2007 MERCURY MONTEGO Complaints

IN THE FALL OF 2012, I NOTICED THE ENGINE WOULD 'REV UP' WHEN I STARTED THE CAR AND PUT IT IN GEAR CAUSING THE CAR TO 'LUNGE' IF I DIDN'T HAVE THE BRAKE FIRMLY DEPRESSED. I TOOK IT TO MY LOCAL MECHANIC WHO COULDN'T REPLICATE THE ISSUE. IT CONTINUED TO HAPPEN SO NOW I HOLD MY FOOT FIRMLY ON THE BRAKE FOR SEVERAL SECONDS WHEN I PUT THE CAR IN GEAR. IN DECEMBER 2012 OR JANUARY 2013, I RECEIVED A SAFETY RECALL LETTER FROM FORD FOR THE THROTTLE BODY. THE LETTER STATED EXACTLY WHAT MY CAR WAS DOING. I TOOK MY CAR TO THE DEALER (LB SMITH) ON FEBRUARY 18 TO REPAIR THE THROTTLE BODY PER THE SAFETY RECALL LETTER. THE 'REPAIR' DIDN'T FIX THE ISSUE. ON SATURDAY, MAY 11 WHILE SITTING AT A RED LIGHT MY CAR 'LUNGED' FORWARD ABOUT A FOOT WHILE I HAD MY FOOT FIRMLY PRESSED ON THE BRAKE. WE IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE CAR TO LB SMITH AND SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT FOR THE FOLLOWING MONDAY. I WAS INFORMED THE SAFETY RECALL WAS FOR A ONE TIME CLEANING OF THE THROTTLE BODY AND MY THROTTLE BODY NEEDED REPLACED AT A COST OF APPROXIMATELY $750.00. I CALLED FORD'S TOLL FREE NUMBER TO SEE IF SOME ASSISTANCE COULD BE PROVIDED AS IT WAS A SAFETY RECALL THAT WASN'T FIXED. I WAS INFORMED THAT NO ASSISTANCE COULD BE GIVEN. SINCE THEN, MY CAR HAS 'LUNGED' WHEN I SLOW DOWN TO PULL INTO GAS STATION PUMPS AND INTO PARKING SPACES. IT HAS ESCALATED FROM LUNGING WHEN I PUT THE CAR IN GEAR TO LUNGING WHEN I AM SITTING STILL AND WHEN I SLOW DOWN. *TR

USUALLY THIS HAPPENS AFTER I HAVE BEEN DRIVING A WHILE AND GET OFF THE FREEWAY. I WILL BE ACCELERATING SLOWLY AND WHEN I REACH 30-35 MPH (2 OR 3RD GEAR), SUDDENLY THE RPM'S WILL RACE WAY UP BUT THE CAR IS JUST COASTING AND NOT SHIFTING. I LET OFF THE GAS AND SOMETIMES IT WILL KICK INTO GEAR WHEN THE RPM RETURNS TO NORMAL. OTHER TIMES IT HARD SHIFTS INTO THE NEXT GEAR, SOMETIMES THE RPM WILL RACE AGAIN AND I NEED TO COAST OFF THE ROAD AND COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. IT'S AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM AND DOES NOT DO IT ALL THE TIME. IT WON'T DO IT WHEN I TAKE IT TO THE DEALER. I AM AFRAID I WILL GET REAR ENDED ONE OF THESE TIMES ESPECIALLY IF I AM IN A CONSTRUCTION ZONE WHERE I CANNOT GET OFF THE ROAD. *TR

THIS IS THE 3RD HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY THAT'S BEEN REPLACED ON THE CAR, THE BULB KEEPS MELTING. I'VE CONTACTED FORD & THEY SAY THAT THERE'S NO PROBLEM OR COMPLAINTS. *TR

CAR LUNGES FORWARD AND BACKWARDS WHEN PUTTING INTO GEAR (DRIVE OR REVERSE). IT IS EXTREMELY NOTICABLE TO PASSENGERS AND OTHERS. IT IS DANGEROUS, AS YOU HAVE NO CONTROL OVER THE LUNGING MOTION THAT COULD POSSIBLY PIN SOMEONE WALKING NEARBY AS YOU ARE PARKING THE VEHICLE. IT APPEARS THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM THAT HAS BEEN REPORTED BY MANY AND ACTION NEEDS TO BE TAKEN BY THE MAKER TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 MERCURY MONTEGO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE FUEL GAUGE AND SPEEDOMETER BACKLIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

THE FACTORY-SUPPLIED VEHICLE SERVICE JACK FAILED DURING A SPARE TIRE CHANGE. THE JACK IS A STANDARD MECHANICAL SCREW JACK WITH A 16-INCH LONG, 3/8-INCH DIAMETER HORIZONTAL BOLT SCREWED INTO A THREADED SUPPORT MEMBER IN THE JACK. THE THREADS IN THE THREADED SUPPORT MEMBER BECAME STRIPPED WHILE THE JACK WAS LIFTING THE VEHICLE, CAUSING THE JACK TO FULLY COLLAPSE AND THE VEHICLE TO FALL TO THE GROUND. THE THREADED NUT IN THE SUPPORT MEMBER NO LONGER HOLDS THE 16-INCH BOLT IN PLACE, AND METAL SHAVINGS ARE SEEN ON THE HORIZONTAL BOLT. THERE IS NO SIGN OF THREAD WEAR ON THE BOLT ITSELF, SO THE FAILURE IS PURELY DUE TO THE THREADED NUT INSIDE THE SUPPORT MEMBER OF THE JACK. AT THE TIME OF THE COLLAPSE, THE BOLT WAS BEING TURNED USING THE FACTORY-SUPPLIED JACK HANDLE. THE JACK WAS RAISED APPROXIMATELY 10 VERTICAL INCHES FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE BASE TO THE TOP OF THE CAR CONTACT POINT AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE. THE JACK HAD NOT YET LIFTED THE VEHICLE ENOUGH OFF THE GROUND TO CHANGE THE TIRE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 MERCURY MONTEGO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK THE VEHICLE LUNGE FORWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO STATED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY MIGHT BE DEFECTIVE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 90,000.

THIS VEHICLE HAS A PROBLEM WHEN SHIFTING FROM PARK TO DRIVE, PARK TO REVERSE, DRIVE TO REVERSE, REVERSE TO DRIVE OR WHEN SIMPLY MANEUVERING TO PARK. YOU CAN HEAR THE ENGINE RPM INCREASE QUICKLY, THEN DECREASE JUST AS QUICKLY WHEN THIS HAPPENS. THIS TYPICALLY OCCURS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PLACED IN REVERSE AND THE WHEEL IS BEING TURNED AND THE MY FOOT IS ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. THIS PROBLEM BEGAN A MONTH AGO AND HAS GOTTEN PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. *TR

THIS VEHICLE HAS A SERIOUS/SCARY "SURGING" PROBLEM WHEN SHIFTING FROM PARK TO DRIVE, PARK TO REVERSE, DRIVE TO REVERSE, REVERSE TO DRIVE OR WHEN SIMPLY MANEUVERING TO PARK. THIS PROBLEM BEGAN A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO AND HAS GOTTEN PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. A WEB SEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT THIS PROBLEM IS PRETTY COMMON IN THIS AUTO BUT I HAVE YET TO SEE THE PROBLEM PINPOINTED. THIS IS A REAL SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 MERCURY MONTEGO. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 45 MPH WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE CUT THE CONTACT OFF, CAUSING THE CONTACT TO CRASH INTO THE VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY UPON IMPACT. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES AND WENT TO THE HOSPITAL THE NEXT DAY. THE POLICE WERE ON SCENE AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED FROM THE SCENE AND WAS DEEMED AS DESTROYED. A COMPLAINT WAS FILED WITH THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 96,882. UPDATED 08/28/12*LJ UPDATED 09/4/2012 *JS