MERCURY Complaints

I HAVE A 1999 MERCURY COUGAR, AND HAVE HAD IT ABOUT 4 YEARS NOW. I HAVE HAD NO PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR, EXCEPT HAVING TO HAVE THE ALTERNATOR REPLACED. I WORK 3RD SHIFT (7P-7A) AT A LOCAL HOSPITAL, AND ON MY WAY HOME, MY CAR STARTED SLIPPING IN AND OUT OF GEAR. THE CAR WOULD GO FOR A MINUTE, THEN IT WOULD STOP, AND I WOULD PUSH THE GAS AND THE CAR WOULD JUST REV UP. I HAD A LINE OF TRAFFIC BEHIND ME, SO I AS TRYING MY BEST TO GET THE CAR OFF THE ROAD. I FINALLY GOT IT INTO AN EMPTY PARKING LOT AND CALLED TO GET SOME HELP. I WAS VERY TIRED FROM WORKING A 12 HOUR SHIFT AND HAD TO WAIT 2 HOURS FOR SOMEONE TO COME AND GET ME. WE GOT THE CAR TO A MECHANIC, WHICH SAID THAT IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION, AND HE THEN TOLD ME THAT HE WOULD DRAIN THE TRANSMISSION, PUT NEW FLUID IN IT, AND SEE IF THAT FIXED THE PROBLEM. TO MY VERY UNFORTUNATE NEWS, THE TRANSMISSION HAS WENT OUT IN MY CAR. I AM A FULL-TIME STUDENT AND FULL-TIME WORKING TRYING TO MAKE ENDS MEET. DUE TO THE TRANSMISSION GOING OUT IN MY CAR, I HAVE MISSED CLASSES, AND IT'S BECOMING A HEADACHE TRYING TO GET TO AND FROM WORK, SCHOOL, AND OTHER PLACES I NEED TO BE. I WAS TOLD THAT THE 1999 COUGARS HAD A RECALL ON THE TRANSMISSION AND THAT I NEEDED TO FIND OUT ABOUT IT. THIS IS WHAT I AM DOING NOW. I CAN'T AFFORD A NEW TRANSMISSION, LET ALONE A NEW CAR, WHILE I'M TRYING TO GO TO SCHOOL. THIS WHOLE ORDEAL HAS THROWN ME OFF, BECAUSE THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN (IN ONE DAY) THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. I HOPE THIS PROBLEM IS RESOLVED, AND I GET SOME HELP WITH FIXING MY CAR. I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME, AND I HOPE THAT MY PROBLEM IS LOOKED INTO. THANKS, GINA BROOK MELTON *TR

ON 9/9/08 WE WERE TRAVELING TO THE AIRPORT WHEN OUR TIRE COMPLETELY DISINTEGRATED. WE HAD THAT TIRE REPLACED. ON 9/26/08 A SECOND TIRE WAS SEPARATING FROM THE SIDEWALL. IN LESS THAN 25000 MILES ON OUR VEHICLE WE ARE HAVING TO REPLACE A THIRD TIRE. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE BECAUSE WE CAUGHT IT IN TIME AND USED WISDOM. ONE TIRE IS AVAILABLE FOR INSPECTION IT IS AT THE DEALER AT THE MOMENT. THE OTHER TIRE WAS COMPLETELY SHREDDED AND WAS REPAIRED AT A DIFFERENT LOCATION. THE FIRST TIRE REPLACED WAS FLAT AND LEAKING AT THE SIDEWALL. IT WAS REPLACED SOME TIME AGO. *TR

FRONT RIGHT COIL SNAPPED PUNCTURING THE TIRE AND RESULTED IN FLAT TIRE AND NEW COIL HAVING TO BE PUT ON ALONG WITH 2 NEW TIRES. , 2 NEW STRUTS IT TOOK TO FIX IT. FORD NEEDS TO PAY ME THE$742.93 I HAD TO PAY. I COULD HAVE BEEN GOING 60 ON THE HIGHWAY WITH MY KIDS IN THE CAR. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER. THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT IS TOO SHORT. THE DRIVER IS BARELY ABLE TO BUCKLE THE SEAT BELT, AND ONCE HE DOES, HE IS UNABLE TO MOVE. THE CONTACT FEELS THAT THIS IS A SAFETY RISK BECAUSE IT PUTS HIM IN A VERY UNCOMFORTABLE SITUATION. THE DEALER EXCHANGED THE SEAT BELT, BUT IT WAS IDENTICAL TO THE ONE THAT WAS ALREADY IN THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER REFUSES TO MAKE ANY CHANGES BECAUSE IT WOULD BE A SAFETY VIOLATION. FORD ONLY OFFERED A SEAT BELT EXTENDER, BUT THE CONTACT REFUSES TO USE AN EXTENDER. HE ALSO OWNS A 2006 MERCURY VEHICLE, IN WHICH THE SEAT BELT IS 6-9 INCHES LONGER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 23 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 600. UPDATED 11/14/08 *CN UPDATED 11/18/08. *JB

WHEN MAKING A SUDDEN STOP, THE BRAKE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR WHILE MAINTAINING PRESSURE ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. WHEN HOLDING VEHICLE ON A STEEP INCLINE (STOPPED), THE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR. HAD IT BACK TO FORD DEALERS AND WAS TOLD THIS IS A NORMAL CONDITION FOR EXPLORERS AND MOUNTAINEERS EVEN THOUGH SERVICE MANAGERS AND THE MECHANICS HAVE TOLD ME THERE WAS A PROBLEM WHEN THEY INITIALLY CHECKED THE BRAKES. I HAVE STARTED THE PAPERWORK FOR THE NYS LEMON LAW PROCEDURE. I HAVE PUT THE FIRST COMPLAINT OF THIS IN THE APPROX. ACCIDENT DATE BOX. THIS HAPPENS WHENEVER YOU USE THE VEHICLE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCURY MARINER. THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED ABNORMAL ROUGHNESS WHEN ATTEMPTING TO SHIFT GEARS IN THE VEHICLE. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION COOLING UNIT AND LINES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THIS WAS A COMMON ISSUE IN WHICH THE MANUFACTURER ISSUED TSB NUMBER 10022282 (POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:COOLING UNIT AND LINES) IN REFERENCE TO THE FAILURES. THE CONTACT IS IN THE PROCESS OF HAVING THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. THE CONTACT UPDATED COMPLAINT ON DECEMBER 26, 2008 TO INCLUDE FAILURE WITH THE POWER STEERING IDLE OF PULLEY AND THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTING. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 34,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 40,000.

I AM NOT SURE WHO TO CONTACT WITH THIS, BUT I HAVE ALREADY GONE THROUGH MY INSURANCE COMPANY, AND I AM STILL A LITTLE UPSET ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED. I OWNED A MERCURY COUGAR 2DR COUPE 2001. ONE NIGHT I WAS ALERTED BY A NEIGHBOR THAT MY CAR WAS ON FIRE. MY FATHER STARTED PUTTING WATER ON THE CAR, AND I USED A FIRE EXTINGUISHER TO PUT THE FIRE OUT. MY INSURANCE COMPANY HAD A CLAIMS REPRESENTATIVE COME OUT AND CHECK THE VEHICLE. THEY ALREADY SENT ME A CHECK FOR WHAT THEY SAY THE VEHICLE WAS WORTH, AND I AM JUST NOT HAPPY ABOUT IT. I KNOW THAT FORD HAD ISSUES WITH CARS CATCHING ON FIRE. I JUST DON'T SEE HOW THE INSURANCE COMPANY CAN CUT ME A CHECK FOR THE VEHICLE, AND DETERMINE A CAUSE, WITH ONLY PICTURES. MY CAR STILL SITS IN MY DRIVEWAY 2 WEEKS AFTER THE ACCIDENT. THE CAR WAS SITTING PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY FOR ROUGHLY 8 HOURS BEFORE IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. I JUST HATE THE FACT THAT I AM HAVING TO TAKE A CAR I SPENT 13,000$ FOR, AND NOW I GET TO BUY SOMETHING WORTH 6,700$. I WAS SEARCHING ONLINE TO FIND MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE VEHICLE FIRES, AND ALSO SAW WHERE IT SHOULD BE REPORTED AND THAT WHY I DECIDED TO WRITE THIS. THANK YOU, SETH GOODOWENS *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. THE RACK AND PINION WAS REPLACED IN AUGUST OF 2007. IT FAILED AGAIN ON OCTOBER 8, 2007. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT WARRANTY THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 56,753. UPDATED 10/30/08. *LJ

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 MERCURY COUGAR. ON SEPTEMBER 4, 2008, WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR LIGHTS BEGAN FLICKERING ON AND OFF. THE FOLLOWING WEEK, THE CONTACT REPLACED THE BATTERY, BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE DEALER PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC AND STATED THAT THE BATTERY CABLE WAS DEFECTIVE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 01V031000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:BATTERY). THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 55,000.

VEHICLE STARTED TO JERK LIKE IT WAS GOING THROUGH RAILROAD TRACKS AND THEN 2 DAYS LATER IT CAN ONLY GO ON REVERSE AND NOT ABLE TO SHIFT TO DRIVE WITHOUT KICKING HARD AND THEN VERY SLOW MOTION. STILL HAVING PROBLEMS. *TR