2002 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER Complaints

DT: THE CALLER SAID VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING SEVERAL TIMES. SHE STATED THAT IT DID START BACK UP. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER THREE TIMES. DEALER SAID THEY FIXED IT EACH TIME. SHE SENT MANUFACTURER A LETTER ON THE PROBLEM AND OTHER PROBLEMS. ALSO, THE CALLER STATED THAT SHE HAD THE IGNITION SWITCH REPLACED, AND NOW WHEN SHE TAKES IT OUT OF PARK SOMETHING POPS. DEALER WILL NOT DO ANYTHING ELSE TO HELP HER WITH THE IGNITION SWITCH. *AK THE DAY TIME RUNNING LIGHTS DID NOT STAY ON, THE CONSUMER HEARD WIND NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE, THE CIGARETTE LIGHTER DID NOT WORK, THERE WAS A POPPING NOISE WHEN THE CONSUMER PLACED THE VEHICLE INTO GEAR. *JB

MY WIFE WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE WHEN THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD RESULTING IN A CRASH WITH A METAL HAND RAIL AND TWO AIR CONDITIONING UNITS. NO DEFINITIVE CAUSE HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED EXCEPT. A WITNESS SAYS SHE HEARD AN ENGINE REV UP JUST PRIOR TO THE CRASH. *JB

THERE WAS A RECALL ON REAR WINDSHIELD GLASS ON CERTAIN FORD MOTOR COMPANY VEHICLES. THE INSURANCE COMPANIES INVESTIGATION DETERMINED THAT THE DAMAGE SUSTAINED BY THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS FROM A FLAW IN THE REAR WINDSHIELD GLASS. THE INSURANCE COMPANY REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT FROM FORD. *TS *NM ***TRANSFER TO OCC***

WHEN BRAKING BRAKES FAILED, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO GO INTO AN EMBANKMENT. VEHICLE WAS TOWED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK *NM

I HAD NO WARNING THAT THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION IN MY 2002 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER AT 55,000 MILES WAS GOING OUT. THE O/D LIGHT CAME ON FLASHING AND THE CHECK TRANSMISSION LIGHT CAME ON FLASHING. THE SPEED OF THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE PAST 20 MPH. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK IT TO THE MERCURY DEALERSHIP AND THEY REPAIRED THE LEAKING DIFFERENTIAL SEALS IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE AND THE PINION SEALS IN THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THEY CHECKED THE TRANSMISSION FLUID AND IT WAS FULL. AFTER 424.00 THE PROBLEM WAS STILL THERE. TOOK VEHICLE TO TRANSMISSION SPECIALTY SHOP AND THE VEHICLE IS IN THE SHOP AT THIS HOUR HAVING THE TRANSMISSION YANKED OUT AND REPAIRED. THIS IS MY FIRST FORD VEHICLE AND MY LAST. THERE SEEMS TO BE A TRANSMISSION ISSUE REGARDING FORD/MERCURY VEHICLES AND THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN SOMETHING DONE ABOUT THIS LONG BEFORE NOW.*JB

BACK LIFT SHATTERED WHEN CLOSING, RESULTING IN SHATTERED GLASS IN MY HAND, INSIDE THE CAR, ON TOP OF THE CAR AND ALL OVER THE PARKING LOT NEAR OTHER CARS (EVERYWHERE) AND BRACKETS HANGING FROM THE WIRES ON THE TOP (IT WAS RAINING OUTSIDE!). I DROVE CAR TO DEALER WHO AFTER INITIAL QUESTIONS AND FORD APPROVAL THEN ADVISED OF RECALL AND PROVIDED A REPLACEMENT CAR DURING REPAIRS BUT IT TOOK 6 WEEKS TO REPAIR. AMAZING WHILE THE 6 WEEK REPAIRS OF "WAITING FOR PARTS" I GOT A RECALL NOTICE IN THE MAIL (AUG 05). AFTER BOTHERING THE DEALER TO GET THE CAR BACK, I WAS CALLED TO PICK UP THE CAR AND I WAS TOLD THE "CHECK ENGINE SOON LIGHT" IS COMING ON! WHEN I PICKED IT UP, I NOT ONLY SEE THE LIGHT IS INTERMITTENT COMING ON, BUT MY ELECTRIC WINDOW SWITCHES ARE NOT WORKING TO PUT THE WINDOWS UP AND DOWN (EXCEPT THE FRONT PASSENGER WORKS FINE) AND THE DRIVER SEAT BELT IS NOT RETRACTING CORRECTLY! THIS CAR IS ONLY 3 YEARS OLD!! *NM

BACK LIFT SHATTERED WHEN CLOSING, RESULTING IN SHATTERED GLASS EVERYWHERE AND BRACKETS HANGING (IT WAS RAINING OUTSIDE!). I DROVE CAR TO DEALER WHO PROVIDED A REPLACEMENT CAR DURING REPAIRS BUT IT TOOK 6 WEEKS TO REPAIR. THEN WHEN I WAS CALLED TO PICK UP THE CAR I WAS TOLD THE "CHECK ENGINE SOON LIGHT" IS COMING ON! WHEN I PICKED IT UP, I NOT ONLY SEE THE LIGHT IS INTERMITTENT COMING ON, BUT MY ELECTRIC WINDOW SWITCHES ARE NOT WORKING TO PUT THE WINDOWS UP AND DOWN (EXCEPT THE FRONT PASSENGER WORKS FINE) AND THE DRIVER SEAT BELT IS NOT RETRACTING CORRECTLY! THIS CAR IS ONLY 3 YEARS OLD!! *NM

1. PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE 4/05. 2. 8/26/05 WHILE DRIVING ON I-81 THE VEHICLE BEGAN VIBRATING AND MAKING A TAPPING NOISE. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. PULLED OVER, COULD NOT DETERMINE THE PROBLEM AND DROVE STRAIGHT TO THE DEALERSHIP OF PURCHASE. 3. 8/26/05 -CYLINDER HEAD NEEDS TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE SPARK PLUG BLEW OUT AND DAMAGED THE HEAD. EXTENDED WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER THE REPLACEMENT/REPAIR BECAUSE IT "WAS NOT CAUSED BY A MOVING LUBRICATED PART." VEHICLE WOULD BE READY BY FRIDAY, 9/2/05. 4. ORIGINAL TECHNICIAN AT SCHOOL, AND NEW TECHNICIAN WOULD BE ASSIGNED. NEW DATE FOR VEHICLE TO BE READY WEDNESDAY 9/7/05. 5. TURNED IN MY RENTAL CAR ON 9/7/05. AFTER TEST DRIVE BY DEALERSHIP THE VEHICLE APPEARS TO STILL HAVE A PROBLEM. GOT A RIDE HOME. RECEIVED A CALL ABOUT 5:30PM ADVISING THAT THE "TIMING CHAIN PULLEY" NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. PART ORDERED AND VEHICLE MAY BE READY ON 9/8/05. NO DISCUSSION ON THE WARRANTY COVERAGE FOR THIS ADDITIONAL REPAIR. 6. GO TO HTTP://CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM/AUTOMOTIVE/FORD_SPARK.HTML AND YOU WILL FIND THAT SINCE JUNE 2001 THIS SPARK PLUG DEFECT HAS BEEN REPORTED. 7. COSTS ARE EXTENSIVE FOR THE REPAIR IN EXCESS OF $3000, AND I'VE ONLY HAD THE VEHICLE FOR 4 MONTHS AND DROVE IT ONLY 2 MONTHS BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN AWAY WITH THE VIRGINIA ARMY NATIONAL GUARD. 8. NO GUARANTEE THAT THIS PROBLEM WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN SINCE FORD HAS NOT RECALLED THE VEHICLES TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. HOW CAN I GET MY MONEY BACK FOR THE REPAIR? I FEEL THAT I HAVE PURCHASED A LEMON AND I ALSO FEEL THAT THE DEALERSHIP KNEW MORE ABOUT THE ISSUES WITH THIS VEHICLE THAN THEY REVEALED. I WOULD LIKE THE VEHICLE EXCHANGED FOR ONE OF EQUAL VALUE. *JB

2002 2002 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER DEVELOPED PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION.*MR THE TRANSMISSION DID NOT SHIFT SMOOTHLY, BUT WOULD HANG UP. THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT FROM 2ND TO 3RD GEAR WITHOUT THE CONSUMER TAKING HIS FOOT OFF THE GAS AND THE ENGINE WOULD RACE TO HIGH RPM'S. *JB

2002 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER REAR TAILGATE WINDOW SHATTERED .*MR WHILE DRIVING THE CONSUMER NOTICED THAT HE DOOR AJAR LIGHT HAD ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH. HE PULLED OVER, AND EXITED THE VEHICLE TO CHECK ALL THE DOORS. AFTER OPENING AND CLOSING ALL THE DOOR THE DOOR AJAR LIGHT WAS STILL ON. HE THEN WENT TO THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE TO CHECK THE TAILGATE. WHEN HE RAISED THE TAILGATE WINDOW IT SPRUNG FROM HIS HANDS AND SHATTERED INTO MANY PIECES. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION THE CONSUMER NOTICED THAT ONE OF THE HINGES ON THE TAILGATE WINDOW HAD SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE WHICH CAUSED THE WINDOW TO RELEASE THEN SHATTER. *NM