1999 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER Complaints

ORIGINAL OIL PUMP DRIVER FAILED, CAUSING OIL PUMP TO STOP CIRCULATING OIL THRU ENGINE, CAUSING SERVER ENGINE DAMAGE. MECHANIC STATED THAT THE OIL PUMP DRIVER PART THAT FAILED, SHOULD HAVE LASTED FOR THE LIFE OF THE ORIGINAL ENGINE. AFTER COMPLETING APPROX $1500. IN REPAIRS TO REPLACE OIL PUMP, BEARINGS ETC, HE (WILL BMC MOTORS 114 SIERRA ST. EL SEGUNDO, CALIF. 310-322-9511) DISCOVERED THAT AN ALUMINUM BUFFER ON THE DEFECTIVE PART HAD DISINEGRATED, CAUSING A METAL TO METAL SITUATION, WHICH CAUSED THE OIL PUMP DRIVER TO FAIL, WHICH STOPPED THE OIL FLOW THRU THE ENGINE. THIS CAUSED A ROD TO BE THROWN, AND NOW AN ADDITIONAL REPAIRS IN THE NEIGHBOR HOOD OF $3500 IS BEING DEMANDED. THE VEHICLE WAS AT THE END OF A LEASE, AND SUBSEQUENTLY TURNED IN, AND THE CREDITOR, FORD MOTOR CREDIT, WANTS US TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS CAUSED BY THEIR DEFECTIVE PART. WE CONTACTED THE DEALER THAT WE LEASED FROM, AND OF COURSE THEY SAY THERE IS NO HISTORY OF ANY OTHER REPORTINGS OF THIS DEFECT IN AN OIL PUMP DRIVER. TS

LOSS OF CONTROL WHILE DRIVING 70-73 MPH. VEHICLE WENT INTO A ROLLOVER CRASH, AND NEITHER AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. *AK CONSUMER STATES THAT THIS INCIDENT RESULTED IN THE DEATH OF HER DAUGHTER. *SCC

CABLE HOLDING SPARE TIRE UNDERNEATH CARRAGE RUSTED OUT, DROPPING TIRE IN MIDDLE OF THE ROAD WHILE IN MOTION. THIS FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING OR ANY TYPE OF INDICATION. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

THERE IS NO WAY TO ADD LUBRICANT TO BALLJOINTS BECAUSE THEY ARE SEALED CLOSED. VEHICLE MAKES A SQUEAKY NOISE WHEN RIDING OVER A BUMP AND CAN'T RIGHT DUE TO DRYNESS. ALL FOUR NEED REPLACING. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK

AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON. COMPUTER READ THE WIRING HARNESS WAS FAULTY AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. *AK THE CONSUMER STATES THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT HAD COME ON. THE MANUAL INDICATES THAT THE VEHICLE MUST BE SERVICED IMMEDIATELY. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED, THE SERVICE WRITER MADE IT CLEAR THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. THE FACTORY HARNESS INDICATES THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE HEAD REST AIR BAG ONLY. (THERE ISN'T ONE) NOW THE CONSUMER IS FORCED TO REPLACE THE FACTORY WIRE HARNESS WITH A RE-ENGINEERED HARNESS THAT SENDS THE COMPUTER THE PROPER INFORMATION. *SCC

AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON, FLASHES GOES OFF, COMES BACK ON. DEALER RECOGNIZES PROBLEM AND HAS DESIGNED A ROBUST ELECTRICAL HARNESS REPLACEMENT BUT REFUSES TO COVER COSTS. THIS RE-DESING OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FOR THE PROPER FUNCTIONING OF THE AIRBAG RESTRAINT SYSTEMS WAS FIRST RECOGNIZED BY THE MANUFACTURER IN 1999, THE DATE OF THE VEHICLE. THE NHTSA BULLETIN NUMBER IS SB610933. PLEASE HELP!!! THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND CONCERN FOR NOT ONLY MYSELF BUT THE SAFTEY OF MY CHILDREN.*AK

THIS IS A DESIGN PROBLEM. THE DEFROSTER EVEN ON HIGHEST HEAT AND FAN SETTING, ALONG WITH THE WIPERS ON HIGHEST SPEED, CANNOT KEEP THE WINDSHIELD FROM FREEZING UP AT ANY/ALL SPEEDS WHEN SNOW IS FALLING ON THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER MUST STOP EVERY FEW MILES AND CLEAR OFF THE WINDSHIELD, ESPECIALLY THE PASSENGER SIDE, OR ELSE THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOP WORKING (JAMMED BY THE ICE ON THE WINDSHIELD). IT IS CLEARLY A MAJOR SAFEFY DEFECT IN THE 1999 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER WHEN DRIVEN IN THE SNOW.

CONSUMER STATED THAT THE WILDERNESS AT TIRES WERE ON RECALL, AND REPLACED WITH LAREDO UNIROYAL TIRES, AT THAT TIME THE TIRES WERE ON BOTH FORD AND FIRESTONES APPROVE REPLACEMENT LIST. CONSUMER IS REQUESTING IN WRITING IF THE LAREDO UNIROYAL TIRES ARE APPROVED HIS VEHICLE. *YD

AS THE OWNER AND DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE AT THE TIME OF INCIDENT, I FEEL THAT THE MOUNTAINEER HAD AN OBVIOUS DESIGN FLAW WHICH PROMOTED THE CHANCE OF IT ROLLING. THE ROLL OVER OCCURRED FOLLOWING BRAKING AND STEERING TO AVOID A COLLISION. ONCE HEAVIER BRAKING WAS APPLIED, THE CAR BEGAN TO ROCK AND THEN ROLLED OVER 2 TIMES.IT IS APPARENT THAT THIS MODEL SUV AND OTHERS HAD A HIGH CENTER OF GRAVITY AND A NARROW WHEEL BASE. THE ACCIDENT REFERRED TO IN THIS REPORT MAY NOT HAVE OCCURRED THOSE CHARACTERISTICS WERE NOT PRESENT.*AK

GAS PEDAL STICKS INTERMITTENTLY. FORCING PEDAL CAUSES VEHICLE TO SURGE/DEALER CHECK SAID NO PROBLEM FOUND AT THIS TIME. PRIOR TO TAKING TO DEALER I ATTEMPTED LUBRICATION IN INTERIOR AND UNDER HOOD. SEEMED TO STOP PROBLEM FOR 30 MINUTES TO AN HOUR, THEN INTEMITTANT STICKING RETURNED*AK