2002 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER Complaints

2002 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER: WE HAVE EXPERIENCED THE VEHICLE RAPIDLY DOWNSHIFTING FROM 4TH GEAR TO 2ND GEAR WITHOUT WARNING. THIS HAS HAPPENED WHEN DRIVING IN LONGER DISTANCE IN CITY TRAFFIC. WE ARE AFRAID OF BEING REAR ENDED. THE VEHICLE ALSO DOES NOT RUN PROPERLY WHEN COLD. WHEN OUTSIDE TEMPERATURES ARE IN THE 20?S (20 DEGREES ON THE FAHRENHEIT SCALE) IT WILL ONLY GO BETWEEN 10-15 MPH UNTIL WARM. WHEELS FEEL LIKE THEY ARE SPINNING. THE VEHICLE ALSO MAKES A HOWLING NOISE (SOUNDS COMPUTER GENERATED) AT BETWEEN 55-70 MPH. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED AT 11,000 MILES. IT DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEMS. FORD HAS OFFERED A CASH SETTLEMENT OF $6200.00. WE DO HAVE THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. CAN THESE PROBLEMS BE FIXED? THE FIRST ISSUE IS THE ONE OF GREATEST CONCERN. *LA

THE VEHICLE QUICKLY SHIFTS WHENEVER YOU ACCELERATE, IT'S RATHER JERKY AND STARTLING. IT SEEMS AS THOUGH THE GEARS ARE CHANGING INCORRECTLY THUS CAUSING A JERKY MOTION. I HAVE NOTIFIED THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS A NORMAL REACTION, WHICH I DISAGREE. I MOST RECENTLY CONTACTED THE MERCURY HOME OFFICE, WHO SUGGESTED THAT I TAKE IT TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTICS CHECK. I SAW SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON THIS ISSUE AND THOUGHT THAT I SHOULD REPORT MY PROBLEM. *JB

CONSUMER STATED THE ABS HAD FAILED. CONSUMER STATED THE BRAKES WENT OUT ON HER TWICE AND SHE DROVE IT TO THE DEALER . SHE STATED THE FIRST TIME SHE TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, SHE WAS TOLD THERE WAS SOME KIND OF A LEAK. THE SECOND TIME THEY DID NOT SAY ANYTHING. THE VEHICLE WAS STILL MAKING A THUMPING NOISE. *PH THE ANTI LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM HAD A RIGHT INNER SEAL LEAK AND A REAR SENSOR MALFUNCTION. THE ABS LIGHT HAD COME ON AT DIFFERENT TIMES. *SCC *JB

WHILE DRIVING OR IDLING VEHICLE WILL CUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING DEALERSHIP CANNOT LOCATE CAUSE OF PROBLEM. *AK

STRUTS GAVE OUT ON HATCHBACK, CAUSING HATCH TO FALL ON OWNER'S HEAD, KNOCKING HER BACKWARDS, GLASS IN HATCH SHATTERED INTO HER HAIR AND SKIN.*AK PE04045.PCO

2002 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER REAR HATCH STRUT FAILURE - THREE (3) OCCASIONS WITHIN FOUR WEEKS. DEALER HAS NO SOLUTION TO PROBLEM. FORD ENGINEERING SUGGESTED THAT THE ENTIRE REAR HATCH/GLASS/STRUT ASSEMBLY BE REPLACED. BACK-ORDERED DIRECT FROM FORD'S SUPPLIER DUE TO HIGH DEMAND FOR REPLACEMENTS.*AK DOB IS 6/01 MOUNT ROTATING AND RESULTING IN STRUT DETACHMENT. REPLACED ENTIRE GLASS ASSEMBLY AFTER NUMERIOUS ATTEMPTS TO REGLUE MOUNT. 06140 PE04045.PCO

THE REAR GLASS ON MY 2002 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER EXPLODED WHEN IT WAS BEING CLOSED. IT HAPPENED MID-STREAM WHILE BEING SHUT.*AK PE04045.PCO

BRACKET ON LEFT SIDE OF LIFT GATE BROKE, THE LIFT GATE DETACHED FROM THE BRACKET AND CYLINDERS. THE LIFT GATE FELL ON MY UPPER BODY AS A RESULT I HAVE BEEN SEEKING MEDICAL ATTENTION. *JB PE04045.PCO

THE FRONT END DASH HAS A VERY LOUD RATTLE WHILE LETTING UP ON THE GAS OR DEPRESSING THE BRAKE THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP FIVE TIMES. THEY HAVE READJUSTED THE A/C LINES MANY TIMES, TIGHTENED ITEMS IN THE ENGINE, AND REPLACED A MISSING BOLT IN THE FIREWALL. IT WAS FIXED ONCE THAT LAST A COUPLE OF MONTHS, BUT THE NOISE IS BACK. IT WILL BE GOING IN THE SHOP FOR THE SIXTH TIME. ALSO, THERE IS A SQUEAK WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS. IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP TWICE AND THEY REPLACED THE BALL BEARING JOINTS. HOWEVER, THE SQUEAK IS BACK.*AK

THE VEHICLE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED, JUMPED AND MADE CLUNKING NOISES. THE STEERING COLUMN LOCKED UP. THE REAR HATCH FELL ONTO THE CONSUMERS HEAD WHICH RESULTED IN RETINAL DETACHMENT AND BALANCE TROUBLE. *MR *PH *AK *NLM PE04045.PCO