MERCURY Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCURY SABLE. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 65-70 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD BANGING NOISE. HE CONTINUED TO DRIVE UNTIL HE HEARD ANOTHER LOUD BANG. THE TIRE FLATTENED IMMEDIATELY AND HE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE FAILURE; HOWEVER, HIS VEHICLE YEAR WAS EXEMPT. THE MECHANIC ALSO STATED THAT THE SPRING DAMAGED THE SWAY BAR LINKAGE AND TIRE WHICH CAUSED IT TO FLATTEN. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT TO NOTIFY THE MANUFACTURER; HOWEVER, THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V332000 (SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS) RECALL ENDED FOR THE 2001 SABLES. FORD ALSO RECOMMENDED THAT HE HAVE THE FRONT SPRINGS REPAIRED AT HIS OWN EXPENSE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 112,000. UPDATED 092308 *BF UPDATED 09/26/08. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND FELT EXCESSIVE VIBRATION. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED BY ANOTHER MOTORIST THAT THE END ROD WAS DISENGAGED UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE BALL JOINT WAS THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED OF THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 90,000.

I HAD NOTICED THE STANCE OF THE VEHICLE HAD CHANGE AND DURING A ROUTINE NEW YORK STATE INSPECTION IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE REAR SPRINGS ON MY 2002 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER HAD BROKEN. THE REAR SPRING DEFECT ALSO CAUSE THE REAR SHOCKS TO PREMATURELY WEAR OUT AND NEED REPLACEMENT. THE SPRINGS WERE CRACKED ENTIRELY IN HALF. IT APPEARS AS IF THERE WERE A DEFECT RELATING TO THE METALLURGICAL PROPERTIES OF THE METAL USED OR POSSIBLY A DEFECT IN THE MANUFACTURE OF THE SPRINGS. AT NO TIME WAS THIS VEHICLE DRIVEN OFF ROAD OR USED TO TOW ANYTHING. THE VEHICLE SIMPLY WAS USED BY MY WIFE TO DRIVE BACK AND FORTH TO WORK( 20 MILE ROUND TRIP ON THE HIGHWAY) THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY BY ABOUT 2 YEARS AND HAD ABOUT 50,000 MILES ON IT. A FORD REPRESENTATIVE TOLD ME TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER FOR THEM TO INSPECT IT, THERE CONCLUSION WAS THE SAME. TWO REAR BROKEN SPRINGS, AS WELL AS 2 REAR SHOCKS THAT REQUIRED REPLACEMENT . THEIR COST ....OVER $1000.00. THERE IS NO WAY THIS ITEM SHOULD BREAK...GOD FORBID IT HAPPENS ON THE HIGHWAY AT A HIGH SPEED, .... A SPRING BREAK AT HIGHWAY SPEED WOULD CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO BECOME EXTREMELY UNSTABLE AND POSSIBLY CAUSE A HIGH SPEED CRASH. SPRINGS ACTUALLY SUPPORT THE WEIGHT OF THE VEHICLE AND WHEN THERE BROKEN.....THERE IS A SUDDEN AND UNFORESEEN UNSETTLING OF THE VEHICLE.....WHICH IN MY OPINION IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. I BROUGHT THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF FORD VIA THEIR 800 TELEPHONE # - (800-392-3673)...THEIR RESPONSE WAS..."WE ARE UNDER NO LEGAL RESPONSIBILITY TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND IT WAS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO FIX THE CAR....." I BELIEVE FORD HAS A RESPONSIBILITY, NOT ONLY ME, BUT TO ALL IT'S CUSTOMERS WHO OWN THIS VEHICLE OR ITS COUSIN THE FORD EXPLORER. I EXPECTED MORE FROM A LARGE COMPANY SUCH AS FORD. I'M SURE THEY HAVE A PROTOCOL TO DOCUMENT THIS INCIDENT, BUT I WONDER IF THEY JUST SWEPT THIS INCIDENT UNDER THE FORD CARPET. I FEEL I HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO LET OTHERS KNOW...THIS IS WHY I MADE THIS COMPLAINT. *TR

I ALSO HAD THE CLUNK NOISE AFTER A LEFT TURN, ABOUT 1 MONTH AS WELL AFTER MY LEFT TIRE FELL OFF AS I WAS BACKING OUT OF GARAGE. BALL JOINTS HAD GIVEN OUT PREMATURELY. 1300.00 TO FIX PLUS TOW CHARGE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MERCURY SABLE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A REPAIR SHOP FOR INSPECTION AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE COIL SPRING WAS CORRODED. SHE WAS WARNED THAT IF SHE CONTINUED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE, THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL WOULD EVENTUALLY FAIL. THE MANUFACTURER TOOK A REPORT AND STATED THAT SHE WILL NEED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE ON HER OWN BECAUSE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V332000 (SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS) WAS ONLY FOR THE FRONT SUSPENSION COIL SPRING. THE VEHICLE WILL BE REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 111,545 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 112,298.

DISCOVERED A RUBBING SOUND COMING FROM REAR OF CAR AND FURTHER INSPECTION REVILED THAT THE REAR COILS SPRINGS WERE BROKEN. RIGHT REAR SPRING (SHARP EDGE)WAS SCRAPING THE INSIDE OF THE TIRE, BUT NOT ENOUGH TO PUNCTURE. BOTH REAR SPRINGS, STRUTS AND STABILIZERS LINKS WERE REPLACED COSTING $1023.00 I STILL HAVE THE OLD BROKEN SPRINGS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. THE VEHICLE HAS TECH INTERNATIONAL, MODEL TR413 VALVE STEMS. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS THAT THE TIRES WERE FLAT ON HER VEHICLE. TWO VALVE STEMS WERE REPLACED IN THE ORIGINAL MICHELIN TIRES. THE DEALER THEN REPLACED ALL FOUR TIRES DUE TO THE FLAT TIRES. THE SERIAL NUMBER, PURCHASE DATE, PART NUMBER, AND VIN WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 16,952 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 16,500.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE IS NO AIR CONDITIONING FILTER FOR THE AIR VENTS IN THE VEHICLE. FORD STATED THAT THERE WAS NO VACUUM IN THE VENTILATION SYSTEM IN ORDER TO FILTER THE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 46,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 90,000.

THE VEHICLE, 2000 MERCURY COUGAR, BEGINS JERKING AS IT IS BEING DRIVEN AT ANY SPEED, AND RESULTS IN COMPLETE SHUT DOWN OF ENGINE. SOMETIMES THE ENGINE WILL RESTART AFTER WAITING SEVERAL MINUTES, AND WILL NOT RESTART AT TIMES; REQUIRING TOWING. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE LOCAL DEALER, AND AN EMPLOYEE STATED THAT IT WAS KNOWN BY THE MANUFACTURER TO BE A DESIGN FLAW IN THAT YEAR VEHICLE. ANOTHER EMPLOYEE TOOK HIM TO THE SIDE AND SCOULDED HIM FOR THE DISCLOSURE. THEY WOULD NOT DISCUSS IT FURTHER, EVEN THOUGH I CONTINUED TO QUESTION WHAT THEY WERE DOING TO CORRECT THIS KNOWN DEFECT IN WORKMANSHIP. TO THIS DAY THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO REPEAT THE SAME FAILURE. I HAD THE FUEL FILTER REPLACED TWICE. FINALLY A MECHANIC REPLACED THE CAM SHAFT SENSOR (HE STATED THAT HE HAD SEEN THIS PROBLEM WITH THE CAR MANY TIMES) AND KNEW THAT WAS THE PROBLEM. EVEN THOUGH THE SENSOR WAS REPLACED, THE CAR WORKED WITHOUT SHUT DOWN FOR APPROXIMATELY 4 MONTHS, BUT BEGAN THE SAME SEQUENCE OF SHUT DOWNS ALL OVER AGAIN. THE DESIGN FLAW SHOULD BE RECALLED OR CONSUMERS SHOULD BE REIMBURSED FOR PURCHASE OF A KNOWN DEFECTIVE VEHICLE BY IT'S MANUFACTURER AND DESIGNER. IT IS A SHAME TO GET "STUCK" WITH A LEMON. THANK YOU. *TR

2002 MERCURY SABLE. REAR SPRINGS AND STRUTS SAGGING CAUSING LOW/UNSTABLE RIDE AND CRUNCHING NOISE. SERVICE ATTENDANT SAID CONDITION COULD BE DANGEROUS AND IS COMMON PROBLEM WITH SABLE/TAURUS. *TR