MERCURY Complaints

WHILE DRIVING TO WORK, I SMELLED BURNING PLASTIC. I ROLLED UP THE WINDOW THINKING IT WAS ANOTHER VEHICLE. A FEW MINUTES LATER I NOTICED AN ODD MELTING LOOK ON THE REAR WINDSHIELD, AND A STRONGER BURNING PLASTIC SMELL. IMMEDIATELY I TURNED OFF THE REAR DEFROST, AND CRACKED THE WINDOW TO LET THE FUMES ESCAPE. APPROXIMATELY A MILE LATER (WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH) THE REAR WINDSHIELD EXPLODED. THE GLASS INITIALLY STAYED INTACT, BUT PRIOR TO ME DRIVING TO THE CLOSEST DEALERSHIP (3 MILES FROM THAT POINT), THE SHARDS BEGAN FALLING INTO THE BACK SEAT OF THE VEHICLE. I AM GRATEFUL THERE WAS NO ONE IN THE BACK SEAT. *TR

CRACKED INTAKE MANIFOLD ON A 1999 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS WITH ONLY 52000 MILES ON IT. COST $1200 TO REPAIR. WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF RECALL. 52000 MILES IS ONLY ABOUT 4.3 YEARS OF ACTUAL USE. IT IS UNFAIR THAT LOW MILEAGE DRIVERS SHOULD BE PUNISHED FOR CONSERVING ENERGY. *TR

TRANSMISSION FAILURE. TRANSMISSION REFUSED TO ENGAGE WHILE IN TRAFFIC. PARKED VEHICLE. HAVE NOT REPAIRED YET. THIS IS A MERCURY MONTEREY WITH ONLY 38,500 MILES. I HAVE ALREADY REPLACED THE POWER WINDOW MOTOR ON DRIVERS SIDE. THERE ARE MANY OWNERS COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS SAME PROBLEM. FORD SHOULD RECALL OR FIX FOR FREE. *TR

1997 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. MILEAGE 86,000. REFER TO IDO INVESTIGATION #RQ 03-002 AND RECALL #98V-322. ON 12/27/08, THE FRONT PASSENGER-SIDE BALL JOINT SUDDENLY SEPARATED WHILE BEING DRIVEN, DROPPING ENTIRE RIGHT FRONT END OF VEHICLE TO THE GROUND AND THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE ONTO FRONT TIRE. VEHICLE CAME TO AN IMMEDIATE STOP. THANKFULLY, FAILURE OCCURRED AT A LOW SPEED, IN NO TRAFFIC - AT HIGH SPEED OR IN TRAFFIC THIS COULD HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS, IF NOT FATAL. I HAVE LEARNED THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT - YOUR OFFICE INVESTIGATED THIS EXACT PROBLEM IN THE PAST AS CITED ABOVE. A RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR GRAND MARQUIS POLICE AND COMMERCIAL VEHICLES DUE TO SIMILAR COMPLAINTS. I NOW KNOW THIS VEHICLE IS SUSPECT. I REQUEST THAT THE NHTSA CONSIDER REOPENING THIS INVESTIGATION BECAUSE OF THE POTENTIAL SERIOUSNESS/DANGER INVOLVED, AND THE MAJOR EXPENSE REQUIRED TO REPAIR THIS SEEMINGLY DEFECTIVE ASSEMBLY. I BELIEVE OTHER OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE HAVE ALSO EXPERIENCED THIS FAILURE SINCE THE TIME THE INVESTIGATION WAS CLOSED. YOUR PREVIOUS INVESTIGATION DID NOT RULE OUT A DEFECT EXISTS, AND THAT FURTHER ACTION WOULD BE TAKEN IF WARRANTED. PLEASE TAKE FURTHER ACTION. THIS VEHICLE PASSED NYS INSPECTION ON 12/8/08. WHILE THE BALL JOINT INSPECTION IS NOT REQUIRED BY NYS TO PASS, MY MECHANIC WOULD HAVE LOOKED AT IT REGARDLESS AS A GENERAL SAFETY ISSUE. ADDITIONALLY, IN THE SUMMARY REPORT, FORD CLAIMED THERE WAS AMPLE WARNING OF AN IMMINENT FAILURE OF THIS ASSEMBLY (PLEASE READ THE SUMMARY REPORT). FOLLOWING THE MECHANIC'S INSPECTION TEST DRIVE, HE REPORTED NONE OF THE SYMPTOMS (LOOSE STEERING, FRONT END NOISE) WHICH FORD CLAIMS WILL WARN OF A POTENTIAL IMMINENT FAILURE. I ALSO NOTICED NONE OF THESE SYMPTOMS. TO CORRECT THIS I HAVE TO GO TO A SIGNIFICANT EXPENSE. I HAVE CONTACTED FORD AND THEY OFFER NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR REPAIR. BUYER AND DRIVER IT SEEMS, ACCORDING TO FORD, BEWARE. PART WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCURY SABLE. WHILE BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD NOISE OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. SHE IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. SHE INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE WAS FLAT AND THE STRUT SPRING WAS STICKING OUT OF THE TIRE. THE VEHICLE IS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 24,964. UPDATED 2/23/09 *CN UPDATED 02/25/09. *JB

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING TO A DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENT WITH AND FOR MY 4 MONTH OLD DAUGHTER WHEN AS SHE WAS ACCELERATING FROM A HIGHWAY STOP LIGHT, THE VAN SEEMED TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL. SHE LUCKILY WAS ABLE TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY AND INTO A PARKING LOT. THE GEARS DON'T SHIFT AND THERE IS NO MOVEMENT FORWARD OR BACKWARD. WE HAD IT TOWED TO A FORD DEALERSHIP AND THEY INSPECTED IT, SAYING IT NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION. THERE WERE NO SIGNS THERE WAS AN ISSUE PRIOR TO THIS (LIGHTS, WARNINGS, ETC.). I HAVEN'T SPOKEN WITH FORD YET, BUT FROM WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING, IT LOOKS LIKE THIS IS SOMETHING THEY ARE TURNING A BLIND EYE TO. SEEING AS HOW NO ONE HAS HAD A COMPLAINT YET INVOLVING AN INJURY OR DEATH, I WONDER WHAT WILL HAPPEN WHEN SOMEONE DOES... FORD WILL BE GETTING A NICE LAWSUIT WITH ALL THESE RECORDS. *TR

ON DEC. 19, 2008, THE O/D LIGHT BEGAN TO FLASH AND THEN ON DEC.26TH THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT CAME ON. AS I WAS DRIVING THE CAR BEGAN TO REV UP WHEN I WAS NOT MASHING THE GAS. I HAVE NOT DRIVEN IT SINCE. I CALLED THE FORD DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD TO DO A DIAGNOSTIC TEST ON IT, IT WOULD COST $98 PER ISSUE. I SEARCHED THE ISSUE ONLINE AND FOUND THAT MANY PEOPLE HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS AND HAVE PAID THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO HAVE IT FIXED. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THIS IS A RECALLABLE ISSUE DUE TO THE ABOUT OF COMPLAINTS? I JUST SPENT $300 HAVING THE DOOR AJAR SENSOR FIXED, SOMETHING THAT OTHERS HAVE ALSO COMPLAINED ABOUT. *TR

TRAVELING WEST BOUND ON BULL VALLEY RD WHEN A CAR GOING EAST BOUND TURNED IN FRONT OF ME CAUSING A HEAD ON ACCIDENT TO MY 2006 MARINER 4X4 HYBRID. I WAS TRAVELING 35 MPH AT TIME OF IMPACT AND SEAT BELTS DID NOT GO OFF CAUSING CHEST PAINS. MY VEHICLE HAD 11,000 WORTH OF DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END WHEN DOES THE AIR BAGS DEPLOY? *TR

NOTICED RATTLE SOUND GOING OVER BUMPS FOR ABOUT 6 MONTHS. COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHERE IT WAS COMING FROM. SAW A PIECE OF COIL SPRING ABOUT 5" LONG ON THE GARAGE FLOOR. OK CAR TO DEALER AND WAS TOLD BOTH REAR COIL SPRINGS WERE BROKEN. DEALER MAKING REPAIRS BROKE A BOLT AND HAD TO ORDER A NEW KNUCKLE CASTING FOR THE LEFT SIDE. WAS GOING TO BE $491 TO REPAIR, NOW IT WILL BE $180 MORE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCURY SABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS STOPPED WORKING AND THE GEAR SHIFTER FAILED. HE REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V106000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH). THE DEALER STATED THAT THE BRAKE SWITCH AND WIRING HARNESS WERE FAULTY. THEY WOULD NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE ACCORDING TO THE RECALL BECAUSE HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 64,000.