1994 MERCURY VILLAGER Complaints

WE'VE HAD THREE MAJOR BLOWOUTS WITH FIRESTONE TIRES. DURING THE FIRST ONE, WE WERE GOING ONLY ABOUT 45 MPH AND THEY REPLACED IT UNDER ROAD HAZARD WARRANTY. THE SECOND INCIDENT OCCURRED ON THE HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 75MPH AND MY HUSBAND SPUN OUT OF CONTROL ONTO THE GRASS MEDIAN. THE TIRE LITERALLY EXPLODED AND WE HAD TO TAKE THE PIECES BACK TO FIRESTONE. WE ENDED UP WITH A DENTED AND SCRATCHED RIM. WHEN WE COMPLAINED, FIRESTONE BASICALLY TOLD ME TO FIX IT UNDER ROAD HAZARD BECAUSE THEY SAID 99% OF THEIR PRODUCT DEFECT COMPLAINTS CAME BACK NEGATIVE AND THEN I'D BE OUT THE PRICE OF THE TIRE. IF THEY DECIDED THERE WAS NO DEFECT, THEY WOULD NOT REIMBURSE ME FOR THE NEW TIRE WHEREAS IF I HAD THEM REPLACE THE TIRE, I WOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY ANYTHING. THE LAST BLOWOUT OCCURRED IN MISSOURI ON OUR VACATION. WE WERE OUT OF STATE AND GOING ABOUT 70MPH AND THE TREAD COMPLETELY COME OFF. WE HAD IT REPLACED AT A WALMART, SO NOW WE HAVE 3 FIRESTONE TIRES AND ONE GOODYEAR TIRE. WE HAVE 5 CARS AND OUR OTHER 4 CARS DO NOT HAVE FIRESTONE TIRES AND WE'VE NEVER HAD A SINGLE PROBLEM WITH ANY OF THEM AT ALL.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 21570R15 )

PROBLEM #1. A/C STOPPED WORKING. DEALER DIAGNOSED PROBLEM TO LEAKING TUBING TO REAR A/C UNIT; REPLACED 05/23/00. PROBLEM #2. SMELLING ODOR LIKE FROM ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT SHORT/OVERHEATING WIRES IN DASHBOARD 08/26/00. REAR A/C UNIT STOPPED WORKING.

FRONT PASSENGER SEATBELT FAILED, SEAT ON THIRD ROW SEATBELT WOULD NOT CONNECT, FIXED IT WITH NEEDLE-NOSE PLIERS, WHILE TRASFERING THE CAR SEAT TO ANOTHER SEAT, OWNER PULLED THE STRAP AND HEARD THE CLICK, BUT THE BELT DID NOT RETRACT, LEAVEING THE SEATBELT WITH A LOT OF SLACK

DRIVER SEAT BELT HAS A LOCK IN A FORWARD POSITION AND LEAVING OCCUPANT WITHOUT ANY RESTRAINT. ALSO, FUEL LINE UNDER FUEL INTAKE MANIFOLD LEAKS FUEL OVER ENGINE. UNABLE TO REPLACE IT UNLESS THE ENGINE HEAD IS REMOVE FIRST. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER MANUFACTURER'S RECALL. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

BOLT THAT HOLDS EXHAUST MANIFOLD HAS SHEARED OFF DUE TO TO STRESS WHICH IS CAUSING A LOUD NOISE. VEHICLE MIGHT NOT PASS STATE INSPECTION. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

REAR LAMP SOCKET WAS ON RECALL, THE PART WAS REPLACED AND REPAIRED, BUT WITH THE SAME DEFECTIVE PART. HOWEVER, PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED AGAIN. FORD KNEW OF PROBLEM, BUT WOULD NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. *AK

WHILE DRIVING VAN JUST CUTS OFF/STALLS. PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPORTED TO DEALERSHIP. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

SEAT BELT SYSTEM DID NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY. IT TIGHTENED, AND COULD CUT THROUGH, WHICH WON'T PROTECT THE DRIVER IN EVENT OF A CRASH. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

AIR BAG SENSOR LIGHT CONTINUALLY BLINKED. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER WHO INFORMED CONSUMER THAT AIR BAG MAIN MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT CONSUMER'S COST, ESTIMATED BETWEEN $700 - $900. *AK

WE SMELL GASOLINE FUMES OCCASIONALLY BUT COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS CAUSING IT. I READ IN THE NEWSPAPER WHERE AN OWNER OF A VEHICLE LIKE MINE, WAS EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. HE FOUND OUT THAT THE SMELL WAS CAUSED BY GASOLINE LEAKING ONTO THE ENGINE AT MULTIPLE POINTS WHERE THE NEOPRENE FUEL LINES CONNECT TO THE FUEL INJECTION RAILS. *AK