2003 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER Complaints

PLEASE SEE THE ISSUE ABOUT THE TRANSMISSION NOT GOING INTO PARK PROPERLY. VERY DANGEROUS.... MR. MARK FIELDS, PRESIDENT OF FORD MOTOR COMPANY RE: VIN#[XXX] I OWN A 2003 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER, WITH 28000 MILES ON IT, WHICH I PURCHASED NEW FROM LAKEWOOD FORD IN NOV. 2003. IN 2005, I BROUGHT MY CAR IN WITH A FEW MINOR PROBLEMS, AT WHICH TIME I EXPLAINED TO THE SERVICE TECH THAT THE CAR WAS NOT SHIFTING INTO PARK PROPERLY AND WAS STICKING. AFTER HAVING THE CAR FOR A DAY, THEY RETURNED IT TO ME SAYING THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. YESTERDAY, MY WIFE TOOK AN ENTIRE DAY AND RENTED A CAR, SO THAT WE COULD BRING IT INTO FREEWAY FORD TO HAVE THEM CHECK THE TRANSMISSION AGAIN. THE SERVICE MANAGER OLEY SEEMED NICE ENOUGH IN HANDLING THE MATTER BUT THEN AT THE END OF THE DAY REPORTED BACK TO US THE FOLLOWING; 1)THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM WAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH A SHIFT LOCK OUT AND IT WOULD COST US $265 DOLLARS TO REPLACE AND WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY. THE WARRANTY ISSUE WITH THE TRANSMISSION IS UNACCEPTABLE AND I WOULD LIKE YOUR TEAM TO RECONSIDER. FIRST, IT IS INDEED PART OF THE POWER TRAIN AND IT IS UNFATHOMABLE TO ME THAT ANY COURT OF LAW WOULD CONSIDER IT OTHERWISE. SECOND, I'D THINK THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AS WELL, AND SHOULD SOMETHING HAPPEN WHERE THE CAR SLIPS OUT OF PARK AND KILLS SOMEONE, I CAN'T IMAGINE THE NHTSA WOULD FIND NO FAULT UPON YOUR COMPANY. I FRANKLY WAS TOTALLY SHOCKED AT THE RESPONSE I GOT FROM THE DEALER. I'VE OWNED MANY BRANDS OF NEW CARS, AND NO ONE HAS EVER CLAIMED SOMETHING AS OBVIOUS AS THIS (WITH DOCUMENTED HISTORY!) AS NOT COVERED IN WARRANTY. I CONSIDER MYSELF A PRETTY FAIR PERSON AND I'M NOT ONE TO MAKE A BIG ISSUE OUT OF SOMETHING BUT THIS IS JUST WRONG! IF THIS IS YOUR POLICY, IT'S NOW VERY CLEAR WHY FORD IS A FAILING COMPANY. THIS IS THE TYPE THING THAT WILL SHOW UP ON U-TUBE AND JUST CONTINUE LOSS OF CUSTOMER LOYALTY. *NM *JS

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED "ON 8/23/04, THE REAR LIFTGATE WINDOW OF MY 2003 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER VIOLENTLY EXPLODED WHILE PARKED. THE FORCE OF THE EXPLOSION SENT GLASS FLYING INTO THE REAR OF MY VEHICLE AND INTO THE PARKING LOT. THE DEALER HAD MY CAR FOR 9 DAYS BEFORE FORD SENT A REPRESENTATIVE TO VIEW THE DAMAGE. AGAINST SEVERAL OPINIONS, FORD DENIED RESPONSIBILITY BECAUSE THERE WERE DOG CRATES IN THE BACK. THESE CRATES HAD BEEN IN MY MOUNTAINEERS FOR YEARS & DIDN'T EVEN COME CLOSE TO THE WINDOW. I FOUND DOZENS OF IDIOPATHIC EXPLODING LIFTGATE INCIDENTS ON THE NHTSA SITE FOR THE FORD EXPLORER AND MERCURY MOUNTAINEER - AT THE TIME, NHTSA ADVISED THAT FORD WAS ABOUT TO ISSUE A VOLUNTARY RECALL. I DID GET THE RECALL WEEKS AFTER THE INCIDENT, BUT MY ATTEMPTS TO OBTAIN REIMBURSEMENT FROM FORD FOR REPAIR OF THIS DEFECTIVE LIFTGATE GLASS FOR MYSELF AND MY INSURER WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. MY COMPLAINT MADE IT TO THE EXECUTIVE OFFICES OF FORD, BUT THEY WOULD NOT EVEN TALK TO ME BECAUSE MY INSURANCE COMPANY WAS NOT SUBROGATING - THE CLAIM WAS JUST TOO SMALL FOR MY INSURER TO PURSUE. HOWEVER, THERE IS A PRINCIPLE INVOLVED, AND I AM COMPLETELY DISGUSTED WITH FORD MOTOR COMPANY. I HAD THE CAR REPAIRED BY INSURANCE AFTER I PAID THE DEDUCTIBLE, AND THEN A COUPLE MONTHS LATER, THE RECALL WORK FOR THE LIFTGATE WAS DONE BY MY DEALER. RECENTLY, I NOTICED THAT THE NEW LIFTGATE HAS AN EVER ENLARGING CRACK DOWN THE CENTER OF THE LIFTGATE GLASS FRAME - MY DEALER SAYS IT IS NOT STRUCTURAL AND NOT TO WORRY, BUT DUE TO THE HISTORY OF THIS VEHICLE, I FEAR THAT ANOTHER EXPLOSION IS IMMINENT. I WAS IN THE CAR AT THE TIME OF THE FIRST EXPLOSION, AND IT WAS SCARY. I HAVE HAD A WARNING MAGNETIC SIGN PLACED ON THE REAR OF MY VEHICLE TO WARN PEOPLE TO STAY AWAY FROM THE REAR OF MY VEHICLE IN CASE OF ANOTHER EXPLOSION, AND MY DOG CRATES ARE NOW SHIELDED WITH A SUN BLANKET TO PROTECT FROM FLYING GLASS. FORD HAS CREATED SUCH BAD WILL WITH ME THAT THIS LIKELY WILL BE THE LAST FORD PRODUCT I OWN."

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED "ON 8/23/04, THE REAR LIFTGATE WINDOW OF MY 2003 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER VIOLENTLY EXPLODED WHILE PARKED. THE FORCE OF THE EXPLOSION SENT GLASS FLYING INTO THE REAR OF MY VEHICLE AND INTO THE PARKING LOT. THE DEALER HAD MY CAR FOR 9 DAYS BEFORE FORD SENT A REPRESENTATIVE TO VIEW THE DAMAGE. AGAINST SEVERAL OPINIONS, FORD DENIED RESPONSIBILITY BECAUSE THERE WERE DOG CRATES IN THE BACK. THESE CRATES HAD BEEN IN MY MOUNTAINEERS FOR YEARS & DIDN'T EVEN COME CLOSE TO THE WINDOW. I FOUND DOZENS OF IDIOPATHIC EXPLODING LIFTGATE INCIDENTS ON THE NHTSA SITE FOR THE FORD EXPLORER AND MERCURY MOUNTAINEER - AT THE TIME, NHTSA ADVISED THAT FORD WAS ABOUT TO ISSUE A VOLUNTARY RECALL. I DID GET THE RECALL WEEKS AFTER THE INCIDENT, BUT MY ATTEMPTS TO OBTAIN REIMBURSEMENT FROM FORD FOR REPAIR OF THIS DEFECTIVE LIFTGATE GLASS FOR MYSELF AND MY INSURER WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. MY COMPLAINT MADE IT TO THE EXECUTIVE OFFICES OF FORD, BUT THEY WOULD NOT EVEN TALK TO ME BECAUSE MY INSURANCE COMPANY WAS NOT SUBROGATING - THE CLAIM WAS JUST TOO SMALL FOR MY INSURER TO PURSUE. HOWEVER, THERE IS A PRINCIPLE INVOLVED, AND I AM COMPLETELY DISGUSTED WITH FORD MOTOR COMPANY. I HAD THE CAR REPAIRED BY INSURANCE AFTER I PAID THE DEDUCTIBLE, AND THEN A COUPLE MONTHS LATER, THE RECALL WORK FOR THE LIFTGATE WAS DONE BY MY DEALER. RECENTLY, I NOTICED THAT THE NEW LIFTGATE HAS AN EVER ENLARGING CRACK DOWN THE CENTER OF THE LIFTGATE GLASS FRAME - MY DEALER SAYS IT IS NOT STRUCTURAL AND NOT TO WORRY, BUT DUE TO THE HISTORY OF THIS VEHICLE, I FEAR THAT ANOTHER EXPLOSION IS IMMINENT. I WAS IN THE CAR AT THE TIME OF THE FIRST EXPLOSION, AND IT WAS SCARY. I HAVE HAD A WARNING MAGNETIC SIGN PLACED ON THE REAR OF MY VEHICLE TO WARN PEOPLE TO STAY AWAY FROM THE REAR OF MY VEHICLE IN CASE OF ANOTHER EXPLOSION, AND MY DOG CRATES ARE NOW SHIELDED WITH A SUN BLANKET TO PROTECT FROM FLYING GLASS. FORD HAS CREATED SUCH BAD WILL WITH ME THAT THIS LIKELY WILL BE THE LAST FORD PRODUCT I OWN." UPDATED. *JB

THE HATCH BACK DOOR ON MY MERCURY MOUNTAINEER SPLIT IN HALF FROM THE BASE OF THE WINDOW TO THE BOTTOM OF THE HATCH DOOR. I BELIEVE THE PLACEMENT OF THE MERCURY SYMBO LINER THE TOP CENTER OF THE HATCH WEAKENS THE HATCH CAUSING IT TO SPLIT WITH USE AND / OR WITH A SUDDEN CHANGE IN TEMPERATURE. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH ON A COUNTRY ROAD, BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS WEARING A SEAT BELT, AND NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE ALERTED. UPDATED 12/28/2006 - *NM

WE BOUGHT OUR MOUNTAINEER NEW IN 2003. WE HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS, BUT THE WORST HAS BEEN WITH THE TRANSMISSION. WE HAVE CONSISTENTLY TAKEN OUR VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIPS FOR SERVICE, BUT ARE CONTINUALLY TOLD THAT THEY CANNOT "REPLICATE THE PROBLEM AT THIS TIME". THE TRANSMISSION HAS ALWAYS SHIFTED HARD, BUT DEALERSHIPS SIMPLY TELL US IT JUST SHIFTS HARD. IN JANUARY OF 2006 THE OVERDRIVE LIGHT WAS FLASHING AND THE CHECK TRANSMISSION LIGHT WENT ON. I TOOK IT INTO THE DEALER WHO TOLD US WE HAD TO HAVE THE TORQUE CONVERTER REPLACED AS THEY FOUND METAL SHAVINGS IN THE PAN. WE PAID OVER $1300 BELIEVING THIS WOULD SOLVE THE SHIFTING PROBLEM, IT DID NOT. AT THE END OF JUNE I TOOK IT INTO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND TRIP INSPECTION. I MENTIONED AGAIN THAT IT SHIFTS HARD. THEIR TECH LOOKED AT IT, FOUND METAL IN THE PAN AND SAID THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED (AT LESS THAN 55,000). APPARENTLY THE TORQUE CONVERTER FORD SENT TO THE FIRST DEALERSHIP WAS FAULTY, CAUSING THE TRANSMISSION TO NEED REPLACEMENT. FORD DID PAY FOR REPLACEMENT OF THE TRANSMISSION, GIVING US ABOUT A 45 DAY WARRANTY (AS THE WARRANTY STARTED FROM THE DAY THE TORQUE CONVERTER WAS FIRST REPLACED). WE THOUGHT SURELY THAT WOULD FIX THE SHIFTING PROBLEMS. NO...STILL SHIFTS HARD. IF WE COULD SELL THIS THING FOR ANYWHERE NEAR WHAT WE OWE...IT WOULD BE GONE. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE ELASTIC STRAPS CONNECTED TO THE CLOTH COVER OF THE CHILD SAFETY SEAT WHICH WRAPPED AROUND THE SEAT CAN BE REMOVED EASILY. THE CONTACT'S CHILD WAS ABLE TO REMOVE THE STRAPS, AND WRAP THE STRAPS AROUND THE NECK. THE CHILD WAS NOT INJURED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED, BUT THE CONTACT PLANNED TO NOTIFY THEM SOON. THE MANUFACTURER OF THE CHILD SAFETY SEAT WAS DOREL JUVENILE GROUP. MODEL COSCO CONVERTIBLE FORWARD FACING; MODEL NUMBER IS: 22-100-TTD. THE MANUFACTURER DATE WAS 2-15-05.*AK

LIFTGATE CRACKED. PART WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED OR POSSIBILITY OF WINDOW FALLING OUT. WAS TOLD BY MY MERCURY DEALER THAT THIS IS A KNOWN FAULT IN VEHICLE BUT SINCE IT HAPPENS BETWEEN 40,000 AND 50,000 MILES IT IS NO LONGER FORD/MERCURY'S RESPONSIBILITY SINCE CARS ARE OUT OF WARRANTY. *JB

ON 9/2/06, I USED MY VEHICLE TO GO TO STORE AND WHILE AT THE STORE, I HAD DIFFICULTY PLACING THE VEHICLE INTO PARK AND NEEDED TO SHUT VEHICLE OFF TO FINALLY LOCK IT INTO PARK. I THEN RETURNED HOME WITH THE VEHICLE AND PARKED IT IN MY DRIVEWAY. THE VEHICLE THEN ROLLED DOWN THE DRIVEWAY AND CRASHED INTO MY HOUSE AND STRUCK MY 8 MONTH OLD SON 'S STROLLER. IT CAUSED DAMAGE TO MY HOUSE AND VEHICLE RECEIVED DAMAGE TO THE WINDSHIELD, FRONT BUMPER, HOOD AND GRILL. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE DEALER AND WAS GIVEN AN APPOINTMENT TO BRING IT ON 9/11/06. AFTER EXAMINING THE VEHICLE , THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY RECOMMENDED REPLACING THE BRAKE SHIFT INTERLOCK SWITCH SINCE THEY HAVE BEEN FOUND TO STICK AND BE FAULTY IN OTHER MOUNTAINEERS. I WAS TOLD THAT ALTHOUGH THIS WAS A SAFETY HAZARD, IT WAS NOT A RECALL AND NOT COVERED UNDER MY WARRANTY. I WAS ORDERED TO PAY $298.67 FOR THE REPAIR AND TOLD THAT THE REPAIRS TO MY HOUSE AND THE DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE WOULD ALSO HAVE TO BE HANDLED BY ME. I DON'T KNOW HOW SOMETHING AS SERIOUS AS THIS IS NOT A RECALL BUT IT IS A KNOWN SAFELY DEFECT BY FORD MOTOR COMPANY. I FEEL THAT THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL OF THE DAMAGE AND THE PAYMENT FOR THE REPAIRS AND THAT THEY ARE LUCKY THAT NO PERSONS, ONLY PROPERTY WAS DAMAGED THAT DAY. *B

2003 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER TRANSMISSION MADE A CLUNKING SOUND, SLID BACKWARDS AND FORWARDS WHILE SHIFTING INTO REVERSE. A/C BLOWER MOTOR MADE A HUMMING SOUND. WHILE DRIVING THE MOTOR WOULD MISFIRE. *KB WHILE DRIVING THE CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE DASH LIGHT WENT OUT. THE CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM BY TURNING THE LIGHTING SWITCH. WHEN THE SWITCH WAS TURNED THE DASH LIGHT CAME ON BUT THE HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT. THE CONSUMER'S INDICATED THAT THEY SOMETIMES HEAR POPPING SOUNDS WHILE DRIVING, WHICH SEEMS TO BE OF AN ELECTRICAL NATURE.