MERCURY Complaints

MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS AIR SUSPENSION IS TERRIBLE.(2009&2010) WHEN GOING OVER A BUMP THE CAR LIKE BOTTOMS OUT WITH A LOUD BANG. CAR SWAYS A LITTLE MUST HOLD ONTO THE STEERING WHEEL. COULD BE A SAFETY PROBLEM??? *TR

THE HEADLIGHTS GO OUT ON MY 2003 MERCURY MARQUIS WHILE DRIVING, THEY WILL GO ON AGAIN IF I SHUT DOWN THE CAR AND LET IT SIT FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES, BUT THE ISSUE WILL OCCUR AGAIN ONCE I DRIVE FOR 15 - 20 MINUTES. THIS SEEMS LIKE A WIDE SPREAD PROBLEM IN THIS MAKE AND MODEL, I HAVE RESEARCHED IT ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND DOZENS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE. *TR

THE SPEEDOMETER IN THIS MODEL IS DIFFICULT TO VIEW, PARTICULARLY IN DAYLIGHT, DUE TO BLUE NUMBERS AGAINST A BLUE BACKGROUND. THIS COULD BE A SAFETY CONCERN FOR TWO REASONS. FIRST, IF A DRIVER CANNOT EASILY SEE THE SPEED HE/SHE IS TRAVELING, IT COULD RESULT IN DRIVING AT EXCESSIVE SPEED AND RESULTING IN A CRASH. SECOND, A DRIVER MAY HAVE TO TAKE HIS/HER EYES OFF THE ROAD FOR TOO LONG TO SEE THE SPEED REGISTERED, RATHER THAN JUST A GLANCE. THIS DISTRACTION COULD ALSO RESULT IN A CRASH. MORE CONTRAST OR BETTER ILLUMINATION OF THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER COULD ALLEVIATE THIS CONCERN. *TR

FACTS: I OWN A 2003 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS THAT HAD TOTAL HEADLIGHT FAILURE WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH. ALTHOUGH I RAN OFF THE ROAD I WAS ABLE TO RECOVER WITH NO DAMAGE/INJURY/LOSS OF LIFE BECAUSE I WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE ROAD/THE CAR/AND SADLY, PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE WITH TOTAL HEADLIGHT FAILURE IN A PREVIOUS VEHICLE (2001 DODGE DURANGO). ONCE I STOPPED I CHECKED ALL OBVIOUS THINGS FOR FAILURE (BATTERY/FUSES/ETC) BUT SOON REALIZED I HAD PARKING LIGHTS/TURN SIGNALS/SIDE MARKER LIGHTS/DASH LIGHTS/TAIL LIGHTS/AND EVEN BRAKE LIGHTS...EVERYTHING EXCEPT HEADLIGHTS. I TRIED THE HIGH-BEAM POSITION AND NO LUCK THERE EITHER - UNTIL I PULLED THE MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH TOWARD THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE "FLASH" THE HIGH-BEAM POSITION. I CONTINUED TO HOLD THE SWITCH IN THIS POSITION AND DRIVE WITH MY HIGH-BEAMS ON FOR THE FEW MILES I HAD LEFT TO MY DESTINATION. ONCE HOME I TURNED VEHICLE OFF GATHERED MY TEST EQUIPMENT AND BEGAN MY TROUBLESHOOTING JUST TO FIND OUT THAT NOW EVERYTHING WORKED AS ADVERTISED. THAT HELD TRUE FOR APPROX. 1500 MILES ' OR ABOUT 2 MONTHS (WITH INITIAL FAILURE AT APPROX 31,000 MILES) WHEN HEADLIGHTS FAILED AGAIN; AND NOW THEY EVEN FAIL INTERMITTENTLY AT ANY TIME TO INCLUDE DAYLIGHT HOURS. MY TROUBLESHOOTING REVEALED THE LIGHTING CONTROL MODULE (LCM) IS THE CAUSE OF FAILURE, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, MY INVESTIGATION REVEALED THIS IS A KNOWN FAILURE...BY LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE...TO INCLUDE YOU PEOPLE OF THE NHTSA. MY ANALYSIS TELLS ME THAT THE FAILURE IS PROBABLY NOT MILES RELATED BUT MORE LIKELY USAGE RELATED SINCE MY 31+ YEARS (AND COUNTING) IN THE MILITARY TAUGHT ME TO DRIVE WITH MY HEADLIGHTS ON 24/7/365 IN THE SEE AND BE SEEN PHILOSOPHY'ADD THE FACT THAT I CURRENTLY HAVE 34,000 MILES WHERE MOST HAVE A LOT MORE. OPINION: A 3RD GRADER COULD HAVE DONE THE RESEARCH TO IDENTIFY THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM AND AN 8TH GRADER COULD MAKE THE DECISION TO RECALL THE CARS FOR TOTAL HEADLIGHT FAILURE. IF YOU CAN'T - TAKE YOUR LOVED ONES FOR A RIDE IN MY CAR AT NIGHT!!! *TR

DRIVER DOOR LATCH IS BROKEN. HAVE TO ROLL THE WINDOW DOWN AND OPEN THE DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE. VERY INCONVENIENT! *TR

IN JULY 2008 FILED MY FIRST COMPLAINT WHEN THE ENTIRE BACK LIFT GATE AND WINDOW BLEW OUT WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. INSURANCE REPAIRED IT, I PAID A 200.00 DEDUCTIBLE. AGAIN THE MEDALLION HAS CRACKED 3/4 OF THE WAY AND I AM WONDERING IF THIS IS THE START OF ANOTHER LIFT GATE BLOW OUT/GLASS ALL OVER, ETD. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 MERCURY MARINER HYBRID WITH 80,688 MILES. THE CONTACT OWNS A BRITAX BOULEVARD CT REAR FACING CHILD SEAT. THE CHILD SEAT WOULD NOT PROPERLY FIT IN THE VEHICLE UNLESS A NOODLE OR TOWEL WAS BEING USED. THE OWNERS MANUAL STATED THAT NO OBJECT COULD BE USED BETWEEN THE CHILD SEAT AND THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURE WAS CONTACTED IN REGARDS TO THE FAILURE AND THEY INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE WHEELBASE OF THE VEHICLE WAS TOO SHORT FOR THE CHILD SEAT TO FIT PROPERLY. THE MANUFACTURER ALSO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE SEAT WAS NOT TESTED TO DETERMINE IF IT WOULD FIT PROPERLY IN THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT VIN LISTED ON THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR PANEL WAS DIFFERENT FROM THE VIN LISTED UNDER THE FRONT WINDSHIELD. THE VEHICLE WAS NEVER INVOLVED IN A CRASH.

THE HEAD LIGHTS ON MY MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS GO OUT WHEN I DRIVE AT NIGHT. I HAVE SEARCHED THE WEB FOR SOLUTIONS TO THIS PROBLEM. IT TURNS OUT THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH THOUSANDS OF OTHER OWNERS OF THIS MODEL. IT IS A SERIOUS ISSUE WHEN YOU ARE DRIVING ON COUNTRY ROADS OR ON THE INTERSTATE AND YOUR LIGHTS GO OUT AND YOU CAN'T SEE ANYTHING. THE LIGHTS USUALLY REMAIN OFF FOR ABOUT TEN MINUTES OR SO. MERCURY NEEDS TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS ISSUE BEFORE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT HAPPENS (IF ONE HASN'T ALREADY). *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. WHILE DRIVING AT A VERY LOW SPEED, THE HEADLIGHTS FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE HE WAS INFORMED THAT THE LIGHTING CONTROL MODULE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 149,000. UPDATED 11/16/10*BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT A COST OF $511.00. UPDATED 12/01/10

I WAS DRIVING MY 2008 MERCURY MARINER HYBRID WHEN THE STOP SAFELY LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR DIED INSTANTLY. I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY DRIVING 55 MPH AND IT WAS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TO HAVE RAPID DECELERATION AT THAT TIME. I WAS BARELY ABLE TO PULL MY CAR OVER TO THE SIDE IN A SAFE MANNER. I TURNED OFF THE CAR, RESTARTED AND PROCEED TO GET ON THE HIGHWAY AGAIN. IT HAPPENED THREE TIMES. NEEDLESS TO SAY, I DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING MY VEHICLE ANYWHERE AT THIS POINT IN TIME. *TR