MERCURY Complaints

WHEN MY 10 YEAR OLD SON WAS GETTING IN THE CAR TODAY HE NOTICED THAT THE 3RD ROW SEAT WAS WOBBLY AND MOVING AROUND. WE SAW THAT THE LATCH THAT HOLDS THE SEAT IN PLACE WAS NO LONGER THERE! IN ITS PLACE WAS A HOLE TO THE OUTSIDE OF THE CAR. I LOOKED IN THE DRIVERS-SIDE REAR WHEEL WELL AND SAW THAT THE ENTIRE LATCH ANCHOR PLATE HAD RUSTED COMPLETELY OFF! THANKFULLY I NOTICED THIS BEFORE WE GOT ON THE ROAD BECAUSE THE ANCHOR PLATE WAS LAYING LODGED BETWEEN THE WHEEL AND THE BODY OF THE CAR - WHO KNOWS WHAT TYPE OF ACCIDENT OR FURTHER DAMAGE COULD HAVE OCCURRED TO OUR OWN VEHICLE OR TO OTHERS WHO COULD HAVE BEEN IN THE PATH OF THE FALLING, DETACHED PLATE. I HAVE 3 CHILDREN AND CAN NO LONGER DRIVE MY VAN SINCE THE REAR SEAT IS NOT FULLY ATTACHED TO THE VEHICLE AND MY CHILDREN ARE TOO YOUNG TO RIDE IN THE FRONT SEAT - NOT TO MENTION THE LARGE, GAPING HOLE IN MY CAR. IT APPEARS THAT THE PASSENGER-SIDE PLATE IS RUSTING THROUGH AS WELL. THIS IS A 2004 AND SHOULD NOT BE HAVING SUCH SEVERE RUST ISSUES THAT ENTIRE PIECES OF THE BODY ARE FALLING OFF. *TR

DROVE THE CAR AWAY FROM THE DEALER AND IT WAS RUNNING FINE. STOPPED AND GOT GAS. THEN LEFT GAS STATION AND PROCEEDED ONTO THE CAPITAL BELTWAY. AFTER A COUPLE MILES THE CAR BEGAN ACCELERATING ON ITS OWN. THE ONLY WAY I COULD GET THE CAR STOPPED WAS TO PUT IT IN NEUTRAL. THE ENGINE CONTINUED AT 4000 RPMS. THE CAR WAS THEN SHUT OFF AFTER GETTING IT STOPPED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I FOUND THAT THE PROBLEM WAS THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLE HAD BACKED OUT OF THE SOCKET APPROXIMATELY A HALF INCH AND WEDGED OVER TO ONE SIDE HOLDING THE ACCELERATOR LINKAGE OPEN AT THE 4000 RPM LEVEL. NEITHER MYSELF OR MY MECHANIC HAVE NO IDEA WHY THIS HAPPENED AND ESPECIALLY WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED. THE CABLE WAS PUSHED BACK OVER FROM THE SIDE AND IT POPPED BACK INTO PLACE. I CAN MANUALLY PULL THE CABLE BACK OUT AND THERE IS NO LOCKING DEVICE TO KEEP IT FROM COMING OUT AGAIN. I HAVE ATTEMPTED TO FIND A NEW REPLACEMENT CABLE AND HAVE NOT BEEN SUCCESSFUL. I WILL PROBABLY HAVE TO DISCONNECT THE CRUISE CONTROL FOR PEACE OF MIND TO OPERATE THIS CAR. THIS CAR WAS PURCHASED FOR MY SON TO USE AT COLLEGE. HE HAS PRACTICALLY NO DRIVING EXPERIENCE AND I HATE TO THINK WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED IF I LET HIM DRIVE THE CAR HOME.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHENEVER THE AIR CONDITIONER OR CRUISE CONTROL WAS RUNNING, THE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE SUDDEN ACCELERATION FAILURES. THE FAILURE ALSO OCCURRED WHEN BRAKING TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE BY APPLYING THE BRAKES. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC, BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 50,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

AS I WENT TO SHUT THE BACK LIFT GATE WINDOW HATCH, THE HINGE BROKE LEAVING THE WINDOW TO FALL. LUCKILY I CAUGHT IT, BUT IT CAME DOWN HARD. THE SHEAR PIN BROKE STRAIGHT OFF. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 MERCURY TRACER. WHILE PARKED, THE CONTACT NOTICED AN OVERPOWERING FUEL SMELL. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED A FUEL LEAK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE FUEL TANK WAS FRACTURED AND WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 97V144000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY) BUT WAS ADVISED BY THE MANUFACTURER THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 109,600.

THE DRIVER'S SEAT MOVED BACK WHILE BRAKING FOR TRAFFIC SAME AS IF I HAD TURNED OFF THE CAR AND WAS REMOVING THE KEY. A FEW MINUTES LATER IT HAPPENED AGAIN WHILE BRAKING. I REALIZED IT WAS HAPPENING WHILE BRAKING BECAUSE WHEN MY LEG MOVED TOWARDS THE BRAKE PEDAL, MY KNEE TOUCHED THE KEY CHAIN, THUS IT APPEARS TO BE A PROBLEM WITH THE IGNITION SWITCH, NOT THE BRAKES, CAUSING THE PROBLEM. I CONTACTED MY LOCAL FORD SERVICE SHOP AND THEY ADVISED THEY HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM AND DO NOT KNOW HOW TO FIX THIS AS THEY HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY BULLETINS FROM FORD ABOUT THE PROBLEM. I AM TAKING IT TO THEIR SHOP AND HOPE THAT THEY CAN RE-CREATED THE PROBLEM AS THEY ADVISED THIS IS THE ONLY WAY THEY CAN TRY AND FIND SOMETHING TO FIX AS THEY WILL NOT REPLACE THE IGNITION BASED ON MY INFORMATION. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT WOULD NOT LATCH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE LATCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 215,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED WHENEVER THE CONTACT WAS BRAKING TO A STOP. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 46,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCURY SABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD SPORADICALLY ACCELERATE INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO APPLY THE BRAKES TO STOP THE VEHICLE FROM ACCELERATING FURTHER. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 50,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 MERCURY MILAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKES FAILED WHILE EXITING THE HIGHWAY AT 55 MPH. THE CONTACT DROVE OVER AN UNEVEN ROAD SURFACE AND AS THE BRAKES WERE DEPRESSED, THE BRAKE PEDAL RELEASED TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE CONTACT HAD TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT DID NOT LOCATE A BRAKE FLUID LEAK OF ANY KIND. IN ADDITION, THERE WAS NO WARNING OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER BUT WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WAS 67,000.