDERED WHAT A FREEWAY-SPEED REAR-END IMPACT WOULD DO TO THEIR PRECIOUS BATTERY...OR TO THE "REPLACEABLE" LIVING OCCUPANTS OF THE VEHICLE. *TR

WHEN DECELERATING DOWN HILL THE BRAKES BECAME SEEMED TO HAVE NO POWER TO STOP THE CAR AND REQUIRED EXTREME FORCE TO STOP THE CAR. AFTERWARDS THE ELECTRONIC MOTOR DISENGAGED FROM THE ENGINE AND THE AUTOMOBILE RUNS ON COMBUSTION ENGINE ONLY WITHOUT THE HYBRID ELECTRIC MOTOR ASSIST. *JS