1998 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER Complaints

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE AND BURNED. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED 4 HOURS PRIOR TO THE FIRE. THE FIRE AND POLICE DEPARTMENT STATED IN WRITTEN REPORTS THE FIRE STARTED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. ADDITIONAL PROPERTY DAMAGE WAS SUSTAINED TO ONE OTHER VEHICLE. THE INSURANCE COMPANY INVESTIGATED AND DEEMED THE VEHICLE A TOTAL LOSS.

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 65, 475 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 THRESHOL - 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 CATALYSTST 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. *NM

FORD MOTOR COMPANY MR. MIKE MCMULLIN DISTRICT MANAGER AUGUST 29,2005 DEAR SIR, I PURCHASED A 1998 MERCURY 5.0L MOUNTAINEER IN JULY 1999 AND IT CURRENTLY HAS SOME 85,000 MILES ON IT. LONG BEFORE THE 36-MONTH/36K MILES WARRANTY RAN OUT, I COMPLAINED TO MY FORD DEALER THAT I HEARD AN ENGINE NOISE THAT SOUNDS SOMETHING LIKE A HYDRAULIC VALVE LIFTER STICKING. IN TAKING MY CAR INTO AN INDEPENDENT SERVICE CENTER LATELY FOR SOME NON-WARRANTY MINOR SERVICE WORK, THE MECHANIC THERE ASKED ME HOW LONG I HAD BEEN EXPERIENCING THE ENGINE NOISE THAT HIS TRAINED EAR WAS HEARING. I INFORMED HIM THAT IT HAD BEEN CLICKING LIKE THAT FOR A GOOD LONG TIME. JUST FOR CURIOSITY HE CHECKED THE NHTSA WEB SITE FOR TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS (TSBS). HE FOUND TO MY AMAZEMENT AND DISGUST THAT THE NHTSA SHOWED TSB #14489, ISSUED NOVEMBER 01,2000, CONTAINED THE FOLLOWING: ??SOME 1998-1999 EXPLORER/MOUNTAINEER VEHICLES BUILT THROUGH 01/1999 AND EQUIPPED WITH A 5.0L ENGINE MAY EXHIBIT A COLD START OR HOT ENGINE DECELERATION NOISE COMING FROM THE #5 CYLINDER. ONE POSSIBLE CAUSE HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS THE LEFT A/C COMPRESSOR BRACKET COMING IN CONTACT WITH THE ENGINE BLOCK. THE BRACKET CAN APPLY PRESSURE ONTO THE CYLINDER WALL AND OVERTIME CAUSE THE CYLINDER WALL TO DISTORT RESULTING A NOISE DESCRIBED AS PISTON OR LIFTER NOISE. THE NOISE WILL BE WORSE ON COLD STARTS AND HOT DECELERATION, BUT WILL BE LESS SEVERE AT OPERATING TEMPERATURES. IF THE VEHICLE HAS OVER 12,000 MILES PLEASE REPLACE THE BRACKET WITH F87Z-3C511-CA AND INSTALL A FAR ENGINE REPLACEMENT (F77Z-6006??ARM FOR 1998 M/Y VEHICLES, XL2Z-6006-AARM FOR 1999 M/Y VEHICLES) FROM YOUR LOCAL SUPPLIER. THE BRACKET AND THE ENGINE MUST BE INSTALLED AT THE SAME TIME.?? I CONCLUDE THAT THE REPAIRS FOR THIS PROBLEM WHICH HAS BEEN ESTIMATED AT $4,828, SHOULD NOT BE BORN BY ME. I FEEL THAT EQUAL COST SHARING IN THIS MATTER WOULD BE A FAIR AND EQUITABLE TREATMENT. SINCERELY, PAUL G. BARBOZA. *NM

VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN FRONT OF MY HOME--APPROXIMATELY AROUND 6:00 AM THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE WITH NO KEYS IN THE IGNITION!*JB

THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE AND BURNED UP. THE FIREMEN INDICATED IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM AND LOOKED LIKE IT STARTED ON DRIVER'S SIDE. *AK *SC THE CONSUMER STATED THIS DOCUMENT WAS MAILED TO HER HOME IN ERROR.*JB

DROVE ABOUT 30 MINUTES, PARKED VEHICLE, AND ABOUT 45 MINUTES LATER VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. FLAMES WERE COMING FROM DRIVER'S SIDE FENDER WELL. PRIOR TO FIRE, NO PROBLEMS REPORTED. VEHICLE HAD CRUISE CONTROL WHICH WAS NOT USED IN THE LAST YEAR, AND DID NOT KNOW IF IT WORKED. VEHICLE WAS INSURED BY FARMERS INSURANCE. THEY HAD A FIRE INVESTIGATION DONE. THE REPORT STATED THAT FIRE WAS CAUSED BY VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH. POLICY #0040483408, CLAIM #1005487896. HAS PICTURES AND THEM WILL E-MAIL TO BRUCE YORK.*AK *TT *NM

DT: WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD HAD BEEN HAVING TROUBLE WITH HAVING TO FORCE THE ACCELRATOR DOWN TO ACCEL AND WITHOUT WARNING WHILE APPROACHING A STOP SIGN. HAD FOOT ON BRAKE, RELEASED BRAKE PRESSURE, AND TRIED TO PUSH GAS PEDAL, BUT THE GAS PEDAL BROKE, AND WAS DANGLING BY WIRES. HAD TO COAST VEHICLE TO CURB TO GET OUT OF STREET TO SAFETY. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE. TOWED VEHICLETO OWNERS HOME. FORD ISSUED RECALL ON SAME MODEL AND YEAR BUT THIS VEHICLE WASNOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN . MECHANIC SUGGESTED IT COULD BE A THROTTLE BODY. *AK

PURCHASED USED 1998 MECURY MOUNTAINEER FROM LOCAL MERCURY DEALER, DISCOVERED THE HEATER PLEANUM DOOR ACTUATOR WAS FAULTY AND THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM WOULD ONLY PROVIDE CONSTANT HOT AIR ON ALL SETTINGS, OTHER THAN MAX-AC. THE PROBLEM IS THAT DUE TO THIS FAULTY PART, DEFOGGING/DEFROSTING THE WINDSHIELD IS A CHALLENGE, CAUSING MY SON TO DRIVE FREQUENTLY WITH A FOGGED WINDSCREEN. MERCURY DEALER SERVICE SHOP AND OTHER SHOPS LOCALLY ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM WITH MANY OF THESE MODELS, AND REPAIR IS DONE BY REPLACING THE ENTIRE HEATER PLENUM WHICH HOUSES A NEW TYPE OF DOOR ACTUATOR. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD BE RECALLED!*AK

I HAVE A 1998 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER. HAVE DRIVEN THIS VEHICLE SINCE NOV. 1999. HAVE SEVERAL COMPLAINTS WITH VEHICLE. REAR WIPER HAS WORKED ABOUT 20% OF THE ENTIRE TIME I HAVE OWNED VEHICLE. IT DOES NOT WORK AT PRESENT AND HAS NOT WORKED FOR OVER TWO YEARS. GOT TIRED OF TRYING TO HAVE IT REPAIRED. LIGHTS ON STEREO HAS BEEN GOING OFF AND ON SINCE I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE. SOMETIMES LIGHT WILL STAY OFF FOR A WEEK. AFTER PLAYING A CD IN THE CD PLAYER (NOT CHANGER), CD BECOMES VERY HOT AND IT USUALLY DESTROYS CD. DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR LOCK DID NOT WORK FOR ABOUT A YEAR AND THEN STARTED WORKING. SOMETHING FELL OUT OR BROKE OFF OF THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR AND DOOR LOCK WILL NOT LOCK AUTOMATICALLY. POWER ANTENNA STARTED NOT GOING DOWN COMPLETELYABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO AND NOW WILL NOT WORK AT ALL EVEN THOUGH POWER IS STILL GOING TO IT BECAUSE YOU CAN HEAR THE MOTOR. HAVE HAD ALL RECALLS DONE ON VEHICLE EXCEPT THE BOLT REPLACED ON DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT. THERE HAVE BEEN ABOUT FOUR RECALLS ON VEHICLE SINCE I HAVE OWNED IT. POWER LOCK ON REAR DOOR WILL NOT UNLOCK UNLESS YOU USE THE KEY. IT WOULD SEEM THAT THERE IS SOME MAJOR ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE. THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN CHECKED ON THESE VEHICLES LONG AGO. *AK

TOOK IN FOR THROTTLE BODY REPAIR AND DRIVER SEAT BOLT RECALL 9-03. THEY SAID DIDN'T NEED THE THROTTLE BODY REPAIR..NOW THAT WARRANTY IS UP I CAN'T GET THIS HAZARD TO DRIVING FIXED. I HAVE ALMOST HIT CARS IN PARKING LOTS AND IN MY DRIVEWAY. WHY ISN'T THIS CONSIDERED A SAFETY ISSUE AND RECALL. WHY DOES IT HAVE A MILEAGE AND TIME LIMIT. I TRIED TO GET IT DONE AND THEY WOULDN'T DO IT NOW IT'S TOO LATE. THE THROTTLE HESITATES AND THEN SURGES. FORD IDENTIFIES THIS AS A PROBLEM, BUT WON'T FIX IT. *AK