2004 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER Complaints

WHILE DRIVING 35-45 MPH, CAR SUDDENLY SHUT DOWN. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON. LOSS OF POWER STEERING, POWER BRAKES, ACCELERATION. MANEUVERED VEHICLE TO NEARBY PARKING LOT, WAITED, AND THEN RESTARTED THE VEHICLE. NO PROBLEM IN RESTARTING VEHICLE AND ALL WARNING LIGHTS WERE OFF. USED CRUISE CONTROL PRIOR TO INCIDENT. INTERMITTENT PROBLEM; UNABLE TO RE-CREATE FOR FORD DEALER TO DIAGNOSE. NEW BATTERY WAS INSTALLED BY FORD DEALER IN WINTER 2009. *TR

REAR AXLE FAILURE AT 35,000 MILES. REPLACED BOTH REAR AXLE SHAFTS, BEARINGS, SEALS, CV BOOTS, AND COMPLETE DIFFERENTIAL WITH USED PARTS PER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERAGE. *TR

DURING THE LATER PART OF JUNE 2008, I PURCHASED A 2004 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER FROM CARMAX AT THE CHICAGO RIDGE LOCATION IN ILLINOIS WHICH HAD 28,579 MILES. ACCORDING TO THE CARFAX REPORT AND SALES PERSON, THIS VEHICLE HAD SUCCESSFULLY PASSED THE 100 POINT INSPECTION, AND UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITION THIS CAR HAD NO MAJOR MECHANICAL OR ELECTRICAL DEFECTS. WITHIN THE FIRST 30 DAYS I NOTICED A SLIGHT DELAY BETWEEN SHIFTING GEARS BEGAN TO MANIFEST, SO NATURALLY, I TOOK THE CAR IMMEDIATELY BACK TO CARMAX. SINCE THE PROBLEM EXCEEDED THEIR ABILITY TO FIX IT, I WAS INSTRUCTED BY CARMAX TO TAKE THE CAR BACK TO ITS ORIGINAL MANUFACTURER, WHICH IS YOUR ORGANIZATION, FORD. ON JULY 1ST 2008 A FORD MECHANIC AT THE 95TH WESTERN LOCATION REPORTED THAT THEY REPROGRAMMED THE TRUCK, REPLACED VIBRATION DAMPER, AND WORKED ON THE PULLEY-CRANKSHAFT. THE DELAY CEASED FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. WITHIN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, THE PROBLEM REAPPEARED IN AN EVEN GREATER CAPACITY THAN BEFORE AS NOW THE GEARS BETWEEN THE FORWARD AND REVERSE PROCEEDED TO PRODUCE A KICK BACK MOTION. I DECIDED TO GET A SECOND WRITTEN MECHANICAL OPINION FROM MEINEKE TRANSMISSION AND MUFFLER ON 107TH WESTERN, ONLY TO BE TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS BAD. SINCE THE 100 POINT INSPECTION ON THE CARFAX DID NOT INDICATE SUCH, AS I WOULD LIKE TO BELIEVE THAT CARMAX WOULD NOT HAVE SOLD ME THE CAR IN THAT CONDITION, I DECIDED TO GET YET ANOTHER WRITTEN OPINION. ONCE AGAIN, BY ANOTHER INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AT LUCHA'S AUTO REPAIR IN SOUTH CHICAGO, I WAS TOLD THAT NOT ONLY WAS THE TRANSMISSION BAD BUT THAT IT HAD TO HAVE BEEN THAT WAY UPON MY ORIGINAL PURCHASE AS THE YEAR OF THE CAR (2004) IS NOT COMMENSURATE WITH THE DEGREE OF DAMAGE TO THE TRANSMISSION AS THE CAR IS LESS THAN SIX YEARS OLD. LET ME ALSO STATE THAT THE CAR IS ALSO UNDER 50,000 MILES. *TR

2004 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER-THE REAR HATCH HINGE BROKE. LOOKS LIKE IT IS CORRODED. HAVE NOT FOUND OUT HOW MUCH THIS COSTS BECAUSE OF LACK OF MONEY. HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS REPORTS ONLINE AND EVEN A RECALLS FOR THE YEAR BEFORE THIS FOR THE SAME THING. WHY ISN'T THIS BEING RECALLED? I AM A 5FT 2 INCH WOMAN, AND I HAD TO CATCH THIS WHEN IT FELL OFF. IT COULD HAVE BROKEN MY LEGS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER. WHEN THE CONTACT CLOSED THE REAR LIFTGATE DOOR, IT SUDDENLY CRACKED UNDERNEATH THE WINDOW. THE DEALER STATED THAT IT WAS DUE TO A MANUFACTURER DEFECT, BUT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE CONTACT BELIEVES THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR COST. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 58,000.

REAR LIFT GATE ON 2004 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER WOULD NOT CLOSE. NOTICED HINGE ATTACHMENT FOR GLASS LOOKED AS THOUGH IT WAS FALLING OFF. GATE WOULD NOT CLOSE AND IS DAMAGED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF, THE CONTACT'S TWO YEAR OLD SON GRABBED THE KEY AND PLACED IT IN THE IGNITION. HE ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE, BUT THE ENGINE NEVER IGNITED. THE CHILD THEN PROCEEDED TO PLACE THE SHIFTER IN EITHER NEUTRAL OR DRIVE AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ROLL APPROXIMATELY 350 FEET DOWN A HILL. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A BRUSH-HOG AND A HONDA VEHICLE BEFORE FINALLY COMING TO A STOP WHEN IT CRASHED INTO A BUILDING. THE CHILD SUSTAINED A CONTUSION AND LACERATIONS TO HIS HEAD, CHEST, AND LEGS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND IS CURRENTLY AT A SALVAGE YARD. THE POLICE STATED THAT EVEN THOUGH THE VEHICLE WAS NOT STARTED, THE GEARS WERE ABLE TO BE SHIFTED, WHICH SHOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT BELIEVES THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO A MANUFACTURER DEFECT AND THEY SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. THE SPEED WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 59,000.

I STARTED MY 2004 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER THE OTHER DAY, AND THE ENGINE STARTED MAKING A HORRIBLE NOISE, LIKE A LAWN MOWER, RIGHT WHEN IT STARTED. I SHUT IT OFF IMMEDIATELY AND EVENTUALLY HAD TO GET A TOW TRUCK TO BRING ME TO THE FORD DEALER. LUCKILY I WASN'T DRIVING THIS TIME WHEN IT HAPPENED. IT TURNS OUT THAT THE ENGINE SPAT OUT A SPARK PLUG. THIS SEEMS TO BE A CHRONIC PROBLEM WITH FORD MOTOR COMPANY SUV'S AND PICK-UPS. THE TEMPORARY SOLUTION IS TO PLUG THE SOCKET BECAUSE THE THREADS WORE OUT. HOWEVER THE SPARK PLUG WAS FACTORY-INSTALLED AND THE ISSUE IS DEFINITELY A FORD PROBLEM. THE NEXT TIME, IT COULD BE EITHER LEAD TO A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT OR THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO REPAIR, OR BOTH. *TR

MY VEHICLES TRANSMISSION HAD SLIPPED ONCE AND TOOK IT IN AS SOON AS IT HAPPENED TO A MERCURY DEALER FOR SERVICE AND THEY CHANGED FLUID AND FILTER NOW IT DON'T HAVE REVERSE OR FORWARD GEARS UNLESS I SHIFT IT MANUALLY THE DEALER SAID IF THEY CHANGE FLUID IT WILL GET WORSE AND IT DID SO THEY ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM WHY WASN'T A RECALL GIVEN FOR THIS VEHICLES TRANSMISSION PLUS THERE IS NO DIP STICK ON THE TRANSMISSION TO CHECK THE FLUID NOW I HAVE A VEHICLE THAT NEEDS A TRANSMISSION THAT HAS TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF 3500 DOLLARS AND IS OUT OF WARRANTY I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED THAT A CAR COMPANY CAN GET AWAY WITH THIS. *TR

OUR VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN JUNE 2008 AT DEALERSHIP NEARBY. WE WERE DRIVING HOME AND THERE WAS A GRINDING AND POPPING SOUND IN THE REAREND OF THE VEHICLE. IT WAS ME , MY HUSBAND, 3 MTH OLD AND 2 YR OLD OCCUPYING THE CAR. MY HUSBAND GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND STATED TO GET THE BABIES OUT OF THE CAR IN A HURRY IT WAS ON FIRE. WE GOT THE BABIES OUT AND RAN IN TO CALL 911 AND THE FIRE DEPT. THE FIRE WAS CONTAINED AND TOOK TO A LOCAL GARAGE AT THAT TIME I CONTACTED MY AUTO INSURANCE TO SEE IF THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE COVERED. THEY SENT AN AUTO ADJUSTER OUT TO LOOK AT IT. OUR INSURANCE DID HELP TO REPAIR THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL. THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL HAD GOT SO HOT IT EXPLODED CAUSING THE FIRE. THEN AFTER THE CAR WAS REPAIRED WE BEGAN TO HAVE PROBLEMS AGAIN AT THAT TIME I CONTACTED FORD MOTOR COMPANY. THEY EXPLAINED THEY COULD NOT REPLACE THE CAR BUT IF I TOOK TO A LOCAL FORD DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC THEY MAY CONSIDER REPAIRING. SO I DID AND THE WHOLE TRANSFER CASE HAS TO BE REPLACED AND FORD IS NOT PAYING FOR THE COST. I JUST DON'T WANT THIS EXPERIENCE TO HAPPEN TO ANYONE ELSE AND TO RISK THEIR LIVES JUST DRIVING THIS CAR AS A RESULT TO A FIRE. THE FIRE WAS CLOSE TO THE FUEL TANK. I DON'T THINK THIS CAR IS SAFE FOR US TO DRIVE I ALWAYS HAVE THAT FEAR IN MY MIND AND WORRYING ABOUT MY BABIES. NOW I HAVE THIS NEW PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE TO DEAL WITH. I HAVE TALKED TO SEVERAL PEOPLE AND ONE PARTICULAR COMPANY THAT HAS THE SAME TYPE OF VEHICLES WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS. SOMETHING REALLY NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS. *TR