MERCURY Complaints

TRANSMISSION LEVER BINDS WHEN ATTEMPTING TO SHIFT INTO PARK, SLIPPING INTO REVERSE INSTEAD. PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED SPORADICALLY FROM 2007 TO DATE. USUALLY THE MISS-SHIFT IS NOTICED BECAUSE IT JUST DOESN'T FEEL RIGHT, BUT NOT ALWAYS. IT CAN BE MOST DANGEROUS IF YOU DON'T TURN OFF THE ENGINE IMMEDIATELY (AFTER ATTEMPTING TO SHIFT INTO PARK) AND TAKE YOUR FOOT OFF THE BRAKE. THAT HAS HAPPENED TO ME ABOUT 5 TIMES OVER 5 YEARS. IT HAPPENED TWICE AT A GAS STATION, ONCE AT A CAR WASH, ONCE IN A SHOPPING CENTER, AND ONCE IN FRONT OF MY HOUSE AS A CHILD WALKED BEHIND THE CAR. IN EACH CASE THE CAR ONLY MOVED 1 OR 2 FEET BEFORE I REALIZED IT, AND WAS ABLE TO STEP ON THE BRAKE. THESE DAYS I DON'T NEED TO WORRY ABOUT IT AS MUCH BECAUSE (AT 52,000 MILES) THE TRANSMISSION TAKES 5 - 10 SECONDS TO ENGAGE THE REVERSE GEAR AND THEN IT BANGS INTO GEAR, LOUDLY ALERTING ME THAT IT DIDN'T GO INTO PARK.. THE TRANSMISSION IS DEFECTIVE, AND FORD KNOWS IT. *TR

2006 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER SHIFTS HARD WHEN GOING INTO REVERSE, AND IS ALSO STARTING TO SHIFT HARD FROM 2ND TO 3RD GEAR. HAVE HEARD FROM MANY THERE PEOPLE WITH 2006 FORD EXPLORERS THAT THERE IS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT IN THE TRANSMISSION. HAVE HAD CHIP REPROGRAMMED AT DEALERSHIP (WAS CHARGED) AND ALSO HAD TRANSMISSION FLUSHED AND IT IS ACTUALLY WORSE NOW. MY MOUNTAINEER HAS 58,000 MILES ON THIS AND HAS BEEN DOING THIS FOR THE PAST 2,000 MILES. FORD SHOULD FIX THIS ISSUE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS IN HIS HOME HE HEARD A LOUD EXPLOSION AND WITHIN A FEW MINUTES FLAMES WERE COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE NEAR THE MASTER CYLINDER. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED BY A DEALER OR MANUFACTURER. NO ONE WAS INJURED. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 128000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCURY MONTEREY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STOP ACCELERATING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE ONTO THE EMERGENCY LANE AND CALL A TOW TRUCK. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT SINCE THERE WERE NO RECALLS, OR RELATED WARRANTIES THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT THEY COULD DO. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY RISK AS WELL AS THE POSSIBILITY THAT A CRASH COULD OCCUR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000.

LOUD GRINDING NOISE FROM THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION OCCURS WHEN CAR IS DOWN SHIFTED TO FIRST GEAR COMING TO A STOP, OR SHIFTED TO FIRST NOT BEING AT A COMPLETE STOP, THE SHIFT LEVER "POPS OUT OF GEAR" AND ADMITTING A VERY LOUD GRINDING NOISE. PREVENTING THIS WOULD BE COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP FROM NEUTRAL, THEN AFTER STOPPING COMPLETELY PROCEED TO ENGAGE CLUTCH AND PUT CAR INTO FIRST GEAR. FIRST GEAR SOMETIMES HARD TO SHIFT INTO, MIGHT BE A SHIFT LINKAGE PROBLEM. SOUNDS LIKE THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION GRINDING WITH A LOUD WINDING SQUEAL. *TR

MY SON WAS RIDING IN HIS BOOSTER SEAT IN THE THIRD ROW OF OUR MINI VAN. HE SOMEHOW MANAGED TO TWIST HIS BODY IN THE SEAT BELT. I PULLED OVER AND UNBUCKLED THE BELT AND FOUND IT TO BE COMPLETELY TWISTED AROUND HIS STOMACH. AS HE MOVED, THE BELT GOT TIGHTER AND TIGHTER. THREE OTHER PEOPLE HELPED ME UNDRESS HIM AND TRY TO PULL HIM UP, DOWN OR SIDEWAYS TO GET HIM OUT OF THE BELT BUT IT WAS GETTING SO TIGHT AROUND HIS STOMACH I WAS WORRIED ABOUT INTERNAL DAMAGE SO WE CUT THE BELT. SEAT BELTS SHOULD NOT CONSTRICT LIKE THAT UNLESS THE BRAKE IS BEING APPLIED. THE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. AFTER DRIVING IN REVERSE AND SHIFTING INTO DRIVE FROM A STOP LIGHT THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD AND CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. ONE PERSON WAS REPORTED INJURED. SMOKE WAS SEEN COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACTS RESIDENCE. THE FAILURE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 42,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THERE WAS A STRONG BURNING ODOR INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT INSPECTED UNDERNEATH THE HOOD AND FLAMES EXCESSIVELY IGNITED FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THERE WERE TWO BYSTANDERS WHO EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE WITH BOTTLES OF WATER. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AND A REPORT WAS FILED WITH NO PERSONAL INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE ALTERNATOR. THE BATTERY, ALTERNATOR AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WERE REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 63,073.

CAR ACCELERATION ON ITS OWN, ESTIMATED START END OF DEC.2009. ESTIMATES THAT IT HAPPENS ONCE A MONTH, NO CLUE AS TO WHEN IT WILL HAPPEN. GOING TO SLOW DOWN / PARK, CAR STARTS TO ACCELERATE ON ITS' OWN., HAVE TO PRESS HARD ON BRAKE AND USE 2 FEET.. BROUGHT CAR INTO DEALER 4 TIMES BETWEEN JAN THRU JUNE , AT THIS POINT. DEALER SAYS CAN'T FIND ANYTHING. *TR

ON JUNE 22, 2010 I NOTICED THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT COME ON. ABOUT 1/2 MILE FURTHER THE TRANSMISSION STARTS BUCKING AND JUMPING. THE 2005 MERCURY MONTEGO WAS HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME PULLING A 15% GRADE, ONCE TO THE TOP EVERYTHING SMOOTHED OUT. THEN 2 MILES FURTHER ANOTHER HILL CAME. THE 2005 MERCURY MONTEGO STARTED TO BUCK AND JUMP ONCE AGAIN. I MADE IT HOME THAT EVENING. THE NEXT DAY I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND EXPLAINED THE SITUATION. IT WAS DECIDED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE IN TO BE LOOKED AT. WHAT WAS FOUND WAS AN INSTRUMENT CLUSTER DEFECT THAT WAS CHANGED OUT AFTER A FOUR DAY WAITING PERIOD TO RECEIVE THE PART. THEN THE SERVICE ADVISOR CALLED AND STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE (TCM) WAS DEFECTIVE. THIS PART IS NOT COVERED BY MY WARRANTY! IT WILL COST ME $1,700.00 TO REPLACE THIS PART. NOW I AN FINDING THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF COMPLAINTS LIKE THIS FOR THIS PARTICULAR YEAR AND MODEL. SO MY QUESTION IS..HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE TO DIE BEFORE THE NHTSA WILL PRESSURE THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY INTO MAKING THEIR CARS SAFE TO OPERATE ON THE AMERICAN ROADWAYS? WHO IS WILLING AT THE NHTSA TO PUT THEIR FAMILY IN AN 2005 MERCURY MONTEGO KNOWING THAT THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE COULD MALFUNCTION AT ANY TIME CAUSING THEIR FAMILY TO BE STRANDED ON A FREEWAY OR IN A BUSY INTERSECTION? COME ON AND STEP FORWARD YOU CAN BORROW MY CAR! *TR