2004 MERCURY MONTEREY Complaints

MY 2004 MERCURY MONTEREY HAD A RECALL JOB DONE ON THE TRANSMISSION REPLACING THE TORQUE CONVERTER APPROXIMATELY TWO MONTHS AGO. I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM CHURCH TODAY, AND THE TRANSMISSION STOPPED WORKING. MY FAMILY ENDED UP STRANDED. IT WAS LUCKY FOR US THAT THE STREET WASN'T BUSY SO THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE AN ACCIDENT. *TR THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE PROBLEM WAS COMPLETELY UNRELATED FROM THE PREVIOUS TRANSMISSION REPAIR. UPDATED 04/01/13

I PURCHASED THIS VAN FROM A ONE OWNER ELDERLY COUPLE-AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE HAD 47,000 MILES ON IT. WORKED GREAT FOR FIRST 8 MONTHS THEN THE PROBLEMS STARTED. HAD TO REPLACE SPARK PLUGS THEN COIL ASSEMBLY, THEN FUEL INJECTORS, VALUE EXHAUST GAS, RECALL OF THE TORQUE CONVERTOR(DEALERSHIP HAD MY VAN 3 DAYS SHY OF 1 MONTH) ABS SENSOR REPLACED, REPLACED CALLOPSED PCV HOSE, WATER IN THE COMPUTER MODELE THIS HAD TO BE CLEANED OUT. VAN WAS IN AND OUT OF THE SHOP 8 OF 12 MONTHS IN THE YEAR 2012. I HAD THE VAN BACK FOR NOT EVEN 2 MONTHS AND IT STARTED RUNNING ROUGH AND IDLING HIGH AGAIN THE ENGINE LIGHT BLINKING. I REALLY NEED SOME HELP WITH THIS-BECAUSE THE DEALERSHIP I HAVE BEEN TAKEN IT TOO CANNOT SEEM TO GET IT FIXED!!! I HAVE SPENT WAY TO MUCH MONEY ON A VECHILE THAT DOES NOT WORK!!! *TR

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY THE 3RD REAR SEAT STARTED VIBRATING VIOLENTLY FOLLOWED BY A LOAD BANG . UPON INSPECTION I FOUND THE 3RD SEAT COULD NOT LOCKED BACK IN PLACE BECAUSE THE LOCK DOWN STRIKER WAS GONE AND I COULD LOOK THROUGH THE HOLE IN THE SIDE OF THE VAN AND SEE THE TIRE IN THE WHEEL WELL. THE 3RD SEAT IS NOW USELESS. THIS SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN ON ANY VEHICLE. ALTHOUGH THE FORD REPRESENTATIVE STATED IT WAS "[XXX]" HE SAID FORD WOULD NOT FIX IT AND I SHOULD FILE A COMPLAINT. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2004 MERCURY MONTEREY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRAME OF THE THIRD ROW SEAT WAS CORRODED AND FRACTURED INTO SEVERAL PIECES. IN ADDITION, THE UNDER CARRIAGE FRAME WAS ALSO CORRODED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 38,000.

THIS VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN A SAFETY RECALL BY NHTSA (12V006). THE PART INVOLVED (TORQUE CONVERTER OUTPUT SHAFT) IN THE RECALL FAILED IN MARCH 2011, LONG BEFORE THE RECALLED WAS INITIATED. AT THE TIME, I WAS TOLD BY A FORD SERVICE CENTER THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS ONLY THE TORQUE CONVERTER THAT HAD FAILED. THE WHOLE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED AND THIS WAS DONE. WHEN THE RECALL NOTICE WAS RECEIVED IN THE MAIL AND I WENT TO FORD SERVICE CENTER, THEY GAVE US A REFUND FOR THE AMOUNT THAT WAS AUTHORIZED TO REPLACE JUST THE TORQUE CONVERTER, NOT THE WHOLE REPAIR. SINCE THE TORQUE CONVERTER WAS REPLACED BEFORE THE RECALL, THE UNSAFE PART IS STILL IN MY VEHICLE. FORD NOW REFUSES TO REPLACE THE UNSAFE PART BECAUSE THEY SAID THAT NHTSA AGREED TO ONLY AUTHORIZE ONE FIX PER VEHICLE. I WOULD HAVE TO PAY TO GET THE VEHICLE MADE SAFE. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW THIS CAN BE THE CASE FOR A SAFETY RECALL? THE OLDER, UNSAFE PART CAN FAIL AT ANY TIME, JUST LIKE IT DID THE FIRST TIME WHEN IT FAILED ON THE ENTRANCE RAMP TO A CONGESTED INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AT RUSH HOUR WITH SCHOOL CARPOOL CHILDREN IN THE VEHICLE. NHTSA SHOULD AUTHORIZED AN AMENDMENT TO THE RECALL TO REPLACE ALL DEFECTIVE PARTS. *TR

1ST - RADIO STARTED FLASHING ON AND OFF RANDOMLY - TOOK TO FORD DEALER - NO ERROR CODE, NO ANSWER. 2ND - HEATED SEAT ON DRIVERS SIDE QUIT WORKING - TOOK TO FORD DEALER - NO ERROR CODE, NO ANSWER. TOOK TO PRIVATE REPAIR SHOP - ERROR CODE OF LOW VOLTAGE BATTERY - REPLACED BATTERY FOR $125 3RD - AUTOMATIC LIGHTS QUIT WORKING, DASHBOARD CONTROL WENT BLANK - TOOK TO FORD DEALER - SAME LOW VOLTAGE ERROR CODE - DESPITE NEW BATTERY. NO OTHER ANSWERS. 4TH - AUTOMATIC SEATS STARTED MOVING WHEN USING CODE TO OPEN DOOR - TOOK TO FORD - FOUND THAT ALL PROBLEMS TRACED TO ONE RELAY BOX - REPLACED RELAY BOX FOR $650. 5TH - ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON ONE WEEK LATER - NO PROBLEMS STARTING/RUNNING, MADE APPOINTMENT TO TAKE TO DEALER IN 3 DAYS. 6TH - ENGINE DIED NEXT DAY, WOULD RESTART AND THEN DIE AGAIN AFTER 5 FEET, TOWED TO FORD DEALER, TOW TRUCK DRIVER NOTED ENGINE WOULD NOT GO INTO GEAR- REPEATEDLY GAVE NO CODE. ASKED THEM TO HAVE TECH TAKE CAR HOME AND DRIVE IT. FINALLY FOUND CORRODED AND WET PCM. QUOTED $1400 FOR THE REPAIR. I LOOKED UP PCM ON MERC. MONTEREY/FORD FREESTAR - AS THESE ARE ESSENTIALLY THE SAME VEHICLE. FOUND TONS OF SAME COMPLAINT. POOR DESIGN FROM FORD ALLOWING WATER TO DRIP ONTO MAIN COMPUTER/ELECTRICAL SUPPLY CAUSING THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OF REPAIRS TO OWNERS. THE BATTERY WAS LIKELY JUST FINE, THE RELAY BOX LIKELY JUST FINE. I AM WORKING WITH DEALER TO PAY LESS FOR THE PCM SINCE THEY SHOULD HAVE FOUND THIS FROM THE FIRST OR SECOND ELECTRICAL COMPLAINT. CAR STILL AT DEALER, I WILL NOT PAY $1400 TO GET IT REPAIRED. *TR

2004 MONTEREY WAS SERVICED BY FORD/MERCURY DEALER PER RECALL 12V-006 AS SAFETY PREVENTION REPAIRS AT 110677 MILEAGE BETWEEN 08/14/12 AND 08/17/12. INVOICE STATES "11S25 TORQUE CONVERTER REPLACEMENT" WAS COMPLETED. VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO CUSTOMER . LESS THAN FIVE MONTHS, ON 01/12/13, AT 112360 MILEAGE, UPON ARRIVING HOME, THE VEHICLE LOST FORWARD AND REVERSE POWER WHILE ATTEMPING TO TURN IT AROUND. IT IS DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND BECAUSE THE "SAFETY RECALL NOTICE 11S25 / NHTSA RECALL 12V-006" STATES THAT "IT MAY BE POSSIBLE FOR YOUR VEHICLE TO LOSE FORWARD AND REVERSE POWER WHILE DRIVING DUE TO WORN SPLINES IN THE TRANSMISSION TORQUE CONVERTER". HOWEVER IT WOULD SEEM UNLIKELY THAT ANYTHING WOULD BE "WORN" WITHIN THE SHORT TIME PERIOD AND LOW MILEAGE INDICATED AS FOLLOWS: NOTE THAT THE "11S25 TORQUE CONVERTER REPLACEMENT" WAS COMPLETED LESS THAN FIVE MONTHS BEFORE, (08/17/12 UNTIL 01/12/13). ALSO NOTE THAT THE MILEAGE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE DEALER REPAIR INVOICE (110677) AND THE POINT OF FORWARD AND REVERSE POWER LOSS (112360) IS ONLY 1683 MILES. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCURY MONTEREY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR FLOORBOARD WAS RUSTED AND CAUSING THE REAR SEAT TO BECOME DISLODGED. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND THE VEHICLE WAS SCHEDULED FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 125,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCURY MONTEREY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR SEAT LOCK MECHANISM WAS CORRODED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE PART WHERE THE SEAT LATCHED INTO THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY CORRODED AND A PIECE HAD DETACHED FROM IT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 124,900 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 125,000.

WHILE DRIVING I NOTICED MY THIRD ROW SEAT WAS BOUNCING SOME, WHEN I STOPPED I FOUND THAT THE LATCH HOLDING THE SEAT DOWN WAS UNATTACHED. WHEN I TOOK IT INTO THE DEALER HE SAID THAT IT IS RUSTED THROUGH. I HAD MY SPECIAL NEEDS SON IN THAT SEAT, HIT HIS HEAD BUT NOTHING MAJOR. UNFORTUNATELY I NOW AM UNABLE TO TRANSPORT MY SPECIAL NEEDS SON BECAUSE HE HAS TO BE IN THE THIRD ROW SEAT. MY DRIVERS SIDE WHEEL WELL IS ALSO TOTALLY RUSTED THROUGH AND WATER IS GETTING INTO THE CAR. I AM NOT SURE IF IT IS RELATED BUT MY TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT IS ALWAYS OFF AND ON ALONG WITH THE TIRE PRESSURE INDICATOR. I ALREADY REPLACED THE PCM LAST YEAR WHEN MY CAR BECAME UN-DRIVABLE DUE TO MAJOR ELECTRICAL ISSUES. *TR