1998 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER EQUIPPED WITH TURBO TECH RADIAL A/SR TIRES, LINE SIZE P235/75R15, DOT NUMBER UT1TT2E4305. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH WHEN A LOUD POP SOUNDED FROM THE EXTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT SUDDENLY LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE FLIPPED OVER TWICE AND LANDED ONTO THE CENTER LANE OF THE HIGHWAY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A MILD CONCUSSION AND INJURIES TO THE KNEE, BACK AND NECK. A POLICE REPORT WAS AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY THE REAR DRIVER SIDE TIRE EXPLODING. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO A SALVAGE YARD. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 149,000.

AT APPROXIMATELY 2:15 I PARKED MY 1998 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER ON THE STREET IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE. AT APPROXIMATELY 2:30 I HEARD THE VEHICLE THEFT ALARM GO OFF. WHEN I WENT TO SHUT OFF ALARM, I SAW FLAMES COMING FROM THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL WELL. (I COULD NOT SEE WHAT WAS HAPPENING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF VEHICLE) I WENT BACK INTO MY HOUSE TO FETCH MY DRY CHEM FIRE EXTINGUISHER. I WENT BACK TO THE CAR AND ATTEMPTED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. WHEN I WAS UNSUCCESSFUL, I HAD MY SON CALL 911 FOR FIRE DEPARTMENT ASSISTANCE. A FIRE TRUCK RESPONDED WITHIN 3-5 MINUTES AT WHICH TIME THE WHOLE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT PUT THE FIRE OUT WITHIN 5 MINUTES. UPON INSPECTION, I NOTICED THAT THE WHOLE MOTOR COMPARTMANT WAS CONSUMED BY THE BLAZE AND THE FIRE HAD STARTED TO BURN THE DASH AND INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE APPEARS TO BE A TOTAL LOSS.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER. EARLY IN THE MORNING, THE CONTACT SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING AND NOTICED THAT HER VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. AS A RESULT, THE GARAGE AND PART OF THE HOUSE WERE BURNED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE AND STATED THAT IT ORIGINATED FROM THE ENGINE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT FEELS THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE SEVERE INJURIES COULD HAVE OCCURRED. THE MILEAGES WERE UNKNOWN.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER. WHILE CHECKING THE FLUIDS IN THE VEHICLE, THE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM FAILED THAT HOLDS THE HOOD. AS A RESULT, THE HOOD RELEASED AND NEARLY CRASHED THE CONTACTS HAND. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THAT COMPONENT, HOWEVER, THEY WOULD INVESTIGATE THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 86,000. UPDATED 10/16/07 *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED TO 90 MPH. THE CONTACT HAD TO PLACE HIS FOOT BEHIND THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND PULL IT UP IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. HE PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER AND WAS STILL ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD DURING THE TIME OF THIS COMPLAINT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 117,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE IS A CRACK IN THE CENTER OF THE EGR VALVE. THE VEHICLE IS MAKING AN UNFAMILIAR NOISE AND GAS FUMES ARE ENTERING THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED. THE PURCHASE DATE, ENGINE SIZE, AND A VALID VIN WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 72,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 69,000.

BEING THE SPACE IS LIMITED, I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH MY CAR AS FOLLOWS: MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN COMING ON. I HAVE HAD VARIOUS SHOPS USE THEIR COMPUTER TO FIND OUT WHY THE LIGHT WAS ON AND HAVE PAID FOR CLEANING VALVES, SENSORS, AND HOSES AS WELL AS HAVING NEW SENSORS INSTALLED. THE FIRST INSTANCE OCCURRED AT 90,000 MILEAGE ON MY VEHICLE. TODAY, THE SHOP WHERE I NOW TAKE MY VEHICLE FOR SERVICING USED THEIR COMPUTER TO SEE WHY THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON YET AGAIN AND IT GENERATED A TSB FROM FORD, ARTICLE 04-7-5 WHICH SUPERSEDES ARTICLE TSB 03-25-1. THIS ARTICLE STATES THE ISSUE AS "SOME 1998 EXPLORER/MOUNTAINEER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE 5.0L ENGINE MAY EXHIBIT A MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP (MIL) ON WITH DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE(S) P0420 (CATALYST SYSTEM EFFICIENCY BELOW THRESHOLD-BANK 1) AND/OR P0430 (CATALYST SYSTEM EFFICIENCY BELOW THRESHOLD - BANK 2). THE ACTION LISTED FOR CORRECTION OF THIS PROBLEM IS STATED AS "TO SERVICE, REPROGRAM THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE (PCM) TO THE LATEST CALIBRATION USING WDS RELEASE B28.3 OR HIGHER. REPLACEMENT OF CATALYST'S IS NO LONGER NECESSARY TO ADDRESS THE MOST COMMON CAUSES OF THIS CONDITION." THIS SOUNDS LIKE A PROBLEM FORD INSTALLED ON THESE 1998 MOUNTAINEERS AND I BELIEVE FORD SHOULD BEAR THE COST OF REPROGRAMMING THE COMPUTER IN THE VEHICLE FOR THE VEHICLE TO FUNCTION PROPERLY AND SAFELY. THE WORKER AT THE SHOP TOOK THE TIME TO EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT THIS ARTICLE MEANT AND THE POSSIBLE RAMIFICATIONS TO THE FUNCTIONING OF MY VEHICLE BECAUSE OF THE PROBLEM CAUSED BY FORD NOT HAVING THE CORRECT COMPUTER PROGRAM RUNNING IN THE VEHICLE. MY MECHANIC IS TELLING ME THAT THIS VEHICLE HAS 3 CATALYTIC CONVERTERS AND WILL COST ABOUT $3000 FOR THE PARTS ALONE. BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM MY VEHICLE WILL NOT PASS EMISSIONS OR INSPECTION. I WENT 1 YEAR WITH THIS PROBLEM AND NOW IT IS BACK AGAIN. *JB

TL* - THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HER 1998 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER WAS PARKED, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM HER VEHICLE. SHE NOTICED THAT HER VEHICLE HAD FLAMES COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE CONTACT FEELS THAT THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS DUE TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 00V422000( VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). THE CONTACT CAN PROVIDE PICTURES, AS WELL AS, COPY OF THE INCIDENT REPORT. *JB

1998 MOUNTAINEER'S TIRES WERE APART OF A RECALL AND CONSUMER IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT. *TS THE VEHICLE WAS ORIGINALLY EQUIPPED WITH WILDERNESS AT TIRES WHICH WERE RECALLED. THE CONSUMER REPLACED THESE TIRE IN 2004 AFTER THE CONSUMER WAS ALMOST INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AS RESULT OF THE FAULTY TIRES. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED RECALL LETTER # 02S28 WAS RECEIVED REGARDING THE SEAT BELT. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER TO REPLACE SEAT BELT BOLT, THE CONTACT REQUESTED TO HAVE A REMOTE DOOR OPENER INSTALLED ON THE VEHICLE, AS WELL. WHILE THE SERVICE DEALER WAS ATTEMPTING TO INSTALL THE REMOTE DOOR OPENER, THERE WERE PROBLEMS PROGRAMMING THE REMOTE WHICH RESULTED IN A MALFUNCTION OF THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR. THE DRIVER DOOR WOULD NOT LOCK OR UNLOCK. THE CONTACT EXPRESSED UNHAPPINESS WITH THE LONG WAIT AND THE RUN AROUND FROM THE DEALER IN REPAIRING THE VEHICLE.