MERCURY Complaints

WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT AT A SPEED OF 40 MPH, MY HEAD LIGHTS SHUT OFF WHILE ON AUTO. I TRIED SWITCHING TO MANUAL LIGHTS AND THIS DID NOT WORK EITHER. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCURY MONTEREY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ENGAGED, THERE WAS A RAPID INCREASE IN THE ENGINE RPMS BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT ACCELERATE FURTHER. THE CONTACT DISENGAGED THE CRUISE CONTROL AND APPLIED PRESSURE TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THE VEHICLE DID NOT ACCELERATE WHEN THE CONTACT APPLIED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, BUT THERE WAS AN INCREASE IN THE ENGINE RPMS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND WAS IN THE PROCESS OF HAVING THE FAILURE DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 12V006000 (POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:TORQUE CONVERTER). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 118,000. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE LOST ALL FORWARD ACCELERATION ON THE INTERSTATE WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH. THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN HE ARRIVED HOME, THERE WAS A RECALL LETTER IN THE MAIL. HOWEVER, THERE WERE NO PARTS AVAILABLE. UPDATED 07/31/12

IN OCTOBER 2011, I WAS DRIVING AT NIGHT WHEN MY HEADLIGHTS WENT OFF. I PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT TO INVESTIGATE THE PROBLEM. I GOT OUT AND TOOK A WALK AROUND THE CAR AND ALL THE LIGHTS WERE WORKING EXCEPT THE HEADLIGHTS. I TURNED THE LIGHTS SWITCH OFF FOR A FEW MINUTES AND THE LIGHTS CAME BACK ON. THE PROBLEM WORSENED AND I FOUND THAT I COULD HOLD THE "MOMENTARY" HIGH BEAM SWITCH ON AND THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD WORK -- AS LONG AS I HELD THE SWITCH IN THE HIGH BEAM POSITION. THE SITUATION WORSENED, AND NOW THE HEADLIGHTS WILL NOT COME ON FOR ANY LENGTH OF TIME. THE PROBLEM HAS ESCALATED FROM OCTOBER 2011 UNTIL LATE MAY 2012. IF I NEED TO DRIVE THE CAR AT NIGHT, I MUST HOLD THE "MOMENTARY" HIGH BEAM SWITCH WHILE I DRIVE. ONCE IN A WHILE YOU CAN SEE THE HEADLIGHTS COME ON BECAUSE THE LIGHTS GET EXTREMELY BRIGHT. THEN I CAN RELEASE THE "MOMENTARY" HIGH BEAM SWITCH. THE LIGHTS WILL ONLY STAY ON FOR ABOUT 10 SECONDS AND THEN GO BACK OFF. MY MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT MANY MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS AND FORD CROWN VICTORIA'S AROUND THE MODEL YEAR OF MY CAR HAVE THIS PROBLEM. HE HAS TRACED THE PROBLEM TO SOMETHING CALLED THE LIGHTING CONTROL MODULE. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THIS IS AN ENGINEERING PROBLEM. FORD WANTS $600.00 JUST FOR THE PART. IF YOU SEARCH THE INTERNET FOR SIMILAR PROBLEMS, YOU WILL FIND AN ABUNDANCE OF VERY SIMILAR SITUATIONS AS I HAVE DESCRIBED TO YOU. NOT EVERYONE IS REPORTING THIS PROBLEM. PLEASE HELP! UPDATED 08/20/12

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCURY SABLE WAGON. THE CONTACT STATED THE REAR LIFTGATE HINGE FRACTURED WHICH CAUSED THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW GLASS TO SEPARATE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 175,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCURY SABLE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 8 MPH THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STOPPED AND IT WOULD NOT ACCELERATE OR MOVE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT NO WARNING LAMPS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 59,000.

FORD HAS A TSB ON THEIR WEBSITE FOR THE PROBLEMS I AM HAVING WITH MY VEHICLE. I CONTACTED TYEM AND I WAS TOLD THAT I HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS. WHAT I DO NOT UNDERSTAND IS IF THERE ARE SOOO MANY COMPLAINT FROM CONSUMERS ON THIS VEHICLE FOR THE SAME ISSUES IS THAT NOT THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE MANUFACTURE BEING IT CONSIDERED A DEFECTIVE PRODUCT? I HAVE TO CHILDREN AND THIS IS OF EXTREME CONCERN TO ME THAT THESE ISSUES ON MY CAR CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. -BACK TRUNK DOOR IS CRACKED DOWN THE LATCH. -THE CAR DOESN'T SHIFT CORRECTLY AND TIRES SEEM LOOSE -THE OVERDRIVE LIGHT IS BLINKING ALL THE TIME AND THE TRANSMISSION IS SIGNALING.. I HAVE FOUND SO MANY WEBSITES WITH COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME ISSUES ON 2003-2004 MERCURY MOUNTAINEERS. *TR

HEADLIGHTS WOULD NOT TURN ON WHEN I GOT INTO CAR TO GO TO STORE AT NIGHT. ALSO BATTERY HAS BEEN RUNNING DOWN WHILE VEHICLE IS JUST SITTNG IN DRIVEWAY. *TR

THE INSTRUMENT GAUGE ON MY 2005 MERCURY MONTEGO JUST WENT "DEAD". NOTHING REGISTERED, SO THERE WAS NO READING ON MY SPEED, ENGINE HEAT GAUGE, FUEL LEVEL, OR TACHOMETER. THIS HAPPENED ONCE IN EARLY SPRING OF THIS YEAR (2012), BUT DID NOT REPEAT UNTIL RECENTLY. IT IS NOW JUNE AND THE SAME THING HAS RE-OCCURRED ABOUT 10 TIMES IN THE PAST TWO WEEKS. AFTER TURNING THE CAR OFF AND RESTARTING, THIS SOMETIMES (BUT NOT ALWAYS), "FIXES" THE PROBLEM. MOST RECENTLY, IF THE GAUGES DO WORK, THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT TURNS ON. THE AIRBAG LIGHT STAYS ON, AND THE AWD MALFUNCTION MESSAGE DISPLAYS IN THE INFORMATION PANEL UNTIL I HIT THE RESET BUTTON. FROM A SAFETY PERSPECTIVE, IS THIS A SHORT IN THE SYSTEM OR IS MY AIRBAG REALLY MALFUNCTIONING? AND HOW DO I KNOW MY SPEED OTHER THAN TO GUESS? *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 MERCURY SABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN BRAKING TO A COMPLETE STOP, THE ENGINE RPMS WOULD INCREASE ABNORMALLY. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE WOULD SLIGHTLY PULL FORWARD AS IF IT WERE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE. AS THE CONTACT WAS APPROACHING A TRAFFIC STOP, SHE CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS BUT THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DETERMINED. THE MECHANIC DISCONNECTED THE CRUISE CONTROL AS A PRECAUTION AND THE VEHICLE FUNCTIONED PROPERLY. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 43,000.

ENGINE SPEED FLUCTUATES SUDDENLY WITH NO OPERATOR INPUT (THROTTLE PEDAL), ESPECIALLY WHEN SHIFTING (AUTOMATIC) TRANSMISSION FROM PARK TO REVERSE OR DRIVE. CAUSES VEHICLE TO LUNGE DURING PARKING MANEUVERS. ALSO REQUIRES ABNORMAL BRAKING INPUT IN TRAFFIC WHEN NORMALLY ENGINE BRAKING WOULD SUFFICE. HAS BEEN SERVICED ONCE BY A FORD DEALER (COMPUTER WAS REPROGRAMMED); WAS NOT SUCCESSFUL. *TR