MERCURY Complaints

2009 MERCURY MARINER. THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE MAKES A SQUEALING NOISE UPON ACCELERATION I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP IN HILLSDALE. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE SHOP 12/9/2009 THROUGH 12/16/2009. UNABLE TO FIX THE NOISE, FORD MOTOR COMPANY HAD THEM TEAR DOWN THE TRANSMISSION AND REPLACE THE DRIVE CHAIN. WHEN I PICKED UP THE CAR I WAS TOLD THAT THE NOISE WAS STILL THERE AND THAT FORD ENGINEERING SAID IT SHOULD NOT BE A PROBLEM. THE NOISE WAS STILL CONSISTENT AND HAS GROWN INCREASINGLY LOUDER. SINCE THIS INITIAL COMPLAINT I HAVE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR THE TRANSMISSION SOLENOID REGULATOR VALVE. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN ACCELERATING WHEN IT SHOULDN'T AND NOT ACCELERATING WHEN IT SHOULD, LIKE WHEN MERGING INTO TRAFFIC WHEN THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT PERFORM PROPERLY. *TR

MY 2003 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS BEGAN EXPERIENCING HEADLIGHT FAILURE OVER A PERIOD OF MONTHS, WITH BOTH LOWER BEAMS RANDOMLY GOING OFF AND THEN AFTER SEVERAL MINUTES OR HOURS COMING BACK ON. OTHER INTERNAL LIGHTS AND LIGHT SENSORS CONTINUED TO WORK NORMALLY. THIS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES WHILE DRIVING ON AN UNLIGHTED ROAD AT NIGHT, CREATING A DANGEROUS SITUATION, UNABLE TO SEE THE ROAD AHEAD OR OTHER CARS SEEING ME COMING. NHTSA ACTION NUMBER PE08066 DESCRIBES A SIMILAR PROBLEMS CAUSED BY A DEFECTIVE PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD IN THE LIGHT CONTROL MODULE (LCM), RESULTING IN SEVERAL THOUSAND WARRANTY CLAIMS. IN FACT, THIS HAS BEEN DETERMINED TO BE THE DEFECTIVE PART ON MY CAR, WHICH HAS NOW BEEN REPLACED BY A FORD DEALER AT A COST OF $511.07 FOR THE LCM PLUS $184.97 LABOR AND TAX. FORD ADVISES ME THAT MY CAR WAS NOT IN THE RECALL CAMPAIGN, BUT OBVIOUSLY IT HAS DEVELOPED THE SAME PROBLEM. AN UPGRADED PART LCM HAS BEEN DEVELOPED BY FORD FOR REPLACEMENT. I BELIEVE I SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED OF THIS EARLIER FOR REPLACEMENT SO I WOULD NOT HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS DANGEROUS SITUATION. THE ODI INVESTIGATION WAS CLOSED 3/24/09. I BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE REOPENED AS DEALERS TELL ME THAT THEY REPLACE "LOTS" OF THESE MODULES. I HAVE RETAINED THE DEFECTIVE LCM FOR ANALYSIS. *TR

I WAS DRIVING MY 2002 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER ON VACATION IN FLORIDA 1400 MILES FROM HOME WITH MY KIDS, I WAS ON THE INTERSTATE 75 ON ALLIGATOR ALLEY WHEN I WAS COMING UP ON TWO SEMI TRUCKS, I APPLIED THE BRAKE AND INSTEAD OF THE CRUISE CONTROL SHUTTING OFF IT SPED UP FAST SENDING ME TOWARDS THE SEMI TRAILERS GOING ABOUT 85 MPH, I SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES AND VEERED OFF THE INTERSTATE ONTO THE SHOULDER AND GRABBED THE GEAR SHIFT LEVER TO DOWNSHIFT TO SLOW IT DOWN AND THE SHIFT LEVER BROKE OF IN MY HAND, I GOT THE SUV HOME AND CONTACTED THE FORD DEALER AND I WAS TOLD THAT THERE IS A RECALL ON THE CRUISE CONTROL FOR FAILURE BUT THAT I HAVE TO PAY AROUND 1 THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR THE SHIFTER ARM THAT BROKE OFF WHEN THE CRUISE CONTROL DEFECT CAUSED ALL OF THIS IN THE FIRST PLACE AND THE SHIFTER ARM SHOULD BE A RECALL ALSO AS THERE ARE THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF INSTANCES OF SHIFTER ARMS BREAKING ON THESE MODELS. *TR

THE SEAT BELT RETRACTION SYSTEMS IN ALMOST ALL VEHICLES WILL FAIL TO RETRACT THE SEAT BELT AFTER A FEW YEARS OF USE. THE SEAT BELTS THEN HANG OUT THE CAR OR TRUCK DOOR AND GET SMASHED WHEN THE DOOR IS CLOSED. THE SEAT BELT EVENTUALLY GETS FRAYED AND LOSES SOME OF IT'S ABILITY TO PROPERLY RESTRAIN WHEN NEEDED. THE RETRACTION SPRING WEAKENS AND NO LONGER RETRACTS THE SEAT BELT. *TR

5 DAYS AFTER A WONDERFUL VACATION (IN WHICH I USED MY 2004 MERCURY MONTEREY VAN), I WAS DRIVING TO WORK WHEN I FELT A SHIFTING IN THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE AS I WAS TURNING A CORNER. I KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG RIGHT AWAY AND PULLED (COASTED) INTO A PARKING SPACE. LUCKILY, I WAS ON A SIDE STREET AND NOT A HIGHWAY. I PUT CAR IN PARK AND LISTENED AND WAITED FOR A MOMENT. WHEN I SHIFTED INTO REVERSE TO LEAVE THE PARKING SPACE, NOTHING HAPPENED. I TRIED FORWARD AND REVERSE A FEW MORE TIMES, I TURNED OFF THE AIR CONDITIONING AND MADE SURE THE RADIO WAS STILL WORKING. THE CAR WOULD STILL NOT CHANGE GEARS. HAD THE CAR TOWED ($75) AND NEEDED A NEW (REBUILT) TRANSMISSION - $2,300. WARRANTY EXPIRED A FEW MONTHS AGO, SO IT WAS ALL OUT OF POCKET. IT TOOK A WEEK TO FIX THE VEHICLE, SO I WAS WITHOUT A CAR FOR THAT PERIOD OF TIME. I HAVE 30,000 MI. ON THE CAR. I HAVE NO CONFIDENCE LEFT WHEN I DRIVE THIS VAN NOW AND THERE'S NO WAY I CAN AFFORD A NEW VEHICLE RIGHT NOW. THESE ARE FAMILY VANS AND I WONDER WHEN MERCURY/FORD WILL OWN UP TO THIS PROBLEM?? IT'S QUITE SCARY. *TR

1999 MERCURY COUGAR - RIGHT FUEL TANK STRAP FAILURE. WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED, I SUDDENLY HEARD A NOISE OF SOMETHING METALLIC SLAPPING AGAINST THE UNDERSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. AFTER PULLING OVER TO INVESTIGATE, I DISCOVERED THAT THE RIGHT SIDE FUEL TANK STRAP HAD COMPLETELY CORRODED THRU AND HAD BROKEN, ALLOWING THE FUEL TANK TO DROP DOWN SLIGHTLY ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. ONCE I WAS ABLE TO JACK UP THE CAR TO EXAMINE, I DISCOVERED THAT THE COATING ON THE METAL STRAP HAD CRACKED OFF AND THAT THE METAL STRAP WAS CORRODED SO BADLY THAT THE METAL STRAP HAD TORN FROM THE WEIGHT OF THE FUEL TANK, ALLOWING THE STRAP TO DROP TO THE PAVEMENT. I REPLACED THE STRAP WITH A UNIVERSAL REPLACEMENT STRAP BECAUSE I WAS TOLD THAT THE ITEM WOULD BE A SPECIAL ORDER ITEM AND THAT I COULD NOT BE GUARANTEED AS TO WHEN IT WOULD BE RECEIVED. TO PREVENT CORROSION OF THE REPLACEMENT STRAP, I PRIMED AND PAINTED IT WITH A RUST INHIBITING PAINT. I FEAR THAT IF I HAD BACKED UP WHILE THE STRAP HAD BEEN BROKEN (IF I HAD BEEN UNAWARE OF THE CONDITION) THAT THE STRAP COULD HAVE CAUGHT ON THE PAVEMENT AND BEEN FORCED UP INTO THE GAS TANK, POSSIBLY PUNCTURING IT, OR THAT THE GAS TANK COULD HAVE BROKEN THE REMAINING STRAP AND RIPPED FROM THE UNDERCARRIAGE OF THE VEHICLE, RESULTING IN A POTENTIAL FIRE CONDITION. IT CONCERNS ME THAT AUTOMAKERS ARE NOT REQUIRED TO USE A STAINLESS GRADE (NON-CORRODING) MATERIAL FOR CRITICAL ITEMS SUCH AS CRITICAL SUSPENSION COMPONENTS, BRAKE LINES, OR IN THIS CASE, FUEL SYSTEM RELATED COMPONENTS, SUCH AS TANK SUPPORT STRAPS. I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF A CAR OF THIS AGE HAVING THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM BUT FOUND THRU MY SEARCH ONLINE THAT FAILURE OF THE RIGHT FUEL TANK STRAP SEEMS TO BE A BIT TOO COMMON ON THE 1999+ MERCURY COUGARS. *TR

2008 MERCURY MARINER. CONSUMER STATES SAFETY ISSUES WITH ROTORS *TGW THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC TO HAVE THE VEHICLE INSPECTED. THE MECHANIC STATED THE ROTORS FOR THE FRONT DISC BRAKES WERE WORN, PITTED AND RUSTED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. IT WAS VERIFIED WHEN IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL PULSED AT SPEEDS OF 30 OR 40 MPH. THE CONSUMER THEN TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHO THEN ASSERTED THAT THE MECHANIC WAS WRONG AND THAT ALL VEHICLES HAVE RUST ON THEIR ROTORS. THE CONSUMER THEN TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO HIS MECHANIC BECAUSE OF A CONTINUED PEDAL PULSATION BEGINNING AT 30- 40 MPH. THE CONSUMER THEN WENT TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP, WHO DID INDEED AGREE THAT THE FRONT ROTORS WERE RUSTED, PITTED AND UNSAFE. ALSO THE REAR DRUMS WERE CRACKED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE ABS WAS INOPERATIVE DUE TO THE TONE RINGS HAD FALLEN OFF. *JB

DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AND TRIED TO STOP FOR RED LIGHT. CRUISE CONTROL HAD BEEN ON BUT WHEN BRAKES WERE PRESSED VEHICLE WAS NOT SLOWING DOWN. AS I GOT CLOSER TO THE STOPPED CARS I PUT TRANSMISSION INTO NEUTRAL AND RPMS WENT WAY UP. I PULLED OVER AND SHUT OFF. HAD CAR TOWED AND REPAIRED. IT HAPPENED AGAIN ON INTERSTATE NEXT DAY. BROUGHT TO FORD DEALER AND TOLD IT WAS CRUISE CONTROL CABLE. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. *TR

THE TIRE VALVE ON MY RIGHT REAR TIRE FAILED WHILE THE CAR WAS GARAGED. THIS WAS THE SECOND VALVE FAILURE IN A PAIR OF TIRES INSTALLED ON 04/27/2007. THE FIRST VALVE FAILED (ON THE OTHER TIRE IN THE PAIR) ON 04/26/2009 WHILE THE CAR WAS ALSO PARKED, BUT ABOUT 30 MILES FROM HOME (SEE ODI NUMBER 10279930). *TR

IN A HARD-BRAKING SITUATION, BRAKES FAILED - NO DISCERNIBLE DECELERATION AT ALL, PUSHING HARDER THAN I'VE EVER HAD TO BEFORE. THIS MADE FOR REAR-ENDING THE GUY AHEAD OF ME. FORENSICS INVESTIGATOR W/ MECH FOUND ODB DTCS SHOWED ONLY P0A8D AND B1318 - ONE OF WHICH SHOWS A LOW VOLTAGE TO ABS SYSTEM. MULTIPLE REPORTS OF THIS WITH ESCAPE HYBRID OWNERS. I WONDER IF IT IS RELATED TO THE FORD FUSION HYBRID FAILURES? THIS OCCURRED AT 10-15 MPH. WHAT HAPPENS AT 60? LOCAL DEALERSHIP DECLARES "YOUR BRAKES CHECK OUT FINE AND THERE'S NO EVIDENCE OF BRAKE FAILURE." REALLY? HOW ABOUT THAT RADIATOR AND GRILL THAT NEED REPAIR AND THAT QUARTERPANEL STICKING OUT OF THE RIGHT SIDE? EVIDENCE ENOUGH? I'D LIKE TO SEE THIS ISSUE ROOT-CAUSED BEFORE SOMEBODY GETS SERIOUSLY HURT. *TR