MERCURY Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE LIGHTING CONTROL MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.

I WAS COMING HOME FROM TAKING A FRIEND TO GET HER NAILS DONE. AS I APPROACHED AN INTERSECTION, MY BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALSO TO THE FLOOR AND I WENT BEYOND THE STOPPING POINT OF THE INTERSECTION, BUT DID NOT ENTER INTO TRAFFIC. IT WAS STILL THAT WAY THE NEXT DAY AND I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH MY BRAKES. I HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN 3 MORE TIMES SINCE. I DO NOT FEEL THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE HAPPENING WITH ANY VEHICLE. *TR

THE ABS TONE RINGS ON THE 2008 MODEL MERCURY MARINER AND FORD ESCAPE ARE DEFECTIVE IN DESIGN - THEY ARE THIN METAL, BUT PUT UNDER STRESS BY BEING FORCED ONTO THE HALF-SHAFT (DIFFERENT METAL, DIFFERENT EXPANSION RATE), AND THEREFORE PRONE TO CRACKING/BREAKING. WHEN CRACKED/BROKEN, THEY CAUSE THE ABS BRAKE SYSTEM AND REGENERATIVE BRAKING TO FAULT OUT, SOMETIMES INTERMITTENTLY AND WITH NO WARNING. THE PART ITSELF IS CHEAP (~$10 EACH), AND APPARENTLY SHOULD BE, BUT THE DEALER WILL NOT SELL THEM SEPARATELY, AND INSTEAD REQUIRES THE OWNER TO REPLACE THE HALF-SHAFT, WITH ESTIMATES FROM THE DEALERSHIP AND INDEPENDENT MECHANICS OF BETWEEN $400 AND $1000 TO REPLACE BOTH FRONT HALF-SHAFTS. SIMPLY MAKING THE PART THICKER, OR OF THE SAME METAL AS THE HALF-SHAFT, WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM - INSTEAD, FORD FORCES OWNERS TO CHOOSE BETWEEN AN UNSAFE VEHICLE AND ROBBERY, WITH NO GUARANTEE THAT THE PROBLEM WOULDN'T RECUR WITHIN A MONTH OF DRIVING (THE CRACKING SEEMS TO BE MORE RELATED TO TEMPERATURE THAN MILEAGE). THIS SHOULD BE RECALLED AND FORD SHOULD BE FORCED TO REPLACE THESE AT THEIR OWN COST - I BET THEY'D THEN "DISCOVER" A WAY TO PREVENT RECURRENCE IF THEY WERE PAYING OUT OF THEIR OWN POCKET FOR ANY THAT FAILED BEFORE 100,000 MILES. A CURSORY SEARCH ON THE INTERNET WILL TURN UP THOUSANDS OF RESULTS FOR THIS PROBLEM. *TR

ONE OF THE BRAIDED STAINLESS STEEL FUEL LINES THAT ATTACHES TO THE ENGINES FUEL RAIL DEVELOPED A LEAK. I KEPT SMELLING A STRONG ODOR OF GAS, BUT I COULD NOT FIND OUT WHERE IT WAS COMING FROM. AFTER TWO WEEKS OF SMELLING THE GAS, I TOOK IT TO A GARAGE AND THEY SHOWED ME THE GAS SQUIRTING FROM THE BRAIDED HOSE GOING TO THE ENGINE. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE FORD DEALER AND SHOWED THEM THE LEAK. THEY TOOK THE VEHICLE IN THEIR SHOP AND REMOVED THE FUEL LINES. BECAUSE OF THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE, FORD DOES NOT PROVIDE ANY REPLACEMENT PARTS. I WAS UNABLE TO GET REPLACEMENT FUEL LINES FROM FORD. I CHECKED WITH "JUNK YARDS" ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. I HAD NO LUCK FINDING REPLACEMENT FUEL LINES. JUNK YARDS CUT THE FUEL LINE WHEN THEY PULL ENGINES. I FINALLY LOCATED A COMPANY IN NEW CASTLE, DE THAT SUPPLIES HYDRAULIC HOSES, ETC. I TOOK MY OLD FUEL LINES TO THEM AND THEY REMOVED THE FITTINGS AND INSTALLED THEM ON NEW STAINLESS STEEL BRAIDED LINES. I TOOK THE NEW LINES BACK TO THE FORD DEALER AND THEY INSTALLED THEM ON MY VEHICLE. THEY SAID THE NEW HOSES HAD NO LEAKS. THE FORD DEALER CHARGED ME OVER $400.00 TO REMOVE THE OLD HOSES AND INSTALL NEW HOSES. THE SHOP IN NEW CASTLE, DE ONLY CHARGED ME $40.00 FOR A PAIR OF NEW HOSES. I'M VERY LUCKY I DID NOT HAVE AN ENGINE FIRE. THESE STAINLESS HOSES ARE USED ON A LOT OF FORD VEHICLES. FORD SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO SUPPLY REPLACEMENT HOSES. *TR

WHILE DRIVING MY 2008 MERCURY MARINER, MY STEERING WENT OUT ON A CURVE ON A 4 LANE HIGHWAY WHICH CAUGHT ME OFF GUARD. I COULD NOT MOVE MY STEERING WHEEL WHICH CAUSED ME TO ALMOST DRIVE INTO THE CAR BESIDE ME. I PULLED OVER TO GET GAS & WHEN I STARTED THE CAR, THE STEERING WAS FINE. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WOULD COST AT LEAST $545 FOR JUST THE SENSOR BUT THAT THE WHOLE STEERING COLUMN WOULD NEED REPLACING SO IT WOULD BE A LOT MORE THAN THAT TO FIX. I WAS UNABLE TO AFFORD A REPAIR, I SIMPLY STAYED ON MY GUARD & WOULD JUST PULL OVER & RE-START THE CAR SO THAT I COULD DRIVE AGAIN SAFELY. THEN I GOT NOTICE OF A RECALL SO I TOOK IT IN & TOLD THEM THAT I HAD ISSUES WITH THE STEERING & WAS VERY GLAD THAT THERE WAS FINALLY A RECALL. THEN 2 MOS LATER, THE STEERING WENT OUT AGAIN & THIS TIME IT IS WORSE THAN BEFORE. I CAN NO LONGER TURN THE CAR OFF & RE-START IT TO GET STEERING, IT IS SIMPLY GONE OUT COMPLETELY & IT HARDER TO TURN THAN EVER. THE STEERING WHEEL ACTUALLY TRIES TO TURN THE OPPOSITE WAY THAT THE DIRECTION THAT I AM TURNING. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP & THEY TOLD ME THAT THIS HAPPENED TO ANOTHER PERSON & FORD WOULD NOT COVER IT AND TOLD ME THAT ALL THEY DID WAS RE-PROGRAM THE CAR. AFTER RESEARCHING THE RECALL, I FOUND THAT IF THE CAR SHOWS HISTORY OF A LOSS OF THE TORQUE SENSOR, THAT THE TORQUE SENSOR WAS TO BE REPLACED. I THEN CALLED FORD CUSTOMER CARE & THE LADY THERE WAS VERY COLD & SIMPLY STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY WOULD DO SINCE IT WAS ALREADY FIXED ONCE. I TOLD HER THAT IT WAS NOT REPAIRED CORRECTLY BECAUSE OF PREVIOUS ISSUES WITH IT, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED. SHE TOLD ME TO TAKE IT UP WITH THE DEALER THAT I TOOK IT TO. I NOW HAVE NECK PROBLEMS DUE TO DRIVING MY UNSAFE CAR THAT I HAVE NO MONEY TO REPAIR & AM STILL MAKING PAYMENTS ON. THIS IS MY ONLY VEHICLE & I STILL NEED TO GET TO WORK & GET MY SON TO SCHOOL SO I AM LEFT WITH NO CHOICE BUT TO DRIVE IT. *TR

I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR THE POWER STEERING RECALL THEY SUPPOSEDLY FIXED IT I HAVE NO PROOF OF THAT. SINCE I HAVE GOTTEN MY VEHICLE BACK THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED SHAKING WHILE AT A COMPLETE STOP I TOOK MY VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY HAVE TOLD ME THAT I NEED A NEW STEERING COLUMN BECAUSE THE TORQUE SENSOR IS BAD WHICH IS PART OF THE RECALL AND THAT FORD WILL NOT COVER THIS UNDER THE RECALL BECAUSE THEY ALREADY FIX IT WHICH AGAIN I HAVE MY CONCERNS THAT THEY DID NOT REALLY FIX IT IN THE FIRST PLACE. *TR

IN DECEMBER OF 2013, I WAS INVOLVED IN A FENDER BENDER. AFTER THIS ACCIDENT THE AIR BAG LIGHT REMAINED ON. IN JANUARY OF 2015 I WAS BUMPED FROM BEHIND WITH NO DAMAGE. HOWEVER, I THEN DECIDED I SHOULD TAKE IN MY CAR TO SEE WHY THE LIGHT WAS STILL ON. AS IT TURNS OUT, THE AIRBAG MODULE WAS APPARENTLY DAMAGED BEYOND REPAIR. I BELIEVE THAT THIS PART WAS DEFECTIVE AS THE SPEED OF EITHER COLLISION SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ENOUGH TO CAUSE THE AIRBAG SYSTEM TO COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN. ADDITIONALLY, THE HIGH COST OF THE MODULE ALSO MADE IT VERY COSTLY TO REPAIR. THIS MODEL OF MARINER HAS BEEN SUBJECT TO A RECALL BEFORE. I HAD TO TAKE IT INTO A SHOP BECAUSE IT WOULD SHUT DOWN ON THE HIGHWAY WHILE I WAS DRIVING. I BELIEVE THAT MORE MARINERS WILL SEE FAILURES OF THIS AIRBAG MODULE IN THE FUTURE AND THAT THIS WILL REQUIRE A RECALL. I STILL HAVE THE OLD MODULE SHOULD NHTSA LIKE TO INSPECT IT TO SEE IF IT IS DEFECTIVE. *TR

WHEN TRYING TO STOP THE VEHICLE AND PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. HAVE HAD THE MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER, BRAKE PADS AND BRAKE BOOSTER REPLACED. CAR STILL HAS A SOFT BRAKE PEDAL THAT GOES TO THE FLOOR UPON INITIAL STOP. BRAKES WILL PUMP UP AFTER A COUPLE PUSHES ON THE PEDAL. MAY NOT HAVE THAT LUXURY IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION. *TR

MY 2010 MERCURY MILAN HYBRID WAS PURCHASED NEW IN JUNE, 2010. IN FEBRUARY, 2013, THE REAR, PASSENGER SIDE TAIL LIGHT WENT OUT. I TRIED TO BUY A REPLACEMENT BULB AT AN AUTO PARTS STORE ONLY TO DISCOVER THERE WAS NO REPLACEMENT PART NUMBER IN THEIR BOOKS FOR MY CAR. ON FEBRUARY 8, 2013, THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THE ENTIRE REAR LIGHT ASSEMBLY HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE IT WAS A SEALED SYSTEM. I WAS FORTUNATE THAT THE WORK COULD BE DONE UNDER WARRANTY AT THAT TIME. THEN IN JAN., 2015, A DRIVER WHO HAD BEEN BEHIND ME, KINDLY TOLD ME THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR BRAKE LIGHT WAS ON ALL THE TIME. THERE ARE NUMEROUS POSTS ON THE INTERNET DESCRIBING BOTH PROBLEMS (BULB BURN OUT AND BRAKE LIGHTS STAYING ON). AGAIN, THE ENTIRE LIGHT ASSEMBLY HAD TO BE REPLACED BY THE DEALERSHIP, THIS TIME AT MY EXPENSE. THE REPLACEMENT COST WAS $547.59. ON JANUARY 29, 2015, I PHONED FORD MOTOR COMPANY TO LODGE A COMPLAINT AND INQUIRE ABOUT A RECALL ON THESE INFERIOR LIGHT ASSEMBLIES, OR MONETARY SUPPORT FROM FORD ON THIS ISSUE. I WAS TOLD ALL COMPLAINTS TO THE MFG. ARE RECORDED AND TRACKED, BUT THE CUSTOMER SERVICE REP. WAS NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. SHE COULD DO NOTHING FOR ME RETROACTIVELY AND SUGGESTED I CALL THE DEALERSHIP'S SERVICE MANAGER TO SEE IF HE/SHE HAD ANY PROGRAMS IN PLACE TO HELP. (WOULDN'T THOSE PROGRAMS COME FROM THE MFG.??) I ASKED IF THE PART HAD BEEN REDESIGNED AND WAS TOLD THE DEALERSHIP'S SERVICE MANAGER WOULD HAVE THAT INFORMATION ALSO. I THEN SPOKE TO THE DEALERSHIP'S SERVICE MANAGER WHO TOLD ME THE PART NUMBER FOR THE ASSEMBLY HAS NOT CHANGED, INDICATING THE PROBLEMS HAVE NOT BEEN ADDRESSED. IT IS TOTALLY UNREASONABLE TO HAVE TO PAY ALMOST $550. TO CHANGE A FAILED TAIL LIGHT BULB, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE REPLACEMENT ASSEMBLIES HAVE THE SAME FLAW AND POTENTIAL TO FAIL AGAIN. I FEEL FORD SHOULD CORRECT THE PROBLEM AND RECALL THE ASSEMBLIES. *TR

POWER STEERING COMPLETELY GONE 5 MIN AFTER WARNING LIGHT AND CHIME SOUNDED, AND DISPLAY ON DASH SAID POWER STEERING FAILURE AND SERVICE ADVANCETRAC NOW. SEEMS VERY DANGEROUS TO BE DRIVING AND ONLY HAVE 5 MINUTES BEFORE YOU LOSE YOUR STEERING. WARNING LIGHT WAS A CAR WITH CURVY TIRE TRACKS. THIS NEEDS A RECALL DUE TO ITS DANGEROUS IMPLICATIONS. *TR