2008 MERCURY MARINER Complaints

THIS WOULD BE THE SECOND UN-WARNED TOTAL LOSS OF POWER ON A FREEWAY. HAVING COASTED OUT OF TRAFFIC ON THE FIRST UNWARNED ENGINE / PROPULSION SYSTEM SHUT-DOWN IN FAST-MOVING FREEWAY TRAFFIC, MANAGED TO FIND WIDE-ENOUGH SECTION OF OUTSIDE SHOULDER TO COME TO A STOP. BUT BEING STUCK IN 10PM DARKNESS ON A NARROW SHOULDER WAS TOO DANGEROUS TO CONSIDER REMAINING THERE. ONCE STOPPED, I SHIFTED THE TRANSMISSION TO PARK, CYCLED IGNITION OFF THEN TO START ? ENGINE RESTARTED, DASH WARNING LAMPS CAME ON- THEN CYCLED OFF NORMALLY, ENGINE RAN SMOOTHLY. NOTE: THE ONLY WAY TO ATTEMPT TO RESTART THE HYBRID DRIVETRAIN IS TO SHIFT THE TRANSMISSION INTO PARK .. IT DOESN'T WORK IN NEUTRAL .. AND THERE WAS NO WAY I WAS GOING TO TRY TO PUT THE TRANS IN PARK IN 72-75 MPH FREEWAY TRAFFIC IN 10PM DARKNESS. ACCELERATED MODERATELY INTO MERGING LANE, ENTERING GAP IN N/B TRAFFIC TO RE-ENTER I-5 TRAFFIC ? HOPING TO GET PAST SR-2 TO MORE-FAMILIAR EXIT ? WITHIN 2 MINUTES, AND AT SPEED ~ 55 MPH ? DRIVE TRAIN DIED AGAIN (SAME WARNING TONE AND LIGHT...AND SAME "TOO LITTLE TOO LATE" STOP NOW WARNING TEXT). AGAIN HAD TO HUNT FOR A WIDE-ENOUGH SECTION OF OUTSIDE SHOULDER TO STOP AND TAKE STOCK OF DANGEROUS SITUATION. SHUT OFF ENGINE, MOVED TRANS INTO PARK TRIED RESTART - AGAIN, ENGINE STARTED AND SETTLED TO NORMAL OPERATION - NO WARNING LIGHTS REMAINED ON. ABLE TO RE-ENTER TRAFFIC AND TRANSITION OFF I-5 FWY .. BUT ONLY ESCAPE WAS TO ANOTHER FREEWAY (SR-2). KEPT SPEED BELOW 45MPH ON THAT FREEWAY UNTIL ABLE TO EXIT FREEWAY. THIS WAS THE SECOND UN-WARNED TOTAL LOSS OF POWER ON A FREEWAY. *TR

THIS WOULD BE THE SECOND UN-WARNED TOTAL LOSS OF POWER ON A FREEWAY. HAVING COASTED OUT OF TRAFFIC ON THE FIRST UNWARNED ENGINE / PROPULSION SYSTEM SHUT-DOWN IN FAST-MOVING FREEWAY TRAFFIC, MANAGED TO FIND WIDE-ENOUGH SECTION OF OUTSIDE SHOULDER TO COME TO A STOP. BUT BEING STUCK IN 10PM DARKNESS ON A NARROW SHOULDER WAS TOO DANGEROUS TO CONSIDER REMAINING THERE. ONCE STOPPED, I SHIFTED THE TRANSMISSION TO PARK, CYCLED IGNITION OFF THEN TO START ENGINE RESTARTED, DASH WARNING LAMPS CAME ON- THEN CYCLED OFF NORMALLY, ENGINE RAN SMOOTHLY. NOTE: THE ONLY WAY TO ATTEMPT TO RESTART THE HYBRID DRIVETRAIN IS TO SHIFT THE TRANSMISSION INTO PARK .. IT DOESN'T WORK IN NEUTRAL .. AND THERE WAS NO WAY I WAS GOING TO TRY TO PUT THE TRANS IN PARK IN 72-75 MPH FREEWAY TRAFFIC IN 10PM DARKNESS. ACCELERATED MODERATELY INTO MERGING LANE, ENTERING GAP IN N/B TRAFFIC TO RE-ENTER I-5 TRAFFIC HOPING TO GET PAST SR-2 TO MORE-FAMILIAR EXIT WITHIN 2 MINUTES, AND AT SPEED ~ 55 MPH DRIVE TRAIN DIED AGAIN (SAME WARNING TONE AND LIGHT...AND SAME "TOO LITTLE TOO LATE" STOP NOW WARNING TEXT). AGAIN HAD TO HUNT FOR A WIDE-ENOUGH SECTION OF OUTSIDE SHOULDER TO STOP AND TAKE STOCK OF DANGEROUS SITUATION. SHUT OFF ENGINE, MOVED TRANS INTO PARK TRIED RESTART - AGAIN, ENGINE STARTED AND SETTLED TO NORMAL OPERATION - NO WARNING LIGHTS REMAINED ON. ABLE TO RE-ENTER TRAFFIC AND TRANSITION OFF I-5 FWY...BUT ONLY ESCAPE WAS TO ANOTHER FREEWAY (SR-2). KEPT SPEED BELOW 45MPH ON THAT FREEWAY UNTIL ABLE TO EXIT FREEWAY. THIS WAS THE SECOND UN-WARNED TOTAL LOSS OF POWER ON A FREEWAY. *TR

AT ~ 10:10PM TRAVELING AT 68-70 MPH IN FAST, MODERATE FREEWAY TRAFFIC IN THE #3 N/B LANE OF I-5 IN SILVERLAKE AREA, ~ -MI SOUTH OF THE INTERCHANGE WITH THE SR-2 FREEWAY (~ @ RIVERSIDE DR. OVER-CROSSING) . SUDDENLY / WITH NO WARMING, ENGINE LOST ALL POWER & SHUT DOWN AND I HEARD A `SCREECHING' WARNING TONE, SAW THE RED TRIANGLE OF DOOM WARNING SYMBOL APPEAR IN THE UPPER/RIGHT OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, THE TACHOMETER DROPPED TO `ZERO'? AND THE `TOO-LITTLE-TOO-LATE' WARNING TEXT STOP NOW? TEXT APPEARED AT THE BOTTOM OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL (HOW WAS I SUPPOSED TO DO THIS IN THE MIDDLE OF A FAST-MOVING FREEWAY?). ONLY THING THAT SAVES US WAS THAT WE HAD SIGNIFICANT SPEED TO COAST OUT OF TRAFFIC - OTHER DRIVERS THANKFULLY GAVE-WAY TO LET US DO SO. FIRST OF THREE SUCH COMPLETE LOSSES OF POWER IN TRAFFIC, ATTEMPTING TO REACH SAFETY. *TR

AT ~ 10:10PM TRAVELING AT 68-70 MPH IN FAST, MODERATE FREEWAY TRAFFIC IN THE #3 N/B LANE OF I-5 IN SILVERLAKE AREA, ~ -MI SOUTH OF THE INTERCHANGE WITH THE SR-2 FREEWAY (~ @ RIVERSIDE DR. OVER-CROSSING) . SUDDENLY / WITH NO WARMING, ENGINE LOST ALL POWER & SHUT DOWN AND I HEARD A `SCREECHING' WARNING TONE, SAW THE RED TRIANGLE OF DOOM WARNING SYMBOL APPEAR IN THE UPPER/RIGHT OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, THE TACHOMETER DROPPED TO `ZERO'' AND THE `TOO-LITTLE-TOO-LATE' WARNING TEXT STOP NOW' TEXT APPEARED AT THE BOTTOM OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL (HOW WAS I SUPPOSED TO DO THIS WITH NO POWER?). ONLY THING THAT SAVES US WAS THAT WE HAD SIGNIFICANT SPEED TO COAST OUT OF TRAFFIC - OTHER DRIVERS THANKFULLY GAVE-WAY TO LET US DO SO. FIRST OF THREE SUCH COMPLETE LOSSES OF POWER IN TRAFFIC, ATTEMPTING TO REACH SAFETY. *TR

AT 70 MPH ON FREEWAY, "STOP WHEN SAFE" MESSAGE CAME UP, ENGINE STOPPED, HAD TO COAST TO A STOP ON SHOULDER. LUCKY IT WAS 1AM SO NOT MUCH TRAFFIC. RESTARTED VEHICLE, MADE ANOTHER 5 MILES, HAPPENED AGAIN. RESTARTED, MADE IT OFF FREEWAY, ABLE TO GET HOME, KEEPING UNDER 40MPH (ASSUMPTION WAS SOME SORT OF OVERHEATING PROBLEM WITH HYBRID SYSTEMS). CURRENTLY IN DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIR, MY INTERNET RESEARCH INDICATES THERE ARE QUITE A FEW OTHERS HAVING THIS ISSUE. VERY FRIGHTENING AND DANGEROUS TO LOSE POWER AT FREEWAY SPEEDS AND HAVE TO MAKE WAY TO THE SHOULDER AND STOP. *TR

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING HOME WITH OUR SON FROM SAINT LOUIS CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL BACK HOME 250 MILES. AS SHE'S DRIVING THE POWER STEERING FAILS. WHEN SHE GETS HOME SHE TELLS ME AND I GO OUT AND START THE VEHICLE AND THE POWER STEERING WORKED FINE. SINCE ORIGINAL INCIDENT THE VEHICLE ELECTRONIC POWER ASSIST STEERING (EPAS) WORKS INTERMITTENTLY AND SOMETIMES WORKS AND SOMETIMES DOESN'T. CALLED THE LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP, TRI-LAKES FORD AND THEY CLAIM IT'S NOT A RECALL OR A COMMON PROBLEM ALTHOUGH THERE'S IS TONS OF INCIDENTS OF THIS HAPPENING NATIONWIDE ALL OVER THE INTERNET. ANGERED I THEN CALLED FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY GIVE ME THE SAME RUN AROUND SAYING THIS IS UNFORTUNATE AND THEY DON'T HEAR OF THIS PROBLEM MUCH AND THEY CANNOT AND WILL NOT HELP ME. HOW MANY LIVES OR WRECKS HAS TO BE DAMAGED BEFORE THIS ISSUE IS A RECALL? FORD KNOWS ITS A FAULT AND NEED TO OWN UP TO IT. THE MERCURY MARINER HAS THE EXACT SAME PART NUMBER FOR THE REPLACEMENT COLUMN AS THE FORD ESCAPE SO I KNOW THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. WHAT IF IT WAS DEVASTATING? WHAT IF MY WIFE AND TERMINALLY ILL CHILD WAS INJURED OR WORSE KILLED BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM? THE REAL QUESTION SHOULD BE, WHAT OF IT WAS YOUR CHILD OR YOUR WIFE? FORD HAS LOST MY BUSINESS FOR GOOD. AS WELL AS OUR LOCAL DEALERSHIP. *TR

DRIVING IN TRAFFIC, WHEN VEHICLES TRANSMISSION DISENGAGED. DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR ONLY REVVED THE ENGINE, BUT NO FORWARD MOTION. WHILE COASTING, MANAGED TO GET VEHICLE OUT OF TRAFFIC & TO A SIDE STREET. FROM A STOP, VEHICLE WOULD ACCELERATE, BUT WHEN SHIFTING INTO 3RD GEAR, GOES INTO A "NEUTRAL" CONDITION AND COASTS. PAID FORD DEALER TO DO EVALUATION, AND WAS TOLD THIS WAS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THIS VEHICLE. WAS QUOTED $3000 FOR THE REPAIR. *TR

VEHICLE WAS IN MIDDLE LANE OF INTERSTATE 95 WITH TRAFFIC MOVING AT 65-70 MPH WHEN THERE WAS (ACCORDING TO FORD TECH) A FAILURE OF THE MOTOR ELECTRONICS COOLING PUMP. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE ENGINE TO SHUT DOWN AND COULD HAVE CAUSED ACCIDENT/DEATH IF WIFE WASN'T ABLE TO GET TO SHOULDER WEAVING THROUGH LANES OF TRAFFIC. I SEE ONLINE AT HTTP://WWW.ARFC.ORG/COMPLAINTS/2008/MERCURY/MARINER_HYBRID/ENGINE_AND_ENGINE_COOLING/PROBLEM.ASPX THAT THIS HAS BEEN REPORTED AS A MAJOR COMPLAINT FOR AWHILE. WHY IS THIS NOT A RECALL? SOMEONE WILL SURE GET KILLED. OUR CAR HAS ONLY 57K MILES. *TR

MY 2008 MARINER AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT PROPERLY WHEN COLD (WINTER) OR TOO HOT. THIS ALSO AFFECTS THE IDLE WHEN STOPPED. WHEN VEHICLE TRIES TO SHIFT UP, IT WILL ONLY SHIFT IF I LET OFF THE GAS, THEN THE TRANSMISSION SLAMS INTO THE HIGHER GEAR. THE VEHICLE WILL HESITATE WHEN TRYING TO USE PASSING GEAR TO PASS OTHER VEHICLES. THIS HAS LED TO SOME CLOSE CALLS/NEAR MISSES WHEN TRYING TO OVER-TAKE VEHICLES. FORD SAYS THEY KNOW THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THIS MAKE/MODEL BUT HAVE NOT ISSUED A RECALL. FORD SAYS THEY CAN FIX IT WITH MY MONEY. *TR

THIS HAS OCCURRED TWICE. THE FIRST TIME, (9-6-2010), DRIVING IN BUMPER-TO-BUMPER TRAFFIC ON THE FREEWAY- THE LIGHT, "STOP SAFELY NOW" COMES ON AND YOU CANNOT USE THE GAS PEDAL AND YOU HAVE TO TRY TO GET TO THE SHOULDER SAFELY AS THE CAR HAS NO POWER. I WAITED FOR HALF AN HOUR AND RESTARTED THE CAR AND WAS ABLE TO GET TO WHERE I HAD TO GO. TOOK IT TO DEALER AND THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. THE 2ND OCCURRENCE (MARCH 31, 2012), SAME THING HAPPENED EXCEPT I WAS ON THE FREEWAY WITH EVERYONE GOING AT LEAST 65 MILES PER HOUR AND HAD TO GET TO THE SHOULDER WITHOUT ANY POWER. TOOK IT TO DEALER AND THEY SAID IT WAS A COOLANT PUMP PROBLEM. I WENT ONLINE AND THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL ISSUE AND I SHOULDN'T HAVE HAD TO PAY FOR THIS. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. COULD SO EASILY HAVE BEEN HIT BY ONCOMING TRAFFIC. SCARY EXPERIENCES. *TR