MERCURY Complaints

WHEN DRIVEN IT JERKS WHEN U TAKE OFF AND WHEN IT SHIFTS, AND IT MAKES A CLUNK NOISE WHEN I HIM HIT A BUMP IT IS SO BAD MY CAR GOES THE OTHER WAY THE REAR END. *TR

2004 MERCURY MONTEREY. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO A DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED HE NOTICED THE TRANSMISSION WAS STARTING TO SLIP. IN MAY OF 2008 THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO FORWARD OR BACKWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED AT A COST OF $ 1985.00. THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE IN THE MAIL REGARDING THE DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION. THE NOTICE ALSO STATED IF THE TORQUE CONVERTER HAD ALREADY BEEN REPLACED, THAT ADDRESSED THE SPECIFIC ISSUE, HE MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR REIMBURSEMENT. *JB

THROTTLE WAS RANDOMLY STICKING UPON ACCELERATION; PROBLEM BECAME PROGRESSIVELY WORSE AND WAS REPRODUCIBLE AT TIMES. ON ONE OCCASION CAR WAS STOPPED VIA BRAKE AND SHIFTED INTO PARK WHILE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN AT 4,000 RPM. BROUGHT CAR TO DEALER ON 12/02/2010; PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AND DESCRIBED AS "CRUISE CONTROL CABLE HOLDING THROTTLE OPEN." DEALER REPLACED PART WITH PART NO. YF1Z-9A825-CA. (PROBLEM WAS REPRODUCIBLE WITHOUT ANY USE OF CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM.) NO PROBLEMS WITH THROTTLE STICKING OCCURRED UNTIL APPROXIMATELY 5/20/2012 ( 95,600 MILEAGE) WHEN SAME BEHAVIOR BEGAN TO RECUR AT FREEWAY SPEEDS THOUGH WITHOUT THE CRUISE CONTROL BEING USED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCURY MONTEREY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S PERSONAL MECHANIC AND THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. SEVERAL MONTHS LATER WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, A CHILD PASSENGER NOTICED THAT THEY COULD SEE THE ROADWAY FROM THE THIRD ROW SEAT. UPON INVESTIGATION, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD RUST ALONG THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDES OF THE FRAME WHERE THE THIRD ROW SEAT WAS CONNECTED. TWO MONTHS LATER THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AND WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S PERSONAL MECHANIC BUT THE FAILURE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 138,306 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 173,476.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MERCURY MILAN. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE EXITING THE VEHICLE THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR HANDLE CRACKED AND BECAME LOOSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO CONFIRMED THAT THE DOOR HANDLE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 21,000. ....UPDATED 06/18/12 *BF

ON I-66W VEHICLE LOST ENGINE POWER AT HIGHWAY SPEED. DISPLAYED STOP SAFELY NOW AND MASTER VEHICLE ELECTRICAL HAZARD WARNING LAMP. THE INCIDENT WAS EXTREMELY HARROWING FOR THE DRIVER AS THE POWER CUTOFF WAS UNEXPECTED AND IMMEDIATE. COASTED TO SHOULDER. A RESTART, PER THE OWNER MANUAL, WAS ATTEMPTED BUT DID NOT WORK. TRANSPORTED ON FLATBED TO FORD DEALERSHIP. DEALERSHIP STATED HYBRID BATTERY HARNESS, HYBRID COOLING FANS, AND THROTTLE BODY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND PCM REPROGRAMMED FOR $1900 TO 'FIX ISSUE. OWNER REQUESTED A NEW 12V FRONT BATTERY AND WARNING CEASED. OWNER DECIDED TO DO SOME RESEARCH AND TEST DRIVE SHORT DISTANCES. ON 5/24 THE ENGINE CUT OFF IN AN OFFICE PARKING LOT. VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED AND GO 4 MILES BACK TO RESIDENCE AFTER THE CARPET COVERING THE HYBRID BATTERY WAS PULLED UP AND THE CABIN A/C TURNED TO HIGH IN AN EFFORT TO COOL THE BATTERY AREA (IT DID NOT FEEL HOT BUT THE OWNER BELIEVED IF A TEMP READING WAS THE CAUSE A FEW DEGREES COOLER MIGHT HELP). A WEALTH OF INFO WAS FOUND INDICATING THIS WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM AND HAD MULTIPLE FORD TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS ISSUED (09-18-6 SEP 09 HYBRID SYSTEMS - RED TRIANGLE ON/DTC P0A27 SET'). THE OWNER COMPILED A LIST OF 88 COMPLAINT NUMBERS ON THE NHTSA SITE THAT INDICATE SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR EXPERIENCES FROM 2005-2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID / MERCURY MARINER HYBRID OWNERS. BELIEVE ROOT CAUSE IS A DESIGN FLAW IN THE PCM S/W THAT REMOVES ENGINE POWER WHEN A MINOR DEVIATION FROM THE NOMINAL BATTERY TEMP RANGE IS SENSED. LIKELY CONTRIBUTING ISSUE IS A POORLY DESIGNED HYBRID BATTERY COOLING SYSTEM (BATTERY HARNESS, BATTERY COOLING FANS, MEC PUMP, BLEND DOOR, RELAYS). THE NHTSA IS URGED TO OPEN AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE STOP SAFELY NOW/MASTER VEHICLE ELECTRICAL HAZARD ENGINE SHUTDOWNS. VEHICLE IS NOT REPAIRED AND CAN BE MADE AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION. *TR

OUR 2008 MOUNTAINEER IS EQUIPPED WITH POWER SEATS WITH SETTINGS MEMORY. NORMALLY, WHEN YOU TURN THE ENGINE OFF AND OPEN ANY OF THE DOORS, THE DRIVER'S SEAT AUTOMATICALLY GLIDES IN REVERSE TO THE FULLEST EXTENT TO ALLOW FOR MORE ROOM TO EXIT THE CAR. WHEN THE SEAT GLIDES BACKWARDS, THE STEP BAR ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE CAR AUTOMATICALLY DROPS DOWN AND OUTWARD. FOR AN UNKNOWN REASON, THE DRIVER'S SEAT (RANDOMLY) AUTOMATICALLY GLIDES BACKWARDS TO FULLEST EXTENT AND THE STEP BAR AUTOMATICALLY DROPS DOWN AS THOUGH THE ENGINE HAS BEEN TURNED OFF AND ONE OF THE DOORS HAS BEEN OPENED. IT HAPPENS JUST ABOUT EVERYDAY AT LEAST ONCE. IT HAPPENED 6 TIMES IN A 4 MINUTE TIME PERIOD THE OTHER DAY. EACH TIME IT IMMEDIATELY WENT BACK TO ITS ORIGINAL POSITION. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED, MY WIFE WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT 65 MPH. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED TO ME WAS WHEN I WAS STARTING TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN. I ENDED UP 2' OVER IN THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC LANE. LUCKILY, NO CARS WERE NEAR. THIS PROBLEM COULD HAVE DIRE CONSEQUENCES. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEAD LAMPS WOULD FAIL SPORADICALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 74,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCURY SABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD UNTIL THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKES. THE CONTACT STOPPED AND SHUT OFF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLE WAS FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 106,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

PULLED INTO PARKING SPACE, PLACED SHIFTER IN PARK, TURNED OFF IGNITION, RELEASED BRAKE AND VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARDS AS IF NOT IN PARK. ATTEMPTED TO RESTART VEHICLE AND NO RESPONSE. SET PARKING BRAKE. COULD NOT GET VEHICLE TO LOCK INTO PARK, SHIFTER MOVED REGARDLESS OF BRAKE ON OR NOT AND WOULD NOT START. MOVED SHIFTER THROUGH ENTIRE RANGE OF GEARS AND RETURNED TO PARK, VEHICLE STILL WOULD NOT START AND PARK WOULD NOT HOLD. CALLED DEALER AND WAS TOLD TO HAVE IT TOWED IN. RETURNED TO VEHICLE AND TRIED ONCE MORE AND IT STARTED AND PROCEEDED TO RESPOND NORMALLY. VEHICLE TAKEN DIRECTLY TO DEALER WHO COULD NOT FIND ANY PROBLEM OR CAUSE OF PRECEDING SITUATION. ON TWO SUBSEQUENT DATES (MOST RECENT 5/25/2012), VEHICLE WAS BACKED INTO A PARKING SPACE, PLACED IN PARK AND IGNITION TURNED OFF. WHEN AN ATTEMPT TO RESTART VEHICLE WAS MADE THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. PARK APPEARED TO HOLD NORMAL, BUT UNABLE TO ENGAGE IGNITION. DASH LIGHTS, CHIMES AND ALL ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS APPEAR TO WORK NORMAL BUT WAS STILL UNABLE TO ENGAGE STARTER. AGAIN STARTED PROCESS TO HAVE VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES TO AN HOUR OF SITTING (WITH NO OTHER ACTION) VEHICLE STARTED NORMALLY. AGAIN DEALER AT A LOSS FOR CAUSE AND CANNOT EFFECT REPAIR SINCE UNABLE TO RECREATE PROBLEM. CONCERN IS FOR TRANSMISSION/IGNITION INTERLOCK FAILURE OR OTHER ACTION THAT COULD RESULT IN DAMAGE OR INJURY. *TR