2002 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER Complaints

I WENT TO GO PICK UP MY SON FROM SCHOOL, WHEN I WENT TO PUT IT ON DRIVE THE SHIFTING HANDLE BROKE OFF. I DIDNT EVEN DO IT HARD. I HAD TO GET MY CAR TOWED TO MY HOUSE AND HAD TO PAY TO GET IT FIXED. I LOOKED IT UP AND THERES ALOT MORE PEOPLE THAT HAVE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS AND THAT IT SHOULD GO TO RECALL ITS JUST NOT SAFE, WHAT IF WERE DRIVING AND CHANGING GEARS ON THE ROAD AND SOMEONE GETS HURT EVEN DEATH. *TT

I, AS SO MANY OTHERS, HAVE A FAILING TRANSMISSION IN MY 2002 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER. FROM 2ND TO 3RD GEAR IT REFUSES TO SHIFT PROPERLY AND WHEN IT DOES IT IS EXTREMELY HARD. OTHERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS CONDITION WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY AND IT IS MY BELIEF THAT FORD REALIZES THAT THE TRANSMISSION IS DEFECTIVE BUT REFUSES TO DO A RECALL. I WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED BECAUSE THE VEHICLE LOST ITS FORWARD MOMENTUM BETWEEN THE SHIFTS. I FEEL AS IF THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION AND IT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER DRIVING INTO A PARKING GARAGE, THE AIR BAG WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED AND THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 150,000.

AT 99,000 MILES THE TRANSMISSION STARTED TO JUMP SLIGHTLY AS IT SHIFTED GEARS. THEN THE OD LIGHT CAME ON WHEN I TRIED TO GO IN REVERSE AND IT DIDN'T WANT TO MOVE. THEN, WHEN IT WAS PUT IN DRIVE IT JERKED VIOLENTLY. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN ABUSED OR HOTRODDED. *TR

WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK, THE GEAR SHIFTER SNAPPED IN HALF. IT IS CURRENTLY ATTACHED BY JUST A WIRE. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY STUCK IN REVERSE, AND THE KEY IS STUCK IN THE IGNITION. IT SNAPPED OFF FROM THE HOUSING UNIT, PART OF THE BOLT IS LEFT IN THE GEAR SHIFTER AND THE REST IS INSIDE THE STEERING COLUMN. THE BATTERY HAD TO BE DISCONNECTED, SINCE UNABLE TO TAKE THE KEY OUT. *TR

I PURCHASED A 2002 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER ON 4/11/2011. AS I WAS DRIVING IT HOME FROM THE DEALERSHIP, THE SAME DAY, I NOTICED SOME BLACK SMOKE COMING OUT THE BACK OF THE CAR. THERE WERE NO MESSAGES THAT CAME UP IN THE MESSAGE CENTER WINDOW SO I HAD NO CLUE WHAT WAS HAPPENING. AS I LOOKED BACK UP FROM THE REAR VIEW MIRROR, I NOTICED A FIRST RESPONDERS TRUCK NEXT TO THE DRIVERS WINDOW WHO WAS YELLING " GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE, ITS ON FIRE!" IMMEDIATELY I PULLED OVER AND MY MOTHER AND I HAD TO JUMP FROM THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THE ENTIRE ENGINE AREA WAS ENGULFED WITH FLAMES. I WAS INJURED WHILE I WAS FLEEING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND STATE TROOPERS WERE ENROUTE AND MY VEHICLE WAS HOSED DOWN AND TOWED. I ALMOST DIED IN THIS VEHICLE BECAUSE OF THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL GOING OUT ON IT. THIS VEHICLE TYPE HAS HAD MANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS PART AND THEIR CUSTOMERS SHOULD BE COMPENSATED! THIS CAR IS A FIRE HAZARD! IF I WOULD HAVE HAD MY 3 SMALL CHILDREN IN THEIR CAR SEATS I MAY NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET THEM ALL OUT IN TIME. COMPENSATED!! *TR

TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT INTO SECOND GEAR AND FROM WHAT I AM TOLD IS THAT FOR MY YEAR AND MODEL IT IS A MASS PROBLEM NOT JUST A ISOLATED INCIDENT MY CHECK TRANSMISSION LIGHT CAME ON THE DISPLAY MY OVER DRIVE LIGHT WAS FLASHING RAPIDLY AND ONLY DRIVES AT 20MPH NOW. *TR

THE REAR HATCH HINGE BROKE AS I ATTEMPTED TO CLOSE THE HATCH. THE HATCH THEN SLAMMED DOWN ON MY HEAD. FORTUNATELY, I WAS NOT INJURED - A LITTLE DAZED. MY LOCAL DEALER REPLACED THE HINGE FOR $230. I CONTACTED FORD HQ SERVICE BUT THEY REFUSED ANY CONCESSION. I HAD A SIMILAR INCIDENT IN JANUARY 2005, AND FORD REPLACED THE HINGE AT NO COST UNDER RECALL 04S20. OBVIOUSLY, THE ORIGINAL REPLACEMENT WAS NOT A PERMANENT FIX. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER. THE CONTACT STATED THE REAR LIFT GATE ON THE VEHICLE WAS CRACKED FROM THE TOP TO THE BOTTOM OF THE LIFT GATE. THE CRACK EXTENDED FROM THE EMBLEM AND BEGAN TO GET BIGGER DEPENDING ON THE WEATHER. THE LIFT GATE WAS REPAIRED FOUR YEARS AGO AND SHOULD BE REPAIRED AGAIN. THE CONTACT STATED THE CRACK WAS A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 95,000.

MY COMPLAINT IS ON THE REAR BACK PANEL. WHEN I BOUGHT THIS CAR MY BACK PANEL CRACKED AT 76,000 MILES. OUT OF POCKET COST TO ME TO REPLACE THIS PANEL $500. NOW 2 MONTHS AGO I NOTICED A CRACK IN THAT PANEL AND DAYS LATER THE ENTIRE PANEL FLEW OFF MY CAR AS I AM DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD! I CAN ONLY IMAGINE THE SHOCK OF THE DRIVER IN THE VEHICLE BEHIND ME. FORD/MERCURY SHOULD MAN UP AND RECALL THESE. FIND A PERMANENT SOLUTION FOR AN OBVIOUS DESIGN FLAW ON THEIR PART. EVERYWHERE I GO I SEE MOUNTAINEERS AND EXPLORERS WITH CRACKED, HALF GONE OR COMPLETELY GONE REAR BACK PANELS. RIDICULOUS. *TR