MERCURY Complaints

HUSBAND SAW BRAKE FLICKER-MONITORED IT OVER NEXT YEAR-FIGURED LOOSE BULB. ONE TIME WENT OUT BUT CAME BACK ON. WENT IN FOR OIL CHANGE 9-25-13 MECHANIC NOTICED FLICKERING AND AT TIMES NOT WORKING.CHECKED CONNECTIONS-OK AT THIS TIME. DETERMINED VEHICLE NEEDS NEW OTR MNTD TAIL LAMP EST. $402.THE LED BULB IS UNDER $10,BUT MUST REPLACE ENTIRE UNIT! NOTIFIED FORD AND NOTICED OTHERS HAVE HAD SAME ISSUE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 MERCURY MILAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SIMULTANEOUSLY SHOOK, JERKED AND DECELERATED TO 5 MPH AS THE WRENCH WARNING ICON ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 66,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

ON THE MORNING OF SEPTEMBER 10, 2013, AFTER ABOUT A 30 MINUTE COMMUTE TO MY PLACE OF WORK, I PULLED INTO MY WORK DRIVEWAY, AND MY 2011 MERCURY MARINER STALLED. THE ENGINE SEEMED TO CUT OFF, THE WRENCH LIGHT CAME ON, AND MY VEHICLE ROLLED INTO THE PARKING SPOT. UNSURE OF WHAT HAD HAPPENED WITH MY VEHICLE (AS IT HAD NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE), I IMMEDIATELY CALLED MY LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT. THE SERVICE MANAGER WAS EXTREMELY HELPFUL AND TOLD ME IT SOUNDED LIKE A THROTTLE BODY PROBLEM, AS HIS SERVICE DEPARTMENT HAS REPLACED A NUMBER OF THESE ON BOTH THE FORD ESCAPES AND MERCURY MARINERS. ON MY LUNCH BREAK, I DROVE OVER TO THE DEALERSHIP AND MADE IT WITH NO STALLING OUT PROBLEMS. THE MANAGER THEN TOLD ME HE WOULD DRIVE ME BACK TO WORK IN THE VEHICLE TO SEE IF IT WOULD "ACT UP." IT DID NOT "ACT UP" WHILE HE DROVE ME BACK TO MY PLACE OF WORK, BUT ON HIS WAY BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP, IT STALLED OUT ON HIM WHILE HE WAS ATTEMPTING A LEFT TURN. HE HAD TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF FOR APPROXIMATELY 30 SECONDS TO LET IT RESET. HE SAID AT THIS POINT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ALSO CAME ON. HE GOT IT INTO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND HOOKED IT UP TO THE COMPUTER. THE COMPUTER GENERATED CODE P2111, ELECTRONIC THROTTLE BODY ASSEMBLY. HE LUCKILY HAD ONE IN STOCK AND IT WAS PROMPTLY REPLACED. I HAVE NOT HAD ANY MORE STALLING OUT ISSUES WITH MY MARINER AND THE ISSUE APPEARS TO BE RESOLVED. THIS PROBLEM COULD HAVE HAD DEADLY CONSEQUENCES HAD IT STALLED OUT AT THE WRONG PLACE AND WRONG TIME, PARTICULARLY IN AN ONCOMING TRAFFIC SITUATION. AS THE SERVICE MANAGER MENTIONED TO ME, THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM THAT IS FACING A POTENTIAL RECALL. *TR

I WAS ON A MAJOR EXPRESSWAY WHEN THE VEHICLE STARTING DECREASING SPEED. I WENT FROM 55 MPH TO 45 TO 35 TO 25 TO 15 TO 5 AND THE STOPPED. LUCKILY TRAFFIC WAS LIGHT AND WHEN THIS STARTED, I PULLED OVER TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD WHICH WAS CLOSE TO AN EXIT. I SOMEHOW GOT THE SUV HOME, STARTING THE ENGINE, IT DYING OUT AND GOING A COUPLE OF FEET OVER AND OVER AGAIN. WE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO OUR AUTO SHIP AND THEY SAID THAT FORD HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE THROTTLE AND GAVE US A NORTH CAROLINA CONSUMERS COUNCIL ARTICLE. THEY DID NOT HAVE THE DIGITAL EQUIPMENT TO FIX AND REFERRED US TO FORD DEALERSHIP. FORD DEALERSHIP ADVISED IT WAS THE THROTTLE. I TALKED TO FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY ADVISED THERE WAS NO RECALL AND THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO.I WE SPENT $362.56 ON THROTTLE AND TWO LETTERS LATER FORD WILL DO NOTHING SINCE THEY SAY WE DO NOT HAVE THE EXTENDED WARRANTY AND WE ARE BEYOND THREE YEARS/36,000 MILES. I WAS AFRAID WHEN THE CAR DIED OUT ON THE EXPRESSWAY. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. THE CONTACT WAS COMPLETING A TURN AT APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME EXTREMELY HARD TO TURN WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 81,244 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 90,000.

WHILE TRAVELING HIGHWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 70MI/HR. THE VEHICLE STALLED AND "STOP VEHICLE SAFELY" LIGHT CAME ON. I NEEDED TO PULL OVER TURN CAR OFF WAIT AND RESTART ENGINE. THIS HAPPENED AGAIN ABOUT 25 MILES DOWN THE HIGHWAY. AFTER THE SECOND INCIDENT IT DID NOT HAPPEN UNTIL MY RETURN TRIP THE NEXT DAY REPEATING THE SAME AS ABOVE. THIS DID HAPPEN TO ME ONCE BEFORE ABOUT A YR AGO. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO STEER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION WHERE THEY STATED THAT THE LOWER AND MIDDLE STEERING SHAFT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 111,890.

WHILE DRIVING THE STEERING FREEZES UP WHILE TRYING TO MAKE A TURN. I TOOK IT TO COLONIAL FORD IN PLYMOUTH, MA. AND THEY INFORMED ME IT WAS A DEFECTIVE STEERING SHAFT I CHECK THE RECALL LIST AND MY WIFE WHO HAS A 2010 EXACT SAME MODEL IS ON THE RECALL LIST FOR STEERING PROBLEMS AND MY NEIGHBORS DAUGHTER WHO HAS A 2000 EXACT SAME MODEL HAS THE SAME STEERING PROBLEM AND TOOK IT TO SULLIVAN BROTHERS IN KINGSTON, MA. AND THEY FIXED IT FOR FREE SAYING IT WAS A RECALL ITEM WHY WOULD ALL THREE CAR HAVE THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING AND YET FORD ONLY PUT A RECALL ON THE 2000 AND THE 2010, I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THE 2003 IN NOT ON THE RECALL LIST FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

IT WAS RAINING AND MY VEHICLE KEPT GOING INTO NEUTRAL AND STALLING. I'D PRESS THE GAS, NOTHING WOULD HAPPEN. IT WOULDN'T GO INTO REVERSE. WHEN I PUT IT IN NEUTRAL THE ENGINE JUST REVVED UP. PUTTING IT PARK WAS OK. CHECK ENGINE CODES P0715 AND P0340 APPEARED. A FLASHING CHECK ENGINE LIGHT (!), AND SOLID CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARED. PUTTING IN DRIVE, IT WOULD ONLY GO INTO 3RD GEAR. 1ST GEAR WORKED IF I MOVED THE PRNDL TO 1. REVERSE DIDN'T WORK AT ALL. I COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN KILLED IF THIS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING ANYWHERE BUT MY NEIGHBORHOOD. THIS IS DIFFERENT FROM THE RECENT TORQUE CONVERTER RECALL THAT IS ALSO SCARY AND ALSO RESULTS IN LOSS OF FORWARD MOMENTUM. MY PROBLEM IS WITH THE PCM. THE DEALER PERFORMED DIAGNOSTICS AND REPAIRS ACCORDING TO FORD'S TSB 06-14-10 WHICH INDICATES THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON ALL 1999-2007 FORD VANS. IF THEY'VE KNOWN ABOUT THIS FOR 7 YEARS, AND IT AFFECTS NEARLY A MILLION VEHICLES, WHY HASN'T IT BEEN RECALLED? SURELY NHTSA HAS RECEIVED COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS. I HAVE A FRIEND WHO HAD THIS HAPPEN ON HER 2004 FORD VAN WITHIN THE LAST YEAR. SHE ALSO LOST REVERSE AND THE CAR WOULD LIMP IN DRIVE JUST LIKE MINE DID. THE REPAIR SHOP KNEW EXACTLY WHAT TO DO AND REPAIRED HER PCM. I'VE ASKED HER TO FILE A NHTSA COMPLAINT AS WELL. THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN. I PAID MY FORD DEALER TO FIX BECAUSE MY SAFETY IS AT STAKE, AND OBVIOUSLY BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS PERFORMING SUB-PAR, BUT I FEEL THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE SHOULD BE COVERED BY FORD, NOT BY THE CUSTOMER, JUST AS WAS DONE WITH THE RECENT REAR SEAT RUST AND TORQUE CONVERTER RECALLS ON THIS SAME VEHICLE. THIS IS NO DIFFERENT. IT IS BEYOND NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCURY MONTEREY. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 60 MPH WHEN THIRD ROW SEATING FRAME FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN FOR INSPECTION OR REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED OUT OF THE STATE, IN WHICH THEY WOULD NOT ACKNOWLEDGE NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V081000 (SEATS). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170000.