2003 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER Complaints

I HAVE HAD A PROBLEM FOR A COUPLE YEARS WHEN I PUT THE CAR IN GEAR IT DOESN'T "LOCK" IN THE GEAR I HAVE TO ADJUST IT TWICE, DIDN'T THINK MUCH OF IT AND THANK GOD NO ACCIDENT. BUT I JUST LEARNED TO DEAL WITH IT UNTIL I SAW THIS. WANT UPDATES ON THIS ISSUE. *TR

WE HAVE EXPERIENCED TWO WELL KNOWN ISSUES WITH THE EXPLORER/MOUNTAINEER. THE BODY PANEL ON THE BACK HATCH IS CRACKED IN THE MIDDLE AND FRIDAY WE HAD THE SPARK PLUG BLOW OUT OF THE HEAD/SOCKET STRIPPING THE THREADS OUT TO THE POINT THAT THE COMMON REPAIR KIT USED FOR THESE INSTANCES WON'T WORK AND THE ONLY SOLUTION IS A REPLACEMENT HEAD WHICH IS QUOTED AT A $3500 JOB AND THE VEHICLE IS ONLY WORTH ABOUT $5700. I UNDERSTAND FORD ACCEPTS NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS ENGINE/HEAD DEFECT DESPITE THE FACT THAT IT HAS OCCURRED ON FACTORY TIGHTENED PLUGS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, HE APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED TO THE FLOOR. THE VEHICLE COASTED TO A STOP AND WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE BRAKE LINES RUPTURED AND THE VEHICLE LOST ALL BRAKE FLUID. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER. THE CONTACT STATED THE BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR PEDALS FAILED SIMULTANEOUSLY. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL ENGAGED THE PEDAL EXTENDED TO THE FLOOR BOARD. SIMULTANEOUSLY, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS STUCK IN THE DOWN POSITION. AS THE VEHICLE TRIED TO SLOW DOWN THE BRAKES WERE ON FIRE. THE CONTACT THRUST THE GEAR INTO PARK, PULLED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WHICH FAILED TO FUNCTION, TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AND WAS ABLE TO EXIT FROM THE VEHICLE WITHOUT BEING INJURED. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT FILED A REPORT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTO REPAIR SHOP. THE DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS STATED THERE WAS NO RECALL AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 112,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE CONTACT DROVE OVER A POTHOLE AND THE REAR PASSENGER WINDOW, REAR DRIVER SIDE WINDOW AND THE REAR LIFT GATE WINDOW BEGAN RATTLING ABNORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000. UPDATED 03/05/12*LJ

RIGHT REAR COIL SPRING FAILURE. A 5 INCH LONG PIECE OF COIL SPRING WAS FOUND UNDER THE VEHICLE ON THE DRIVEWAY. INSPECTION CONFIRMED THE SPRING HAD FAILED. THE VEHICLE HAS NO CRASH OR DAMAGE HISTORY. THE BROKEN PIECE OF SPRING WAS CORRODED AT BOTH ENDS , INDICATING IT WAS CRACKED FOR A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME BEFORE THE TOTAL FAILURE. ONLINE RESEARCH INDICATES THIS MAY BE AN ENDEMIC PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR DECKLID PANEL WAS CRACKED DUE TO THE COLDER WEATHER TEMPERATURES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO ADVISED THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF THE ISSUE BUT THE CONTACT WOULD BE LIABLE FOR THE REPAIRS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO TOOK A COMPLAINT BUT OFFERED NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 92,489 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 92,000.

THE BACK LIFT GATE IS CRACKED FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDOW, "THRU" THE MERCURY EMBLEM, AND ALL THE WAY DOWN. I'VE SEEN NEARLY IDENTICAL CRACKING ON MANY OTHER MOUNTAINEERS. I SEE A RATHER LARGE NUMBER OF THE SAME COMPLAINTS ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE. OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A DEFECT THAT COULD RESULT IN INJURIES AND NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. *TR

2003 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER CRACKED PANEL ON BACK LIFT GATE FROM WINDOW AROUND RIGHT SIDE OF ROUND EMBLEM TO BOTTOM. SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. FIRST TIME VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY. 90% OF THESE VEHICLES I SEE ON ROAD ARE CRACKED. FORD /MERCURY NEEDS TO RECALL & FIX. *TR

THE BACK LIFT GATE IS CRACKED FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDOW, AROUND THE LEFT SIDE OF THE MERCURY EMBLEM, AND ALL THE WAY DOWN. I'VE NOTICED THE SAME CRACKING ON ALMOST EVERY OTHER MOUNTAINEER ON THE ROADS, AND I SEE A HUGE NUMBER OF THE SAME COMPLAINT ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE. OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A DEFECT AND NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. *TR