MERCURY Complaints

I HAD JUST GOTTEN INTO THE DRIVER'S SEAT OF MY PARKED 1997 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER AT AN AUTO REPAIR SHOP LOT WHEN I REMEMBERED THAT I NEEDED TO RETRIEVE AN ARTICLE FROM UNDERNEATH THE SEAT. I GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND KNELT DOWN NEXT TO IT. AS I REACHED UNDER THE SEAT, THE CAR DOOR HIT ME AND DRAGGED ME ALONG THE GROUND. I THEN REALIZED THE VEHICLE WAS NOT ONLY MOVING IN REVERSE BUT WAS PICKING UP SPEED, AS IT WAS ON A SLIGHT INCLINE. I KNEW I COULD NOT STOP THIS HEAVY SUV; I ALSO SAW THAT ITS LEFT FRONT TIRE WAS HEADING RIGHT FOR ME. I WAS THEN A 60-YEAR-OLD FEMALE WHO HAD PLAYED SPORTS AND WAS STILL IN GOOD PHYSICAL CONDITION. I DID A FOOTBALL-STYLE TUCK AND ROLLED AWAY FROM THE MOUNTAINEER TO AVOID GETTING RUN OVER. THE VEHICLE STOPPED MOVING ONLY AFTER HITTING ANOTHER PARKED AND UNOCCUPIED VEHICLE: THE PICKUP TRUCK THAT BELONGED TO THE OWNER OF THE AUTO REPAIR SHOP. LOCAL POLICE INVESTIGATED AND FOUND NO HUMAN ERROR OR FAULT; NO TICKET WAS ISSUED. ALSO, WHILE I SUFFERED SOME SCRAPES AND BRUISES I DID NOT NEED EMT OR HOSPITAL ATTENTION. I REPORTED THIS FIRST-EVER ACCIDENT TO MY AUTO INSURANCE COMPANY, BUT THE ADJUSTER EXPRESSED NO INTEREST IN FOLLOWING UP ON WHAT I AND THE AUTO REPAIR SHOP OWNER STILL BELIEVE TO BE ITS ROOT CAUSE: A FORD SUV TRANSMISSION DESIGN FLAW THAT ALLOWS FOR SLIPPAGE OUT OF PARK POSITION UNDER INEXPLICABLE CONDITIONS, SUCH AS PAVEMENT INCLINE AND/OR MOTOR VIBRATION. NO TRANSMISSION PARTS WERE DAMAGED OR REPLACED ON THIS VEHICLE BECAUSE OF THIS INCIDENT; NOR HAS THERE BEEN A REPEAT OF THIS PROBLEM. *TR

ON TUESDAY NIGHT, APRIL 28, MY 1996 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS SUDDENLY CAUGHT FIRE UNDER THE HOOD OF THE CAR AND THE ENGINE WAS IN FLAMES IN A MATTER OF MINUTES. MY CAR HAD BEEN SITTING FOR HOURS BEFORE I GOT IN IT AND DROVE IT HOME, APPROXIMATELY 2 1/2 MILES. WHEN I PARKED MY CAR IN THE DRIVEWAY I ENTERED MY HOUSE. WITHIN FIVE MINUTES MY DAUGHTER SCREAMED THAT SMOKE WAS COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. WITHIN ANOTHER 5 - 10 MINUTES THE ENTIRE ENGINE AREA WAS IN FLAMES. FIRE RESCUE ARRIVED AND PUT OUT THE FIRE, BUT NOT BEFORE MY CAR WAS, FOR THE MOST PART, RUINED. FROM WHAT I HAVE HEARD, AND READ, I BELIEVE IT WAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL MECHANISM. *TR

2002 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER - GEAR SHIFT MECHANISM FAILED WHEN TRYING TO SHIFT OUT OF PARK. VEHICLE REPAIRED BY BILLY-HOWEL FORD LINCOLN MERCURY, CUMMING, GEORGIA. *TR

BOTH REAR COIL SPRINGS WERE BROKEN. BOTH HAD BEEN WEAKENED DUE TO CORROSION BEFORE THEY BROKE. THIS IS A WIDELY-KNOWN ISSUE WITH THIS VEHICLE AND I HAD BEEN CHECKING FOR THIS PROBLEM EVERY COUPLE MONTHS. I LAST CHECKED IN DECEMBER OF 2008 AND NEITHER SPRING WAS BROKEN THROUGH AND NEITHER SHOWED EXTERNAL CORROSION AT THE TIME, BUT THEY MUST HAVE BEEN VERY DETERIORATED EVEN THEN. MY POINT IS THAT A VISUAL INSPECTION WITH THE WHEELS OFF DID NOT REVEAL THE PROBLEM BEFORE THE SPRINGS BROKE. ONE OF THE BROKEN SPRINGS HAS A SPLIT ALONG THE LENGTH OF THE SPRING WIRE SEVERAL INCHES LONG AND A COMPLETE FAILURE ROUGHLY PERPENDICULAR TO THE WIRE. THE OTHER DOES NOT HAVE THE SPLIT; IT IS JUST BROKEN IN SHEAR PERPENDICULAR TO THE WIRE. *TR

RECALL ELECTRICAL INSIDE LIGHTING. DISC PLAYER SHORTENING OUT, BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH COMING ON. THIS HAS BEEN REPAIRED TWICE WHAT CAN BE DONE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM? *TR

I HAVE HAD MY COMPRESSOR IN DEC 2008 TO FIX THE AC PROBLEM I HAD THEN BUT IT NEVER WAS. THEN MY MECHANIC SUGGESTED THAT WAS THE CONDENSER CHANGED AND NOW THAT HASN'T SOLVED THE PROBLEM. I AM BEGINNING TO WONDER IF THIS IS NOT A PROBLEM THE MANUFACTURERS NEED TO LOOK AT. WITH THIS ECONOMY SPENDING THE MONEY A I AM NOT TO MENTION THAT I AM STILL MAKING PAYMENTS TO THE FINANCE COMPANY IS AN ADDED HEADACHE. PLEASE HELP! *TR

UNDER BACK GLASS OF MERCURY MOUNTAINEER THERE IS A STRIP ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE BACK THAT IS CRACKED IN 2 I HAVE NOTICE EVERY MOUNTAINEER I HAVE SEEN OLD AND NEW ALL ARE DOING THE SAME ITS LIKE ALL THE ONES ON THE ROAD TO DAY ARE LIKE THAT AND IT COULD BREAK ALL THE WAY OFF AND HIT A CAR AND IT HAS SHARP EDGES AND DEALERS WANT TO MUNCH TO FIX IT WELL I THANK IF ALL MOUNTAINEERS ARE LIKE THIS IT SHOULD BE RECALLED U CAN DRIVE DOWN THE ROAD AND LOOK AT THEM ALL THEY ARE LIKE THAT SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. *TR

THERE IS AN OPEN SPACE IN THE FRONT GRILL MEASURING 30-1/2' LONG X 4' HIGH X 2-1/2 ' 3-1/2' DEEP THAT IS 15' FROM THE ROAD, WHICH HAS NO GUARD OR SHIELD TO PROTECT IT FROM SOMETHING LIKE ROCKS FLYING OFF OF THE ROAD. THERE IS ALSO ANOTHER GAP ABOVE THIS WHERE DEBRIS CAN HIT THE A/C CONDENSER THAT IS 28' LONG X 1-1/2' HIGH. DEALER CLAIMED A ROCK FLEW OFF THE ROAD AN PUT A HOLE IN THE A/C CONDENSER. THE VEHICLE ONLY HAD 3,000 MILES AND WAS A COUPLE MONTHS OLD. DEALER WOULD NOT REPLACE OR REPAIR CONDENSER. CLAIMED IT WAS NOT A COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. *TR

MERCURY MOUNTAINEER 05 WITH LESS THEN 60,000 MILES, I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS WEARING IN THE VALVE CASE FROM AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WHICH CAUSES TRANSMISSION TO SKIP AND SHIFT HARD AND POP FORWARD, I NEED TO HAVE IT REPAIRED , TRANSMISSION PLACE STATES THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WHICH HAS A TECHNICAL ADVISORY ABOUT IT....WHAT'S MY RECOURSE. *TR

SINCE NOVEMBER 2008, I'VE HAD TO BUY TWO NEW TIRES AND REPLACE THE VALVE STEMS ON THE OTHER TWO TIRES ON MY 2007 MERCURY MILAN. FAULTY VALVE STEMS COST ME $450 ON A CAR THAT WASN'T EVEN TWO YEARS OLD. THE MECHANICS WHO WORKED ON MY CAR ALL INFORMED ME OF THE BAD VALVE STEMS THAT WENT OUT IN 2007, SO WHY AS AN OWNER WAS I NEVER TOLD ABOUT THIS PROBLEM WHEN I PURCHASED THE CAR? ISN'T IT THE MANUFACTURER'S RESPONSIBILITY TO INFORM THE CUSTOMER OR BE PRO-ACTIVE AND REPLACE THE TIRES? *TR