1998 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER Complaints

WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IT CAUGHT ON FIRE ON ITS OWN. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THEN, VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONSUMER'S RESIDENCE. CONSUMER WILL CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER IN THE NEAR FUTURE. *AK

I HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THROTTLE STICKING UPON DEPRESSION ON 1998 5.0 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER. SEEMS TO BE WORSE WHEN FIRST STARTING VEHICLE OR WHEN THE TEMPERATURE OUTSIDE IS COLDER. LAST NIGHT WHEN I LEFT TO GO TO WORK, I PUT THE VEHICLE IN DRIVE, THE THROTTLE STUCK AND I COULD NOT CONTROL THE VEHICLE. I STRUCK MY OWN HOME DOING CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE TO THE HOME (PASSENGER SIDE OF VEHICLE) , BOUNCED OFF THE HOUSE (STILL ACCELERATING) AND HIT A GARBAGE DUMPSTER (DRIVER SIDE OF VEHICLE) , THEN BOUNCE OFF THE GARBAGE DUMPSTER AND STRUCK A BASKETBALL GOAL (FRONT OF VEHICLE). THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY (THIS IS THE 2ND FRONT END ACCIDENT IN WHICH AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY). THIS THROTTLE BODY PROBLEM WAS A RECALL FOR THE 4.0 VEHICLES BUT NOT THE 5.0, AND I HAVE SEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS OF THROTTLE STICKING ON THE 5.0 AS WELL. VEHICLE IS NOW IN THE SHOP, BELIEVED TO BE A TOTAL LOSS. (CURRENTLY $6800 DAMAGE, AND NOT FINISHED WITH ESTIMATE YET). I ALSO HAVE SEVERAL THOUSANDS DOLLARS IN DAMAGE TO MY HOME, WHICH MUST BE SUBMITTED TO MY HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE SINCE AUTO INSURANCE WILL NOT PAY FOR YOUR OWN PROPERTY DAMAGE. TODAY I HAVE NECK & BACK PAIN, THOUGH I DID NOT GO TO THE DOCTOR LAST NIGHT. NOT TO COUNT THE MENTAL ISSUE OF BEING HEADED STRAIGHT FOR YOUR HOME AND NOT BEING ABLE TO STOP OR CONTROL THE VEHICLE. SOMETHING REALLY NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THESE VEHICLES OR SOMEONE IS GOING TO BE SERIOUSLY INJURED. SHERIFF WAS CALLED, AND DID COME TO THE SCENE, BUT THEY SAID THEY DO NOT DO REPORTS IF IT IS YOUR OWN PROPERTY THAT IS DAMAGED, ONLY IF THERE IS A SECOND PARTY INVOLVED.*AK

MERCURY MOUNTAINEER DRIVERS SEAT LATCH ASSEMBLY BROKE. SEAT IS IN AN UN-DRIVABLE POSITION. DEALER MAINTENANCE SAYS IT WILL COST $250 PLUS LABOR AND TAXES AND FEES TO REPAIR THIS POORLY DESIGNED FORD COMPONENT. I BELIEVE THERE ARE MANY OTHER PEOPLE THAT SHARE THIS COSTLY PREDICAMENT AND IT IS ALL DUE TO POOR DESIGN AND THE MANUFACTURER KNOWS IT. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL OR SCHEDULED MANUFACTURERS REPAIR FOR THIS ITEM. IN A CRASH A REAR SEAT PASSENGER COULD POSSIBLY THRUST THE SEAT BACK OF THE DRIVER FORWARD CAUSING THE DRIVER SERIOUS INJURY OR WORSE. *NM

THE DRIVERS SEAT WAS BROKE, BECAUSE THE BOLT HAD BROKEN. THE CONSUMER HAD THE SEAT REPAIRED AT HER EXPENSE. THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE SEAT AND THE CONSUMER NEEDED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THE SEAT REPAIRED AGAIN. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NO LONGER IN BUSINESS. THE CONSUMER WAS ALSO TOLD THAT SHE WOULD BE REIMBURSED FOR THE FIRST REPAIR. NOW THEY ARE REFUSING A REFUND SINCE IT HAS BEEN A YEAR. 03V281000. *JB

THE CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED THAT EVERY YEAR SHE HAS TO REPLACE THE HEAT SENSOR. LAST YEAR SHE HAD TO REPLACE IT BEFORE THE VEHICLE COULD PASS EMISSIONS BECAUSE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THIS YEAR THE SAME THING HAPPENED. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE PROBLEM WAS THE HEAT SENSOR. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT SHE REPLACED THE ORIGINAL TIRES DUE TO THE RECALL ON THE TIRES (DEFECT NUMBER : 01X001000). THE INSIDE OF THE TREAD CAME APART. *TC *JB

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING BACK TO WORK AT LUNCH, CLEAR DAY, UNLIMITED VISIBILITY, CLEAR ROAD CONDITIONS, WHEN THE DRIVER SIDE REAR TIRE SIDEWALL BLEW OUT. FORTUNATELY, NO ONE WAS HURT. THE TIRE WAS PUT ON THE VECHICLE BY THE FORD DEALERSHIP DURING THE FIRESTONE RECALL. A PASSERBY HELPED MY WIFE CHANGE THE TIRE. THIS IS A GOODYEAR WRANGLER RTS, P235/75/15.*AK

WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH,THE DRIVER APPLIED THE BRAKES, THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND HIT A PATCH OF ICE. THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE HIT AN EMBANKMENT THEN HIT A TREE. THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT BECAME UNLACED DURING THE COLLISION. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED NECK INJURIES AND WAS TRANSPORTED BY AMBULANCE. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB

THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON MY 1998 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER HAS COME ON 10 TIMES IN THE LAST 2 1/2 YEARS. ALL TIMES, EXCEPT ONE, WERE DUE TO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THE CONVERTER HAS BEEN REPLACED, YET THE PROBLEM CONTINUES. I'VE CONTACTED MERCURY EVERY TIME, & GET NO SATISFACTION. THE LAST TIME I WAS TOLD "PARTS WEAR OUT...DEAL WITH IT." MY DISPUTE ISN'T THAT SOMETHING IS WRONG, IT'S WANTING TO KNOW WHY IT CAN'T BE FIXED. NO ONE CAN GIVE ME AN ANSWER.

FORD REFUSES TO HONOR EXTENDED WARRANTY, PROGRAM # 01M01 ON 1998 MOUNTAINEER; VIN [XXX], " ANY OTHER ENGINE DAMAGE CLEARLY RESULTING FROM A WORN OR BROKEN FRONT CAM CHAIN GUIDE IS ALSO COVERED"! REAR CASSETTE BAD, ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT MY COST.*AK UPDATED 07/30/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

DEALERSHIP PERFORMED THE RECALL REPAIRS UNDER RECALL 03V281000. THE DEALER WHO PERFORMED THE RECALL ASSERTED THAT THE LEFT FRONT RECLINER CONTROL WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL SCOPE AND THEY REFUSED TO REPAIR THE COMPONENT. *LA THE RECLINER CONTROL LEVER BROKE DUE TO METAL FAILURE. THE CONSUMER DID NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO RECLINE THE SEAT BACK. *JB