1997 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER Complaints

I WAS ONE OF THE FORTUNATE FORMER OWNERS OF FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES. ON JANUARY 28,2000 I VISITED A LOCAL TIRE KINGDOM INC TIRE DEALERSHIP IN CLEARWATER FLORIDA FOR A POSSIBLE FRONT END ALIGNMENT AND TIRE BALANCING BECAUSE I WAS COMPLAINING ABOUT A VIBRATION IN MY FRONT END OF MY 97 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER. I DO MOSTLY HIGHWAY DRIVING @ 60-70MPH AT THE TIME I HAD 34K MILES ON THE ODOMETER. WHEN THE MECHANIC STARTED WORKING ON MY CAR HE BEGAN REMOVING THE TIRES FROM MY SUV TO ROTATE AND BALANCE MY TIRES. HE NOTICED THAT TWO OF MY TIRES HAD SIGNS OF BELT SEPARATION AND THE TIRES WERE NO LONGER USABLE. I ACTUALLY WITNESS THE CONDITION OF THESE TIRES . IT WAS RECOMMENDED THAT THE TIRES BE REPLACED. WHICH I IMMEDIATELY APPROVED THEM TO DO. I ACTUALLY REPLACED ALL FOUR TIRES. AT A COST OF APPROX. $400.00. AS WE ALL KNOW FIRESTONE BEGAN THE RECALL OF WILDERNESS AT TIRES PRODUCED AT THE DECATUR PLANT EXPERIENCED AN INCREASED RATE OF TREAD SEPARATION CLAIMS.*AK (DOT NUMBER: W2 TIRESIZE: P235X15)

THE TIRES FAILED TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO THE OFFICIAL FIRESTONE RECALL. NEITHER FIRESTONE NOR FORD IS WILLING TO REIMBURSE ME FOR THE COST OF REPALCING THE TIRES. *AK (TIRESIZE: P235/75R15)( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

THROTLE STICKS IN THE CLOSED POSITION. SIMILAR TO NHTSA RECALL NUMBER 00V422. WHEN THROTTLE CLOSED, STICKS, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO JUMP. CAME CLOSE TO HITTING CAR IN FRONT. DEALER REFUSED TO REPLACE AT DEALERS EXPENSE.

WHEN FIRST PRESSING DOWN CONSUMER WAS IN A COAST MODE, AND THROTTLE WOULDN'T BUDGE. DEALER WANTED $300 FOR REPAIR. RECALL 00V422000/ MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 00S568 DIDN'T APPLY TO CONSUMER BECAUSE VEHICLE HAD A 5.L ENGINE, AND RECALL WAS FOR A 4.L ENGINE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ON A DRY ROAD IN CLEAR CONDITIONS, THE CAR HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE GOING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. THIS IMPACT CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO TILT TO THE DRIVERS SIDE, SLIDING FOR ABOUT 60 FEET ON ITS SIDE THEN FLIPPING OVER ONTO THE ROOF SLIDING FOR ANOTHER 40 OR SO FEET BEFORE STOPPING. THE FIRESTONE TIRES WERE TAKEN OFF IN AUGUST OF 2000 AND REPLACED WITH ANOTHER BRAND. I HAVE FORGOTTEN WHICH THEY ARE BUT CAN FIND OUT. I HAVE THE FULL POLICE REPORT IF YOU SHOULD REQUEST IT. I FEEL THAT THE TIRES ARE NOT THE PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE BUT THE VEHICLE DESIGN ITSELF IS THE PROBLEM.*AK

INTERMITTENTLY ENGINE CHECK LIGHT STAYS ILLUMINATED WHILE IN MOTION. DEALER HAS REPAIRED VEHICLE. HOWEVER, PROBLEM HAS REOCCURRED. *AK

WHEN APPROACHING STOP SIGN, AT INTERSECTION, VEHICLE ACCELERATED WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED, CAUSING A COLLISION WITH THE CAR IN FRONT OF MINE. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR, AND THE ENGINE ROARED AS IF ACCELERATING. WE HAVE HAD ONE OTHER SIMILAR INCIDENT IN WHICH THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WHILE BRAKING. DEALER EXPLAINED THAT DRIVER HAD FOOT ON BRAKE AND ACCELERATOR AT SAME TIME. IN SECOND INCIDENT, I AM SURE THAT I HAD MY FOOT ONLY ON THE BRAKE. DEALER EXAMINED VEHICLE AFTER EACH INCIDENT AND COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG.

AFTER DRIVING FOR ABOUT 17 MILES CONSUMER PARKED VEHICLE TO UNLOAD IT. THEN RESTARTED IT TO TAKE IT INTO GARAGE. AT ABOUT 5 MPH ACCELERATOR STUCK, CAUSING VEHICLE TO RUN INTO DEEP FREEZER AND DEMOLISHING IT. *AK

ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT ON A 1997, MOUNTINEER, P235/75R15 SIZE, DOT#: YN. TREAD ON RIGHT REAR TIRE HAS STARTED TO SEPARATE FROM SIDE.*AK *JB

SINCE OWNERSHIP THE TIRES WOULD NOT PROPERLY HOLD AIR,HAD TO WEEKLY ADD AIR TO MAINTAIN PROPER AIR PRESSURE,TIRES WERE CHECKED FOR LEAKS NONE COULD BE FOUND ALL 4 FIRESTONE ATX (P235/75 R15) TIRES WERE REPLACED, CONSUMER HAS SINCE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION, HOWEVER HAS NOT RECEIVED REIMBURSEMENT AND THAT WAS OVER 8 MONTHS AGO. *JB