MERCURY Complaints

SPRING ON FRONT STRUTS BROKE ON BOTH SIDES, CAUSING TIRE BLOWOUT AND POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS CONDITION. SPRINGS WERE BROKEN AT IDENTICAL POINTS AND SHOW PARTIAL RUST PRIOR TO BREAKING INDICATING A DEFECTIVE MANUFACTURER OF THE SPRING. *TR

I UNDERSTAND THERE WAS A CLASS ACTION SUIT DUE TO A FAULTY INTAKE MANIFOLD ON MANY FORD CARS WITH A 4.6 LITER ENGINE. I OR MY KIDS HAVE OWNED A 1997 MERCURY COUGAR SINCE NEW. RECENTLY THIS CAR WHICH HAD BEEN IN STORAGE FOR SEVERAL YEARS WAS GIVEN TO MY SON WHO IS LAID OFF AND ATTEMPTING TO COMPLETE HIS BACHELORS DEGREE. I SPENT MONEY TO REPAIR SENSOR, FREEZEPLUG AND HE PUT NEW TIRES ON THIS CAR. I AM WRITING BECAUSE I CONTACTED FORD ABOUT THIS DEFECTIVE INTAKE MANIFOLD PROBLEM AND WAS TOLD I WAS TOO LATE BECAUSE THE CLASS ACTION INVOLVING THE FAULTY PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD EXPIRED IN 2007 OR AT 75,000 MILES. THE CAR IN QUESTION HAS SLIGHTLY MORE THAN 75,000 MILES. HOW COULD I HAVE TAKEN PART IN REPAIRING OR REIMBURSEMENT OF OVER $800 I HAD TO PAY TO GET THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD REPLACED. I THEN FOUND ON THE INTERNET THAT MANY INDIVIDUALS ARE IN THE SAME POSITION I AM IN. I FOUND THE FOLLOWING LINK ON THE INTERNET VERY INFORMATIVE AND GIVES SEVERAL EXAMPLES OF PEOPLE WITH THIS PROBLEM AND EXPLAINS SOME SAFETY ISSUES CONCERNING THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE STILL DRIVING THESE CARS POSSIBLY NOT KNOWING THE ENGINE COULD BLOW UP AT ANY TIME IN ANY PLACE INCLUDING TRAFFIC. SEE LINK BELOW HTTP://PUBLIC.FOTKI.COM/TRSI/FORD_SUCKS/FORD_INTAKE_RECALL/MANIFOLD2.HTML CAN OR WILL YOU HELP WITH THIS PROBLEM. AT THE LEAST PEOPLE SHOULD BE MADE AWARE THAT THEIR CAR WITH THIS PLASTIC MANIFOLD COULD LEAVE THEM STRANDED IN A DANGEROUS SITUATION. THE LINK I INCLUDED DOES GIVE EXAMPLES OF WHY THIS COULD BE DANGEROUS AND INDICATES MANY PEOPLE MAY STILL BE UNAWARE THAT THIS PLASTIC MANIFOLD PROBLEM EVEN EXIST. THIS IS IMPORTANT AS AN OWNER AND TO PROSPECTIVE BUYERS OF THESE CARS AS WELL. PLEASE HELP! I JUST THINK IT IS OBVIOUS THE INTAKE MANIFOLD IS AND WAS FAULTY AND WRONG THAT THE ACTIONS WAS SETTLED AND I DID NOT EVEN KNOW ABOUT IT. I DO HAVE THE DEFECTIVE INTAKE MANIFOLD WHICH IS CRACKED AT BOTH ENDS OF THE MANIFOLD. WATER IN ENGINE BOOM! SAFETY DANGER! *TR

ON 1/21/2010 I DISCOVERED THAT THE RIGHT DRIVER SIDE SPRING ON MY 2002 MERCURY SABLE HAD BROKE AND PUNCTURED THE NEARBY TIRE. SOMEHOW (LUCKILY) THIS HAPPENED WHILE THE CAR WAS PARKED. I DISCOVERED THAT THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL FOR THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM ON 1999-01 SABLES THAT INCLUDED THE INSTALLATION OF A PROTECTIVE SHIELD TO PREVENT A BROKEN SPRING FROM PUNCTURING A TIRE. THIS RECALL WAS NOT ISSUED UNTIL JULY 2004, WELL AFTER MY VEHICLE HAD BEEN MANUFACTURED. OBVIOUSLY MY VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN EQUIPPED WITH ANYTHING TO PREVENT THE EXACT PROBLEM THAT INITIATED THE OTHER RECALL AND AS SUCH I CANNOT UNDERSTAND WHY MY OWN VEHICLE WOULD NOT BE ALSO RECALLED. I AM REQUESTING THAT SOMETHING BE DONE. THIS IS A VERY, VERY SERIOUS DEFECT AND I AM BAFFLED AS TO HOW IT WAS OVERLOOKED WHEN OLDER MODEL CARS WERE RECALLED FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MERCURY SABLE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH OUT OF HIS DRIVEWAY HE NOTICED A THUMPING SOUND UNDER THE VEHICLE. MOMENTS LATER THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRE WAS FLAT. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED BY A LOCAL DEALERSHIP WHO STATED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE COIL SPRING SNAPPED. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 70237. UPDATED 2/26/10 *CN UPDATED 07/27/10

SUDDEN ACCELERATION IN A 2003 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. THIS HAPPENED AFTER PUTTING THE VEHICLE IN DRIVE, IT TOOK OFF AT AN EXCESSIVE RATE OF SPEED CROSSED A STREET AND JUMPED TWO CURBS ABOUT 15 INCHES HIGH WITHIN 5 OR 6 SECONDS. MY THOUGHTS WERE "WHAT IS HAPPENING?" & "BRAKE OR YOU ARE GOING TO DIE" THANK GOD THIS VEHICLE DROWN IN HURRICANE KATRINA. I CALLED YOUR OFC IN 2004 AFTER THIS HAPPENED AND WAS SENT A FORM TO FILL OUT AND RETURN TO YOU WHICH I NEVER DID. HOWEVER, WITH THE TOYOTA RECALL IT DISTURBS ME THAT MY FORD DID THE SAME THING. AN INVESTIGATION NEEDS TO BE MADE AS TO WHY THESE THINGS ARE HAPPENING BECAUSE IN MY CASE IT WAS NOT A FLOOR MAT AND NEITHER WAS IT DRIVER'S ERROR. IT IS IMPORTANT TO MYSELF THAT THIS INCIDENT IS REPORTED AND HOPEFULLY SOMEONE WILL TAKE IT SERIOUS AND FIND OUT WHAT THE REAL PROBLEM IS BEFORE MORE LIVES ARE LOST. I CONSIDER MYSELF VERY LUCKY THAT I WAS NOT INJURED AND OTHERS WERE NOT INJURED. MY VEHICLE SUSTAINED $5,000.00 WORTH OF DAMAGE AND AT THE TIME THE INCIDENT WAS REPORTED TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP. THEY SUPPOSEDLY CHECKED THE CAR BUT COULD FIND NO REASON FOR THE SUDDEN ACCELERATION. *TR

IN JULY 2009 I PURCHASED A SLIGHTLY USED 2008 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. ON MANY OCCASIONS WHILE DRIVING I HAVE APPLIED THE BRAKES ONLY TO FEEL THE CAR ACCELERATE WITHOUT WARNING. I HAVE NOT HAD ANY ACCIDENTS, BUT I FEEL THAT IT IS JUST A MATTER OF TIME .... THE PROBLEM RESIDES IN THE CLOSE PROXIMITY OF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO THE BRAKE PEDAL. MY CAR HAS AUTO-ADJUST PEDAL HEIGHT, BUT UNFORTUNATELY BOTH PEDALS ADJUST AS A SINGLE UNIT, RATHER THAN ONE-AT-A-TIME. SIMPLY, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS TOO FAR TO THE LEFT - ABOUT TWO INCHES FROM THE RHS EDGE OF THE BRAKE PEDAL, AND WHEN I DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL, OFTEN THE RIGHT-HAND EDGE OF THE SOLE OF MY SHOE CONTACTS THE SURFACE OF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, LEADING TO THE SURGE OF POWER -- WHICH IS THE PROBLEM. THIS IS MADE WORSE IN THAT WHEN THE BRAKE IS APPLIED, THE PEDAL WILL PASS TO AND THROUGH THE PLANE OF THE SURFACE OF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THUS MAKING THIS SHOE-CONTACT MORE LIKELY. THERE IS ABUNDANT ROOM TO MOVE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO THE RIGHT - WITH A NEWLY-DESIGNED PEDAL SHAFT. (THE PRESENT PEDAL "HOOKS" TO THE LEFT AT THE BOTTOM PART, SORT OF LIKE THE LOWER PART OF THIS "9" DIGIT) OR, THE PEDALS COULD BE RAISED UP/LOWERED INDEPENDENTLY, IN ORDER TO INCREASE THE VERTICAL DISTANCE BETWEEN THEM. A THICKER RUBBER PAD ON THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD ACCOMPLISH THIS HANDILY -- IT WOULD NEED TO BE ABOUT ONE INCH THICKER. I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS. I CONTACTED FORD MOTOR COMPANY ABOUT THIS PROBLEM WITHIN A SHORT TIME OF BUYING THE CAR. I HAVE CONTACTED THEM SEVERAL TIMES, INCLUDING TODAY, BUT SO FAR THEY HAVE BEEN UNRESPONSIVE. (BUT OF COURSE TODAY'S CONVERSATION MAY BEAR FRUIT. WE SHALL SEE.) IN THE NOTES OF MY FIRST CALL, ACCORDING TO THE PERSON WHO READ THEM TO ME ON A SUBSEQUENT CALL, MY CONCERN WAS DESCRIBED AS "... OWNER NEEDS TO KNOW THE LOCATION OF THE ACCELERATOR AND BRAKE PEDALS ..." OR WORDS SUCH AS THOSE! *CN

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCURY MARQUIS. THE CONTACT STATED THE REAR AXLE AND BEARINGS FAIL. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE HE HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THEY REPLACE THE AXLE AND BEARINGS. THE MERCURY MANUFACTURE WAS CALLED AND STATED THERE IS NO RECALL OR WARRANTY FOR HIS VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,255. UPDATED 3/12/10 *CN UPDATED 06/25/10.*JB

LEAKY RADIATOR WAS 1ST DETECTED BY MYSELF BUT MECHANICS WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE LEAK BECAUSE ANTI-FREEZE WAS NOT VISIBLY LEAKING BUT THE RESEVOIR WAS ALWAYS EMPTY. I WAS TOLD IT WAS A PROBLEM WITH MY TIRES. THE PROBLEM WAS NOT ADDRESSED BY MECHANICS UNTIL THEY SAW THAT THE RADIATOR COULD NOT HOLD COOLANT ANY LONGER. NOW IT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS HAVING A HOLE IN THE RADIATOR.

I HAVE BROUGHT MY VEHICLE INTO SOUTHGATE LINCOLN MERCURY IN SOUTHGATE MI SEVERAL TIMES PRIOR TO THE TORQUE CONVERTER REPAIR. SINCE THE REPAIR I HAVE CONTINUED TO EXPERIENCE PROBLEMS WITH DRIVABILITY. GAS MILEAGE HAS REDUCED GREATLY (WAS AROUND 17-19) DOWN TO 13.8. THE VEHICLE DRIVES AT HIGH RPM'S AND I STILL EXPERIENCE WHERE THE RPM WILL KICK UP BRIEFLY THEN WILL GO BACK DOWN. MY COMPLAINT TO THE DEALER WAS SUBMITTED AGAIN JUST PRIOR TO WARRANTY EXPIRING AND NOW I AM STUCK WITH A VEHICLE THAT THEY CAN'T SEEM TO REPAIR. I CONTINUE TO GET THAT THEY CAN'T IDENTIFY A PROBLEM.*CW

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WINDOW WAS ROLLED DOWN WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH THE SEAT BELT BECAME LOOSE AND THEN BECAME TIGHT ON THE CONTACTS CHEST EVERY 3 SECONDS. THIS ONLY HAPPENS WHEN THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WINDOW WAS DOWN. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TWICE. THE DEALER TIGHTENED THE SEAT AS MUCH AS THEY POSSIBLE; HOWEVER, THAT DID NOT REMEDY THE MALFUNCTION. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY'VE NEVER HEARD OF THIS ISSUE REGARDING THE SEAT BELTS. THE CONTACT IS CONCERNED THAT THE SEAT BELT WILL NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 9,480.