Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | |||||
| 0222 | 02/04/2002 | 630628 | Some vehicles may exhibit an intake manifold crossover (first runner) coolant seepage condition. *tt | 04/19/2002 | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE | |||||
| 07212 | 10/01/2007 | 10023943 | Some 1997-2008 vehicles equipped with a 4.6l 2v, 5.4l 2v, or 6.8l 2v engine--spark plug thread repair procedure--not covered under new vehicle limited warranty. *nj this includes f-53 motorhome chassis. updated 2/23/10. *pe | 02/20/2008 | |
| 9811483 | 04/01/1998 | 613394 | Some police and export cars equipped with phonelic piston calipers may exhibit brake squeal from the rear when braking. *tt | 07/11/2000 | |
| 9874 | 04/13/1998 | 601343 | A new silicone gasket and sealant. *yc | 07/24/1998 | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE | |||||
| 01246 | 12/10/2001 | 630515 | Engine oil system priming procedures, service tips for reports of premature engine failure. *tt | 04/18/2002 | |
| 0214 | 01/21/2002 | 630001 | Some engine assemblies with aluminum cylinder heads repaired in-vehile have been found to leak coolant and/or oil from the cylinder head gasket area. *tt | 04/11/2002 | |
| 01205 | 10/15/2001 | 627927 | Some vehicles may exhibit vacuum or air leaks in the intake manifold and / or engine system causing diagnostic trouble codes p0171 and or p0174. *tt | 02/26/2002 | |
| 15158 | 08/01/2001 | 624571 | Some vehicles may exhibit a fead belt jump-off toss. *yh | 11/07/2001 | |
| 0147 | 03/05/2001 | 619424 | Subject regarding engine oil recommendations for use in 2001 vehicles - sae 5w-20 motor oil. *tt | 05/30/2001 | |
| 983107 | 02/25/1998 | 607401 | Brief information regarding engines being added to the fqr (ford quality renewal) assembly program. *tt | 09/22/1999 | |
| 99816 | 05/03/1999 | 606420 | Ford motor company now recommends sae 5w-30 viscosity grade for servicing any ford gasoline-powered vehicle regardless of model year. *tt | 08/19/1999 | |
| 9947 | 03/08/1999 | 604763 | Engine experiencing roughness at idle due to exhaust system resonance. *tt | 05/12/1999 | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM | |||||
| 8300 | 04/01/2000 | 613634 | Some vehicles may exhibit a bang / popping noise heard from the exhaust system during cool-down. **mr | 07/26/2000 | |
| 13025 | 07/01/1999 | 610768 | Some vehicles may exhibit a bang popping noise heard from the exhaust system during cool-down. *tt | 05/12/2000 | |
| 982010 | 10/12/1998 | 603695 | Experiencing a buzzing or rattling noise from the exhaust system. *yc | 03/02/1999 | |
| 9864 | 03/30/1998 | 601312 | Information on a buzzing or rattle noise from the exhaust system. *tt | 07/21/1998 | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - EMISSION CONTROL | |||||
| 982310 | 11/23/1998 | 603724 | Mass air flow (maf)- sensor contamination- service tip. *ak | 03/03/1999 | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - EMISSION CONTROL - CATALYTIC CONVERTOR | |||||
| 03245 | 12/08/2003 | 10008275 | Malfunction indicator lamp (mil) on with diagnostic trouble codes (dtcs) p0420 and/or p0430. *tt | 07/26/2004 | |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE | |||||
| 05N04 | 12/14/2005 | 10018959 | Extended coverage program 05n04 - extended coverage for composite intake manifold. this program is being provided as a settlement to a class action lawsuit. the terms of the settlement extend the coverage of the all-composite intake manif | 01/25/2006 | |
Investigations
| NHTSA ID | Manufacturer | Date open | Date close | Subject | Recall campaign | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | ||||||
| EA02025 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY | 09/06/2002 | 06/30/2004 | SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH FIRES | ||
| Based on the low rate of fire incidents (2.5 incidents per 100,000 vehicles sold) where failure of the scds is involved and the age of the vehicles | ||||||
| DP05005 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY | 09/22/2005 | 01/04/2006 | SPARK PLUG EJECTION FROM CYLINDER HEAD | ||
| On september 6, 2005, odi received a petition requesting that the agency investigate allegations of engine spark plug ejection in certain model year 1997 through 2004 ford vehicles with triton v-8 and v-10 engines.odi received a total of 474 non-duplicative complaints on the subject vehicles where the complainant, or the dealer repairing the vehicle, reported that a spark plug detached from the cylinder and/or ejected from the engine.as of december 8, 2005, odi is not aware of any allegations where the alleged defect resulted in a loss of vehicle control, a crash, an injury, or a fatality in any of the 10,319,810 subject vehicles.in addition, odi is aware of only two incidents where the vehicle stalled without restart.information contained in the odi consumer complaints and obtained from 72 telephone interviews with complainants showed the following:(1) 99% of the complaints were on my 1997 to 2002 subject vehicles.(2) most the complainants reported hearing a loud pop while driving or upon starting up the vehicle followed by a loud, repetitive clicking or popping sound.(3) many of the complainants reported that the popping sound was accompanied by some loss of vehicle power; however, in 99% of the incidents reported, the vehicle did not stall.in the very few incidents where the vehicle did stall, most vehicles could be restarted.(4) only a small percentage of the complainants cited that they smelled gas or a slight burning smell when the incident occurred.(5) in all but a very few incidents, vehicle damage was limited to the engine.in one incident, the complaint reported that the fuel rail was damaged and replaced after one of the spark plugs ejected from the engine; however, the complainant reported that the damage did not result in any type of fuel leak or fire.in another incident, the only incident where a fire was alleged, the complainant reported that no fluid leak was observed, but that a fire resulted after the spark plug had ejected from the engine and he had restarted the vehicle and driven to another location.none of the complainants reported any damage to the vehicle hood.(6) only two complainants reported that they observed what appeared to be some drops of fuel coming from the cylinder where the spark plug had failed or on the spark plug itself; however, each of these complainants reported that there was no smoke or flames as a result of his incident.as the petitioner noted, and odi | ||||||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE | ||||||
| DP05005 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY | 09/22/2005 | 01/04/2006 | SPARK PLUG EJECTION FROM CYLINDER HEAD | ||
| On september 6, 2005, odi received a petition requesting that the agency investigate allegations of engine spark plug ejection in certain model year 1997 through 2004 ford vehicles with triton v-8 and v-10 engines.odi received a total of 474 non-duplicative complaints on the subject vehicles where the complainant, or the dealer repairing the vehicle, reported that a spark plug detached from the cylinder and/or ejected from the engine.as of december 8, 2005, odi is not aware of any allegations where the alleged defect resulted in a loss of vehicle control, a crash, an injury, or a fatality in any of the 10,319,810 subject vehicles.in addition, odi is aware of only two incidents where the vehicle stalled without restart.information contained in the odi consumer complaints and obtained from 72 telephone interviews with complainants showed the following:(1) 99% of the complaints were on my 1997 to 2002 subject vehicles.(2) most the complainants reported hearing a loud pop while driving or upon starting up the vehicle followed by a loud, repetitive clicking or popping sound.(3) many of the complainants reported that the popping sound was accompanied by some loss of vehicle power; however, in 99% of the incidents reported, the vehicle did not stall.in the very few incidents where the vehicle did stall, most vehicles could be restarted.(4) only a small percentage of the complainants cited that they smelled gas or a slight burning smell when the incident occurred.(5) in all but a very few incidents, vehicle damage was limited to the engine.in one incident, the complaint reported that the fuel rail was damaged and replaced after one of the spark plugs ejected from the engine; however, the complainant reported that the damage did not result in any type of fuel leak or fire.in another incident, the only incident where a fire was alleged, the complainant reported that no fluid leak was observed, but that a fire resulted after the spark plug had ejected from the engine and he had restarted the vehicle and driven to another location.none of the complainants reported any damage to the vehicle hood.(6) only two complainants reported that they observed what appeared to be some drops of fuel coming from the cylinder where the spark plug had failed or on the spark plug itself; however, each of these complainants reported that there was no smoke or flames as a result of his incident.as the petitioner noted, and odi | ||||||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE | ||||||
| DP05005 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY | 09/22/2005 | 01/04/2006 | SPARK PLUG EJECTION FROM CYLINDER HEAD | ||
| On september 6, 2005, odi received a petition requesting that the agency investigate allegations of engine spark plug ejection in certain model year 1997 through 2004 ford vehicles with triton v-8 and v-10 engines.odi received a total of 474 non-duplicative complaints on the subject vehicles where the complainant, or the dealer repairing the vehicle, reported that a spark plug detached from the cylinder and/or ejected from the engine.as of december 8, 2005, odi is not aware of any allegations where the alleged defect resulted in a loss of vehicle control, a crash, an injury, or a fatality in any of the 10,319,810 subject vehicles.in addition, odi is aware of only two incidents where the vehicle stalled without restart.information contained in the odi consumer complaints and obtained from 72 telephone interviews with complainants showed the following:(1) 99% of the complaints were on my 1997 to 2002 subject vehicles.(2) most the complainants reported hearing a loud pop while driving or upon starting up the vehicle followed by a loud, repetitive clicking or popping sound.(3) many of the complainants reported that the popping sound was accompanied by some loss of vehicle power; however, in 99% of the incidents reported, the vehicle did not stall.in the very few incidents where the vehicle did stall, most vehicles could be restarted.(4) only a small percentage of the complainants cited that they smelled gas or a slight burning smell when the incident occurred.(5) in all but a very few incidents, vehicle damage was limited to the engine.in one incident, the complaint reported that the fuel rail was damaged and replaced after one of the spark plugs ejected from the engine; however, the complainant reported that the damage did not result in any type of fuel leak or fire.in another incident, the only incident where a fire was alleged, the complainant reported that no fluid leak was observed, but that a fire resulted after the spark plug had ejected from the engine and he had restarted the vehicle and driven to another location.none of the complainants reported any damage to the vehicle hood.(6) only two complainants reported that they observed what appeared to be some drops of fuel coming from the cylinder where the spark plug had failed or on the spark plug itself; however, each of these complainants reported that there was no smoke or flames as a result of his incident.as the petitioner noted, and odi | ||||||
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | |||
| 03/13/2011 | 114000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 1997 mercury grand marquis. the contact stated that while driving approximately 50 mph, the vehicle suddenly overheated. the vehicle was taken to a local mechanic who replaced the intake manifold. the manufacturer was not notified. the current and failure mileages were approximately 114,000. | |||
| 03/13/2011 | 114000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 1997 mercury grand marquis. the contact stated that while driving approximately 50 mph, the vehicle suddenly overheated. the vehicle was taken to a local repair shop where the intake manifold was replaced. the manufacturer had not been notified. the current and failure mileages were approximately 114,000-bk | |||
| 11/30/2009 | 86000 | 1 | |
| My 1997 mercury grand marquis just experienced the failure of its intake manifold made of plastic. *tr | |||
| 10/21/2007 | 79640 | 1 | |
| Just left highway rest stop in kentucky, no signs of coolant leakage or any problems. within 5-7 miles at 65mph, a beep, beep sound, then temperature gauge rose immediately to high , began to slow vehicle & turned heater on. steam was scene from under the hood as we approached a construction area. we barely made it to a closed weigh station. failure was sudden & catastrophic. had we remained on the highway, an accident would have surely occurred, no shoulder was available. two hours waiting for a tow truck, which finally took the vehicle to the nearest ford dealer. being a sunday, we had to obtain overnight stay in a hotel. monday the dealer diagnosed the problem as a cracked intake manifold. dealer replaced the part, including thermostat & coolant. dealer kept the old parts. dealer said no recall was made for this part. i believe this was a manufacturer's defect which has very serious or deadly consequence & should be reimbursed/corrected by recall of all of these plastic manifolds. please help. thank you *tr | |||
| 07/01/2006 | 58600 | 1 | 02/01/1997 |
| During a recent trip the intake manifold developed a crack causing anti-freeze to leak. the manifold was replaced and the coolant passage is now alum. instead of plastic. seems to me that there is a problem here and a recall needs to be in place. *jb | |||
| 12/23/2005 | 1 | ||
| Re-ford intake manifolds: the intake manifold on my 1997 mercury grand marquis failed on 12/23/05. only then did i learn of the class action lawsuit ford just lost. my car is outside the arbitrary 7 year limit and therefore it cost me $711.12 to have it replaced. i was on the road traveling from georgetown texas to phoenix for christmas. the part is clearly defective. ford knew that. it replaced all manifolds, even those that had not failed yet, on some law enforcement vehicles as far back as 2002. i think my vehicle should have been covered. i think ford should reimburse me for the repair. there must be many others in my situation. *jb | |||
| 12/01/2005 | 1 | 09/01/1997 | |
| Consumer complaint regarding grand marquis possible coolant seepage at the intake manifold cross-over. *ts ***no answer required*** the consumer service bulletin had been issued for the problem, however he never notification. the consumer was told his vehicle identification was not included in bulletin *jb | |||
| 08/18/2005 | 77243 | 1 | 02/07/2005 |
| My wife, and i were comeing home, after eating lunch, going about 50 mph, when a big cloud of smoke,steam come from the motor compartment, i almost hit a on comeing car, because the smoke, and steam was so sudden, and thick. i pulled over as soon as possible, to find anti-freeze all over the motor compartment, and all under neith the car, even on all (4) tires. if we had been on a much busyer hwy, some one could have easily gotten hurt, are killed ! after getting a car hauler to take the car to my home, we found out the manifold was a defected part on the fault of the manufacturer of the manifold ! this is a part that is defected, not warn-out. my car does`nt have but 77,000 miles, i know the problem has been corrected, but who is going to fix my car? the lowest estimate was $624.00 ! my wife and i are both disable,and we live month, by month on a very low disabity cheeck, and we can`t afford to be paying what we live on, because a manufacturer`s did`nt preform the test enough,are tried a shourt-cut that could, and will hurt, are mayby kill some one, if not already. | |||
| 06/01/2005 | 94390 | 1 | |
| The consumer experienced a coolant leak from the intake manifold gasket on his/her 1997 mercury grand marquis. *jb *nm | |||
| 03/28/2005 | 1 | ||
| 1997 mercury grand marquis developed a crack in the crossover duct portion of the intake manifold. *mr the unit was made of plastic. the consumer requested to be reimbursed for the part. *sc *jb | |||
| 02/01/2005 | 1 | ||
| 1997 mercury grand marquis, coolant leakage at intake manifold cross-over. *bf | |||
| 01/10/2005 | 93445 | 1 | 07/20/2001 |
| Failure of plastic intake manifold, along front edge. allowing water to exit engine. replacement metal manifold over $250.00 plus labor. stranding my wife 30 miles from home with a vehicle that was overheated, and could not be filled with water. *nm | |||
| 08/08/2002 | 87962 | 1 | |
| Nar 02/10/2003. the engine began to overheat. the consumer stopped to a local mechanic and the problem was diagnosed as a intake manifold leak. ford refused to cover the repair under warranty. *jb | |||
| 08/20/2002 | 1 | 09/12/1997 | |
| The web site with all the complaints is the following.http://comments.fotki.com/trsi/ i don't feel it's far to consumers to make a defective part which can destroy an engine. help do something for me and others like me. *ak | |||
| 08/20/2002 | 1 | 09/08/1997 | |
| To whom it may concern, i have a 97 grand marquis with a cracked manifold, but my engine is destroyed. if you have any information or if i can join this class action lawsuit against ford could you please forward it to me.. i've been pricing rebuilt engines and most run about $3000, i have the dohc engine which is very pricey. any help in this endeavor would be gladly appreciated..plastic junk! i have visited several websites that have many custmers of ford who had problems with the plastic manifold.. i am surprised by only seeing 15 or so complaints about this. ford has a recall on this part for other vehicles but not mine although it has the same engine as the other vehicles. i don't have $3000 for a new engine and would like some help with this problem..*ak | |||
| 05/18/2004 | 70000 | 1 | 07/09/1998 |
| I own a 97 mercury grand marquis we were losing radiator fluid. found that our plastic intake manifold was cracked where the alternator hits against it. ford motors answer is a kit that will run me $621. this should be a recall item, please help.*ak | |||
| 08/15/2003 | 733381 | ||
| The intake manifold is a composite on ford, lincoln, and mercury. it has a defect in manufacture that ford knows about. ford allowed all police vehicles, taxi cabs and limos repair coverage of this problam but not pleasure vehicles. the manifold leaks on a parting seam from the mold of it, on the front of the manifold, just below where alternator is mounted. several mechanics have stated the area is too thin and the stress from the mounted alternator causes it to crack. one repair man said he tapped on it and the piece broke because it was so thin. i would like to know why we can't get the repairs done like the police, taxi and limos without cost. there 14 complaints on these cars in 2003 that are on record, 3 in 2002 and 1 in 2001 all on 1997 cars. the repairman said he has been repairing 2001 and 2002 police cars for the same problem free of charge. i have photos showing the leak. i should be reinbursed for the repairs and if necessary a class action suit against ford company. this is a defective part and should be recalled. ford is aware of this problem and have made a drastic move to correct this problem with aluminum. | |||
| 05/31/2003 | 72000 | 1 | 03/01/2002 |
| As a result of a crack which occurred in the plastic intake manifold of 1997, mercury, grand marquis, vehicle broke down on the freeway. subsequently had to have manifold/ head gasket, and manifold gaskets replaced at a cost of almost $2,000. of significant concern, was the danger to when the problem occurred during high traffic on a busy freeway! *nlm | |||
| 01/15/2001 | 1 | 02/01/1997 | |
| When driving no more than a block consumer noticed temperature gauge go up. also, steam was coming from engine compartment, all coolant was lost. consumer contacted dealer. dealer noticed intake manifold needed replacing. *ak the consumer states similar year and models had a recall and this vehicle should be included. *yh | |||
| 12/23/1998 | 1 | 07/31/1997 | |
| Temperature gauge failed. *yc | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - COOLING SYSTEM | |||
| 05/02/2008 | 82900 | 1 | |
| I was driving my father's 1997 mercury grand marquis ls at 35 mph. | |||
| 02/06/2008 | 111000 | 1 | |
| The 1997 mercury grand marquis had started running a little rough, and being on a very fixed income i hoped and prayed nothing was too badly wrong with it. the manifold failed on the way to the repair shop and i lost all the coolant from the cracked plastic manifold. i had to replace the defective manifold,due to the 3 inch crack in it and all the related gaskets and peripheral equipment. i still have the manifold and the outrageous bill that went with it!!!!!!! *tr | |||
| 01/09/2008 | 63900 | 1 | 11/29/2007 |
| Vehicle has only 60,000 miles just bought the car. one evening car lost all antifreeze intake manifold had cracked . there is no recall on the grand marquis . but every ford built with the same intake has been recalled. the new part cost 230 and is built differently obviously because the original is a faulty setup. *tr | |||
| 11/09/2006 | 60320 | 1 | 02/01/1997 |
| The intake manifold on my 1997 grand marquis has cracked leaking coolant. i am told mercury had an extended warranty for such failures, but my car is not included. this is a very costly item and the result of ford using inferior plastic for their manifolds is there any way to recover these costs? *nm | |||
| 06/05/2006 | 1 | ||
| Dt*: the contact stated while driving at 65 mph, the temperature gauge rose quickly and the vehicle overheated. hot water leaked out from under the hood and the underside of the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to a private repair shop, who determined that the intake manifold had cracked. updated 8/30/2006 - *nm | |||
| 08/08/2005 | 66500 | 1 | 05/16/1997 |
| Driving down highway at 60 mph., when the plastic intake manifold suddenly ruptured dumping out all the antifreeze. high volume of traffic, we could barely get off highway, steam coming from my car blocking vision. could have caused a major accident. car had to be towed to local garage, then towed to my home and local garage for repairs. we had to rent car to get home. mechanic said our intake manifold ruptured causing head gasket failure and possible engine failure. on 8-23-05, got class action suit papers in mail stating plastic intake manifolds could rupture causing coolant to leak and ford would reimburse people who had the problem and paid for repairs. when i got the paper i went to mechanic and told him to stop repairs to see where i stood in suit. suit did not mention gasket repair reimbursement and engine failure reimbursement. i called ford today and got the usual story that their was no recall on my car, etc. however ford did recall police cars, taxis and fleet cars with the same engine that i have. ford knew about the poorly designed plastic intake manifolds for years and did not care about customer safety. we could have died from their neglect. w | |||
| 06/01/2005 | 90000 | 2 | |
| 1997 mercury grand marquis intake manifold failure has happened twice, unknown if there is any other damage because of this failure. this is a plastic manifold both have cracked. ford has refused to take care of the problem. the first failure was in 2003. the second in 2005. fluid loss and steam was so heavy on the second failure that the driver could not see and almost had an accident on the roadway. | |||
| 07/09/2004 | 31327 | 1 | |
| Problems with intake manifold on 1997 mercury grand marquis.*mr the intake manifold cracked which caused antifreeze to be sprayed onto the engine. the consumer observed that the replacement manifold had an additional protective metal plate located around the front face of the manifold directly opposite the alternator. the consumer believes that the addition of the metal shield is proof that the manufacturer was aware of the poorly designed original design therefore he feels they should have been recalled. the consumer request reimbursement for the cost of a new intake manifold. *nm | |||
| 07/08/2004 | 66000 | 1 | 07/27/2000 |
| Consumer pulled over to the side of the road and there was fluid all over the engine because the intake manifold, whic was made of plastic, cracked. consumer contacted lincoln mercury and was told that this was the designed features of the vehicle and there was nothing they could do. *ak | |||
| 05/31/2004 | 67500 | 1 | 03/15/2003 |
| Driving down the road , i noticed a coolant smell coming into my 1997 grand marqui. i then pulled over to find coolant steaming from under the hood. took it to the dealer the next day and they found a cracked plastic intake manifold that is going to cost around $1000 to fix. since then i have checked the internet site and found this is a common problem in these cars with 4.6 engine. i also found out this problem was being fixed by ford on fleet cars only at no charge. why is this not being paid by ford when it is obviously a manufactuer defect and why are the fleet vehicles being taken care of for nocharge?*ak | |||
| 07/20/2002 | 53000 | 1 | 02/01/2001 |
| Driving with my family, on an interstate at 65 mph, we suffered a catastrophic loss of engine coolant. thank god, i managed to safely pull over to the shoulder of the road. the vehicle was towed 25 miles to the nearest ford dealer to natural bridge, virginia. i was dumbfounded when i learned that the manifold was made of plastic; it actually blew apart, releasing all the engine coolant at once. additionally, i learned that not only did ford engineer an inferior major engine component, but they made my family the guinea pig to field test this junk! to add insult to injury, they made me pay for it. my cost included: towing $125, manifold replacement for $800, and an unplanned hotel stay including meals for approximately $225 with a total cost of $1150 which does not include the loss of a days pay. if the ford motor company think they derived an advantage by not paying for this failure, i believe they should think again. until i have been reimbursed in full i will not own another ford product nor any product in which ford has a business interest. i'm glad i found this web site. i hope it alerts others to the bad business practices that the ford motor company happens to be practicing!*ak | |||
| 05/04/2004 | 67637 | 1 | 07/05/1997 |
| I was driving in heavy stop and go traffic when i started to smell anitfreeze. within a few seconds, steam start coming from around the hood, obscuring my vision. i was able to maneuver off the road and called a tow truck. had the vehicle towed to a nearby dealer where it was diagnosed as a crack in the plastic intake manifold. the manifold was replaced with an improved part where the coolant was routed through a metal section of the manifold. total cost of the repair was $1145.62 plus $80 for the tow. | |||
| 10/20/2003 | 97675 | 1 | 07/05/1997 |
| I was driving home from work when the heat gauge started rising rapidly. i pulled over and opened the hood of the car. i had to call a tow truck. the car is still in the shop due to the fact the part is in high demand. it is now a item that ford stocks and they can't keep enough to supply the demand. it cost me $700. this should not be made of plastic! it is an important component and has to be able to handle heat. this was not a wise choice on ford's part. *la | |||
| 09/03/2003 | |||
| The plastic intake manifold cracked behind the alternator resulting in loss of coolant fluid. the repair cost is $700. these manifolds have a history of this problem and needed to be recalled. *la | |||
| 05/12/2003 | 122863 | 1 | |
| While entering onto the highway from a service road, smoke/steam began coming from underneath the hood, and we began to smell the antifreeze as it burned off the engine and manifold. the engine light came on, and engine temperature guage began to rise rapidly. luckily, i was able to drive to a nearby ford dealer. the repair guy looked under the hood and without close examination told me that the intake's base was made of plastic and that it had failed and began leaking engine coolant. the leak was right behind the alternator. he said that it is a common problem and that he had seen five such incidents in recent months. he did explain that ford recognized the problem and had come out with a replacement part with an aluminum base. the total repair bill was $816.56 - no offer to replace n/c because of a known defect. the repair guy did say it is a common problem and ford should do something about it.*ak | |||
| 11/27/2002 | 1 | 04/01/2097 | |
| Failure of intake manifold was sudden/catestrophic and happened at highway speed. engine coolant caused a cloud of steam so thick, forward vision was completely blocked. blocked forward vision could have caused a serious accident. dt | |||
| 09/23/2002 | 08/01/2001 | ||
| The intake manifold is made of a plastic material. it developed a crack and a major coolant leak at the front of the manifold. the car was running at normal temp before the failure, it just cracked with no warning. this is a major fix because the entire intake manifold has to be replaced. the cost of the part alone is $283. this is a defective part, in my opinion. dt | |||
| 10/08/2002 | 1 | ||
| Consumer notice coolant smell inside vehicle while traveling soon after notice temperature gauge rising with indication light flashing. consumer pull vehicle over look under hood and notice coolant under hood and ground vehicle was service intake manifold need to be replace. mr the consumer states that ford acknowledges this problem to fleet owners and has a recall, but aren't addressing the problem. the consumer states that he has made the repairs with parts purchased from the ford dealer. (cracked along the seam, dumped coolant all over the upper engine and onto the ground) *scc | |||
| 11/18/2001 | 1 | 05/01/1997 | |
| This part is made of plastic. plastic is an unsuitable material for a major component that is subject to frequent heating and cooling, vibration, and aging. the failure of this part occurs suddenly and catastrophically. the driver risks total loss of power from the engine and control of the car if they continue to drive. the driver and occupants are at risk to death and injury if this part fails in unsafe areas, in inclement weather, or at night. this defect is a no brainer when you consider the long history of successful operation of automobiles with intake manifolds made with cast iron or cast aluminum.*ak | |||
| 01/05/2001 | 1 | 01/01/1997 | |
| No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak | |||
| 12/15/1997 | 1 | 08/31/1997 | |
| Water pump failed. nlm | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE | |||
| 03/15/2010 | 37000 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 1997 mercury grand marquis. while driving at speeds of 10 mph, the contact observed smoke coming from under the hood and within seconds, the interior cabin was filled with smoke and flames. the vehicle occupants were able to safely exit the vehicle. and the fire and police department were contacted. there were reports filed by both entities. the vehicle was destroyed. the dealer advised there were no recalls for the vehicle and the manufacturer would not provide any assistance. the failure and current mileages were 37,000. | |||
| 07/24/2009 | 67000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 1997 mercury grand marquis. while driving at any speed, the vehicle will suddenly shut off. the contact is able to shift into neutral and restart the vehicle. the vehicle has not been diagnosed by the dealer. the current and failure mileages were 67,000. | |||
| 02/06/2008 | 111000 | 1 | |
| The 1997 mercury grand marquis had started running a little rough, and being on a very fixed income i hoped and prayed nothing was too badly wrong with it. the manifold failed on the way to the repair shop and i lost all the coolant from the cracked plastic manifold. i had to replace the defective manifold,due to the 3 inch crack in it and all the related gaskets and peripheral equipment. i still have the manifold and the outrageous bill that went with it!!!!!!! *tr | |||
| 04/07/2004 | 40000 | 2 | 05/27/1997 |
| Re: objection to proposed settlement on susan chamberlan et al. v. ford motor company, case no. c 03-2628 cw to whom it may concern: i am the owner of a 1997 mercury grand marquis, vin 2melm75w8vx672676, that experienced catastrophic failure of the intake manifold in question. i object to the proposed settlement because there is no provision for the additional damage that is likely to occur when there is catastrophic failure of this part. after having the intake manifold replaced we experienced abnormal performance, which included abnormally high coolant temperatures during a road trip, which caused us to have to have the car towed from out of the area to the local mercury dealer. they discovered no problem with the replacement of the intake manifold, but the heads and block had warped at the time of the failure requiring a complete engine replacement. if the vehicle had been under warranty then the total cost of engine replacement and the intake manifold would have been covered. for this reason the proposed settlement of just retroactively providing an extended warranty on the manifold alone is not acceptable. if the vehicle warranty had been in effect at the time of the failure then all repair costs would have been covered. as a result of poor engineering, design, and lack of notification of the defect by ford motor company it has cost me $6082.00, not including the aggravation, towing, and other fees associated with ford's negligence. please advise me how i can get the reimbursement i deserve. *nm | |||
| 12/24/2005 | 90800 | 1 | 01/10/2002 |
| Drove approx. six miles from home to christmas eve. church service with family. when arrived, steam and smoke were coming from front grille, and around engine hood. thought the car was going to start on fire. also making a hissing and gurgling noise. was quite an event in the parking lot! had inspected two days later (after christmas) and found front intake manifold (plastic?) passage cracked and leaking engine coolant onto top of engine block. also cooling fan was blowing leaking coolant over the passenger side, entire top of engine. no coolant left in coolant reservoir and no coolant flow through engine; due to air bubble / loss of vacuum? i now hear mercury has a secret recall admitting this is a common failure and repairing vehicles less than sever years old for free, also have read that fleet vehicles are being repaired for free, but denying owner assistance to same vehicle, engine and intake manifold type to older models. *nm | |||
| 06/27/2002 | 1 | ||
| During travel on fm 1604 (outer loop road around san antonio, texas), i noticed engine overheating. i pulled over and took steps to delay major seizing of engine. vehicle was spewing steam - looking like hose cracked or loosened. taken to firestone facility. firestone unable to repair due to damage being cracked intake manifold! vehicle repaired at my expense (approximately $1,000.00). in my opinion, vehicle had insufficient mileage to justify such damage. unable to obtain repair frequency information from ford motor company (fmc) or any other data, including information concerning possible recall efforts after repeated attempts. unable to receive any response from fmc. in 2004, found out that firestone had issued repair kit to their facilities for cracked intake manifold repairs for various vehicles, including 1997 mercury grand marquis. fmc continues to comment or respond to my queries. *jb | |||
| 09/27/2004 | 89979 | 1 | 10/13/1999 |
| 1997 mercury grand marquis intake manifold. *bf the consumers vehicle had a plastic intake manifold. after so many miles the pressure made the front end of the manifold crack and leak. the manifold was replaced. the consumer was told that many of the same make and models had the same problem. *tc *jb *tc | |||
| 06/25/2003 | 1 | ||
| While driving approx. 55 mph and without prior warning check engine light appeared on the dashboard, and antifreeze was leaking from underneath the vehicle. *ak | |||
| 05/14/2003 | 123000 | 06/14/1999 | |
| I would also like to be on a notification list when the recall on intake manifolds for 4.6l ford/mercury engines finally happens. the plastic intake manifold cracked and leaked water outside the engine. *jb | |||
| 05/04/2003 | 73602 | 12/30/1999 | |
| The intake manifold cracked while driving at about 65 miles an hour, with no warning. i was not aware of the coolant lose until a/c started blowing hot air. after walking 6 miles to a phone and a 2 hour wait for a tow truck, i was able to get the car to the dealer. when i told service rep what happened,, he said you got a cracked manifold. if this has happened so often that the service rep can tell you what went wrong with out raising the hood, then there is a problem! ford motor company should be made to correct the problem or give free replacements and free labor every time this happens. the web site, my autostats.com has 138 complaints listed at this time,on this problem and no investigations or findings are listed. this car is targeted towards the older driver and no one would want this to happen to their parents or even grand parents. *jb | |||
| 08/05/2002 | 105000 | 1 | 04/15/2001 |
| I would like to be on a notification list when the recall on intake manifolds for 4.6l ford/merc engines finally happens. our '97 grand marquis intake manifold cracked, while on the highway and we (fortunately) had just returned from a back roads area. we had to get towed to a ford dealership where for $700 they replaced the 'composite' plastic manifold. i also have a 2001 g.marquis, if it's covered by the rumored forth coming recall. *jb | |||
| 04/24/2003 | 1 | ||
| The plastic intake manifold cracked, and leaked water inside the engine. *jb | |||
| 03/10/2003 | 11/05/2001 | ||
| I own a 1997 grand marquis with 36,000 miles. when exiting my car i would smell plastic burning. this happened more frequently when i drove longer. i brought the car to the dealership and was told the head gasket was leaking and needed to be replaced. i have an extended warranty which covered most of the cost, but i still needed to pay for parts that weren't covered. when asked how this could have happened with a car having such low mileage, they had no answer, just that it happens. i had my car serviced at the dealership in november of 2002 for an oil change and fluid check and also, upon their recommendation, had my transmission fluid changed. i would like to know if there have been any other complaints of head gaskets leaking in this model and if someone can please tell my why this would happen. *nlm | |||
| 04/16/2003 | 79000 | 1 | 06/06/1997 |
| Intake manifold coolant crossover rupture at 79000 miles. *jb | |||
| 02/06/2003 | 78993 | 1 | |
| The plastic part on the 4.6 liter engine of my 1997 grand marquis failed in a remote part of arizona which resulted in complete engine replacement. i understand that all 4.6 engines in crown victoria's, mercury's, lincoln's, and ford trucks had this part on which many failed. ford motor co. so much as admitted that this part was unacceptable, because the plastic part was replaced with a metal one. however they decline to do anything if the car is beyond warranty. i understand that they had a hidden warranty for police cars and taxis with no mileage restrictions. help !!!!!!! *nlm | |||
| 03/23/2003 | 112976 | 1 | 06/07/2001 |
| Plastic manifold cracked open releasing all cooling fluid driving 30 mph, outside temp 58 degrees... despite the unwise - if not stupid - decision to save costs by manufacturing one of the hottest parts on a car, plastic, this car should definitely be recalled for that reason, and the dealership should be told to repair this defect at their cost or to reimburse customers who already had to pay this $ 600.00+ for replacing this part with a metal one. *jb | |||
| 03/20/2003 | 80800 | 1 | 06/16/1998 |
| We also had the plastic intake manifold crack on the interstate at a repair cost of about $950.00 ford has recalled fleet bought 4.6l engines, however individual owners have to pay $$$ for the same issue. *jb | |||
| 01/19/2003 | 102000 | 1 | 01/11/2003 |
| 1997 mercury grand marquis cracked plastic intake manifold. | |||
| 05/02/2002 | 1 | 03/01/2097 | |
| I puchased my vehicle new in 1997. the harmonic balancer had two major cracks which resulted in damage to the crank shaft which resulted in the vehicle requiring a new engine. this vehicle had only 68000 miles and was never involved in an accident. an independent mechanic who examined my vehicle explained he had never seen something of this nature in all his years of repairing vehicles. since this vehicle has never been in a accident, all indications are that this is a severe manufacturing defect. if this engine had exploded, it could have caused severe injury to the driver.*ak | |||
| 03/20/2001 | 2 | ||
| Engine shut down completely while proceeding across a busy intersetion, consumer was able to shift into neutral and restart engine while still rolling and continued on,engine check light would stay on, consumer had aarm reman sensor asy-engine elec. replaced, and also pcm reprogrammed. *jb | |||
| 3 | 10/01/1996 | ||
| Computer has to be 'reflashed' every 20,000 miles approximately because of lost data controlling engine timing and optimum automatic shift performance. this could lead to early engine failure. | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE | |||
| 11/01/2002 | 2 | ||
| In november of 2001 i left for a trip in my mercury, about halfway to my destination, the intake manifold of my car failed, the entire contents of my coolant system evacuated in less than one minute. i thought i had ruptured a hose, upon closer inspection; it appeared to me that a hose had blown close to the engine block in a place that i could not see well. a mechanic at the dealership informed me the next day that the intake manifold was plastic and that it had cracked. but luckily for me he would help me out, he happened to have a spare manifold that he had taken off of another car like mine. apparently, someone had blown a head gasket in their 97 grand marquis and the owners were convinced that it was the intake manifold. so the mechanic replaced their manifold and kept their old one that was still good. the mechanic was willing to sell me the manifold and replace the broken one on my car for about half the price it was going to cost me to have the dealership replace it. the dealer would have billed me nearly $600.00, so i told him to perform the repairs. he told me that they had some problems with the plastic intakes and had redesigned them. the one he placed on my car was supposedly of the new design. later in a momentary lapse of judgment i told him to dispose of the original, which i believe was cracked in the same place as the one in the pictures found at this website http://public.fotki.com/trsi/ford_intake_recall/ last night as i was running some errands around town, my car started to overheat. i thought nothing of it i figured i might have a hole in a heater hose. since i recently started using the heater in the car. the car ran hot all the way home no matter what i did or how much air i tried to pass through the radiator. in the path to or from the radiator from the heater core. the heater hoses go through the intake manifold. the plastic fitting that accepts the heater hose has a hairline crack running its entire length. dt | |||
| 08/10/2000 | 1 | ||
| Rattling noise coming from engine, on the first start up due to the oilfeed back from lack of oil to the tappets and last several minutes, the hydraulic lifters are not holding their oil pressusre overnight,consumer was told by dealer this is a characteristic of this design. *jb | |||
| 04/25/1998 | 1 | 04/25/1997 | |
| Engine fire after sitting in driveway for four hours. referenced in ea02-025 | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - ENGINE - GASOLINE - BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS | |||
| 06/23/1997 | |||
| Driving approximately 65mph and suddenly heard a loud nosie,lost control of vehicle which resulted in an accident and vehicle was totaled . drive belt was on side of highway which leads me to believe it was a defective drive belt. *ak | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM | |||
| 07/29/2010 | 47025 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 1997 mercury grand marquis . the contact stated that while driving at 65 mph, when the service check engine light illuminated. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where they diagnosed it stating the intake manifold had failed due to the structure. the manifold was replaced at the owners expense. the failure mileage was 47025 and the current mileage was 47050.cv | |||
| 06/06/2005 | 97160 | 1 | 01/07/1999 |
| Motor heated up, was extremely hot, had to have vechicle towed to a repair shop.they found a cracked plastic intake manifold . it was replaced and resolved the problem | |||
| 09/14/2003 | 37057 | 1 | 05/31/1997 |
| The engine on my '97 grand marquis blew up with 37,057 miles on it. according to the service dept, a valve stuck open, the engine backfired into the intake and blew it out. i need to replace the intake and the cylinder head, and have been quoted about $3500 to repair it. according to the ford factory rep, ford will not participate in the repair because the car is over 6 years old. *la | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - EMISSION CONTROL | |||
| 1 | |||
| Automatic transmission and catalytic converter failed. *ak *jb | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - EMISSION CONTROL - CATALYTIC CONVERTOR | |||
| 11/24/2004 | 68657 | 2 | |
| While driving mil code p0420 set. ford tsb 03-24-5 indicates pcm reprogramming rather than replacement of catalytic converters required. despite being within emissions warranty coverage period dealer charged $119 for this work, claiming emissions warranty did not cover this work. defective programming of pcm to cause the check engine light to come on, requiring a visit to dealer. can't pass emissions test with light on, should be against the law. in any case the reprogramming of the pcm should have resulted in no charge. this failure resulted in a mandated, due to state emissions testing, visit to dealer and a charge for service to fix a manufacturing defect.*ak the pcm was reprogrammed, according to dealer, and currently light is off. it is very easy to program the pcm to send erroneous codes at any time, especially when out of warranty, allowing the car dealers to create a cash flow they might not otherwise have. this should be illegal! | |||
| 81000 | 1 | ||
| While driving engine light came on and remained on. could hear a knocking noise coming from under the hood. had taken vehicle to dealership, and mechanic indicated it was the catalytic converter, but the problem had not been repaired.*ak | |||
| 09/30/2001 | 2 | ||
| Two catalytic convertors have burned out while consumer was driving vehicle. has not contacted dealer.*ak *yh | |||
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING - EXHAUST SYSTEM - MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE | |||
| 02/27/2008 | 65000 | 1 | |
| Tl*the contact owns a 1997 mercury grand marquis. while pulling into the garage, the vehicle began smoking because the radiator fluid was leaking onto the engine. the dealer stated that the manifold cracked and needed to be replaced. the contact has the cracked manifold. the purchase date was unknown. the current and failure mileages were 65,000. | |||
| 01/03/2008 | 80000 | 1 | 12/23/2007 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 1997 mercury grand marquis. in the course of a year, the vehicle leaked anti-freeze sporadically. just recently, the manifold cracked completely and prevented the vehicle from holding any anti-freeze. the vehicle is currently at the dealer and the repair will cost $600. the dealer stated that no recalls were available. the failure mileage was 80,000 and current mileage was 90,000. updated 01/29/08 *bf updated | |||
| 09/06/2007 | 130000 | 1 | |
| Tl*the contact owns a 1997 mercury grand marquis. the current mileage was 140,000 miles. the contact stated that there was a crack in the intake manifold. the vehicle, as a result, leaked antifreeze and engine oil. the vehicle was repaired at the cost of the contact. the failure mileage was 130,000 miles. | |||
| 12/23/2006 | 1 | 04/15/1997 | |
| This incident involves a 1997 mercury grand marquis gs and the failure (cracking) of the manifold intake which is in the process of leading to a high repair bill. i'd like to reference the ford manifold intake settlement. this incident occurred approximately 9 months after the march deadline. we were not notified that there was an on-going settlement or an identified problem with the manifold intake. we request your assistance in providing any recourse in this matter and seeking reimbursement from ford. being a senior citizen and on a fixed income, it is extremely hard when getting hit with a huge repair bill especially when it involves a manufacturers defect. it is a shame that individuals like myself can be taken advantage of by big business and the seemingly hush hush attitude of this defect by not making this case well known. it seems individuals like myself have fallen through the cracks and request your assistance and guidance in this matter. i await your reply to my concerns. thank you. *nm | |||
| 12/09/2005 | 130000 | 2 | 10/23/2000 |
| Dt: the contact stated the intake manifold failed twice. the first failure was in 2001, and the second failure was in 2005. the vehicle was towed to the dealership on both occasions where the engine was replaced at the contact's expense. the manufacturer has offered no free remedy. *ak the engine had to be replaced in 2001, and in 2005 had to replace the intake manifold and pay to have it installed at lincoln mercury in concord, new hampshire. when the intake manifold failed, antifreeze leaked all over the engine. after it was fixed, the intake manifold failed again. the contact had to pay for repairs, and there was no recall. *ak | |||
| 08/22/2005 | 80072 | 1 | 07/15/1999 |
| Dt: the caller said vehicle had a cracked manifold. while driving at about 45 mph steam started coming out of the hood. he pulled over and had to have the vehicle towed to a garage. he had the garage replace the manifold. dealer will not help with problem. manufacturer has not been contacted yet.*ak updated 12/27/2005 - *nm | |||
| 08/08/2005 | 66500 | 1 | 05/16/1997 |
| Driving down highway at 60 mph., when the plastic intake manifold suddenly ruptured dumping out all the antifreeze. high volume of traffic, we could barely get off highway, steam coming from my car blocking vision. could have caused a major accident. car had to be towed to local garage, then towed to my home and local garage for repairs. we had to rent car to get home. mechanic said our intake manifold ruptured causing head gasket failure and possible engine failure. on 8-23-05, got class action suit papers in mail stating plastic intake manifolds could rupture causing coolant to leak and ford would reimburse people who had the problem and paid for repairs. when i got the paper i went to mechanic and told him to stop repairs to see where i stood in suit. suit did not mention gasket repair reimbursement and engine failure reimbursement. i called ford today and got the usual story that their was no recall on my car, etc. however ford did recall police cars, taxis and fleet cars with the same engine that i have. ford knew about the poorly designed plastic intake manifolds for years and did not care about customer safety. we could have died from their neglect. w | |||
| 07/12/2005 | 81000 | 2 | 03/23/1999 |
| Dt: the consumer owned a 1997 mercury grand marquis. the plastic intake manifold cracked which caused the vehicle to overheat. there was also some smoking. the consumer stopped and added antifreeze. the service engine light came on, and the temperature gauge went all the way to hot. consumer was out of town and she had to find a local mechanic as there was no dealerships nearby. the vehicle had to be driven, and then stopped to cool and add water. there were no tow trucks in the area. the vehicle was fixed. it was replaced with a metal intake manifold. the consumer also stated that shortly after the vehicle was purchase both front windows needed new motors. *ak *nm | |||
| 07/20/2005 | 91000 | 1 | 05/01/1999 |
| Dt: contact had to replace the entire- intake manifold on 1997 mercury grand marquis. it blew anti-freeze all over his engine. this happened on 7-20-05 , and he just got the car back on 7-26-05. contact had a local service dealer replace the manifold. he would like to file a complaint because he felt this was a definite defect. the service dealer stated he had to replace a lot of other manifolds. contact talked to ford, and they basically told him that if they won the law suit against the manufacturer of the manifold they may get the $1,100.00 that he had to pay refunded to him.*ak | |||
| 07/20/2004 | 1 | ||
| Consumer has defective manifolds in both of his 1996 town car and the 1997 mercury grand marquis.*mr the manufacturer refused to reimburse the consumer for the replacement of the plastic intake manifold in either of the vehicle's . *nm | |||
| 06/14/2005 | 81760 | 1 | 07/01/2003 |
| Driving down highway, 60 mph, temperature guage showed an extreme increase in temperature. i smelled anitfreeze inside the car. the voltage meter guage was increasing and decreasing. i then pulled off the highway and turned car off. steam was coming from under the hood. popped the hood, antifreeze was everywhere, none left in resevoir. intake manifold is cracked directly behind the alternator, causing car to leak all antifreeze. had to have car towed home. | |||
| 04/25/2005 | 58000 | 1 | 04/11/2005 |
| 4.6l engine leaked coolant from the intake manifold, and caused the engine to overheat while driving. consumer has a concern that the intake manifold was made out of plastic. dealer was notified, and informed the consumer that this part was not covered under a recall. *ak | |||
| 07/23/2004 | 59995 | 1 | 10/15/1997 |
| Regular use of car on a 90 degree day. engine would overheat show on dash. all coolant was lost. rear intake had to be replaced and injector cleaned, coolant replaced. *nm | |||
| 01/12/2005 | 86000 | 1 | |
| Vehicle is experiencing a problem with a cracked manifold which is made of plastic, and the crack is behind the alternator. *ak | |||
| 01/01/2004 | 83755 | ||
| The air intake manifold; the vehicle started to smoke. the anti-freeze completely drained from the vehicle. consumer managed to drive the vehicle to the nearest dealer. found the intake manifold was cracked. contacted ford manufacturer. *ak | |||
| 12/01/2004 | 80000 | 1 | 05/26/1997 |
| Intake manifold failed spilling coolant and disabling car. this was a plastic part that has been replaced by metal. dealer says large numbers of these failures. cost over $1,000 to repair. possible recall for other model lines using exact same engine ie crown victoria.*ak | |||
| 10/01/2004 | 1 | ||
| The intake manifold failed. vehicle overheated. consumer stated that they were some plastic pieces in the engine.*ak | |||
| 08/25/2004 | 108000 | 1 | 12/17/1997 |
| A few months ago we found that our was over heating and found that we are leaking water somewhere in the system. we could not find a leak but had to put water into the radiator ever two days. we took the car to the shop to have the pros find the leak. we were told that their was w crack in the intake manifold and that it was a very common defect in ford & mercury grand marquis. they said that the manifold was made of plastic and they would all crack and brake. every shop that i went to said the same thing and that they a lot of grand marquis waiting to be repaired. a replacement manifold cost $400.00 plus $250 in labor. we were told that if we continued to drive it, it would blow-up. we are afraid to drive the car and the parts are not available. i saw at least 20 grand marquis waiting for manifolds. i was told that ford design them to brake. that's why their made of plastic. how stupid could they be to make engine parts out of pvc. what can i do? i believe that the cars should be recalled and replace the intake manifolds. *jb | |||
| 10/15/2004 | 77900 | 1 | 03/08/2004 |
| While traveling in canada, i noticed white smoke suddenly appear coming from my exhaust. i was about 200 miles from home at the time. i pulled into a service station and later learned that i had a hole in the intake manifold that caused my engine to immediately overheat. i had since, phoned ford motor and inquired on this problem to see if there is a recall. i had learned of many instances of this same problem on many 1997 mercury grand marquis'. ford informed me that there are no recalls regarding this.*ak | |||
| 10/09/2004 | 67000 | 1 | |
| Vehicle is having a problem with the intake manifold which is made of plastic. it leaks and eventually the vehicle stops running. owner has been left stranded due to the plastic manifold melting and cracking. provide further details. *nm | |||
| 10/02/2004 | 1 | 11/27/1996 | |
| The consumer noticed a leak coming from underneath vehicle. the consumer let the engine cool because he thought it was the radiator. the added water and continued to drive, then the temperature gauge started to rise. the vehicle was towed to a mercury dealer. the dealer informed the consumer that the intake manifold had a crack in it. please provide any further information. *jb plastic tubing inside metal casing was cracked according to the service manager. service manager also suggested that the water pump be replaced. *tc | |||
| 06/14/2004 | 125000 | 1 | 04/17/1997 |
| Entering the freeway i noticed white smoke behind the car. i watched the temperature. and nursed the car to exit. i discovered a broken intake manifold, the same defect and problem that ford is fixing for police and taxis. i had to have the new style intake installed with the aluminum water cross over. now three months later i have a blown head gasket. i think that is also a problem caused when the intake broke, and caused the engine to overheat. ford has been aware of this problem before 1990, but continued to use defective parts past my model year. *ak | |||
| 09/03/2004 | 80000 | 2 | |
| The intake manifold melted twice without warning. as a result the vehicle became inoperable. please provide additional information. *jb | |||
| 05/07/2004 | 61130 | 2 | 02/15/1997 |
| Plastic intake manifold on my 1997 mercury grand marquee melted on arizona freeway . by the time i could safely pull over, my car had lost it's coolant and caused the engine to be damaged beyond repair, mercury knew if this problem but did not notify me. the result was a new engine at a cost of $4871.45 i feel that the ford motor should have paid for some portion of this repair. i had taken my car in for all the scheduled maintenance at the required intervals and was never made aware of this condition. *la | |||
| 05/13/2004 | 132500 | 1 | 08/05/1997 |
| Air from air conditioner turned warm; temperature gauge went up to its highest level; pulled off to the side of the road. got out of car and observed steam as well as leaking antifreeze. called for tow truck which took car to the nearest auto repair. technician not available. car then towed to ford mecury dealership in bakersfield, ca where the problem was diagnosed as a crack in the manifold. replaced the manifold at a cost of $1600!!!!*ak | |||
| 12/18/2003 | 1 | 04/01/1997 | |
| While driving vehicle overheated and stalled. vehicle was towed to consumer's house. however, consumer restarted the vehicle, and drove it to the dealership. upon inspection of the vehicle by the dealership they noticed that intake manifold cracked, and need to be repaired. manufacturer was aware of this problem, but was only paying for the repairs on fleet vehicles. *ak *nm | |||
| 05/21/2004 | 1 | ||
| Plastic intake manifold has a crack in it located in the front part fo manifold, behind the alternator.*ak | |||
| 04/07/2004 | 117000 | 1 | 10/19/1997 |
| 1997 mercury grand marquis intake manifold failure. *ak | |||
| 02/25/2004 | 54100 | 11/03/2001 | |
| Intake manifold from factory faulty-made of plastic that tends to crack when vehicle gets hot. mechanic told me that this is a common trait in fords 4.6 liter engines and their customer service dept. refuses to acknowledge. this problem is going to cost each customer approximately $750.00 to fix. | |||
| 02/07/2004 | 1 | ||
| Cracked intake manifold is leaking antifreeze. *ak | |||
| 12/24/2003 | 81900 | 1 | 02/21/2003 |
| 1997 mercury grand marquis ls, 81,000 miles; the intake manifold failed unexpectedly with a crack in the plastic coolant crossover. the coolant sprayed all over inside of engine compartment. i understand that ford recalled these type vehicles from fire, police and other service related agencies. i wonder how many crashes this defect has caused? wonder why ford doesn't consider its other consumers? we have to pay for this in more ways than one; i.e., money, emotional trauma, lost time from work, etc.! wonder where you find out if there are any class-action lawsuits? going there now! *cb | |||
| 12/31/2003 | 87138 | 1 | 07/13/2002 |
| While driving at 50 mph smoke started coming from under the hood. the plastic intake manifold cracked, and water went all over the engine. dealership installed an aluminum intake manifold.*ak | |||
| 01/02/2004 | 105300 | 1 | |
| I guess we were lucky. at 105,260 miles, during the test drive after a major tuneup, the plastic intake on our 1997 grand marquis intake manifold cracked. the mechanic was almost at the shop, so no other damage was done except to our pocketbook. upon looking at the consistency of the manifold failure, and that the plastic manifold, if the vehicle was out of warrenty, has been covered for cars in service, such as police cars, but not for passenger cars, and that ford motor company has known about this defect for some time and, from what i can determine, did not issue any recalls, i'm inclined to believe this is a class action law suit waiting to happen. *ak | |||
| 12/05/2003 | 1 | ||
| While driving consumer noticed black smoke coming from the engine. pulled the vehicle over, opened the hood and noticed that the intake manifold failed. *ak | |||
| 01/11/2003 | 91000 | 1 | 05/10/1999 |
| 97 mercury marquis gs, it has 91k mi on it. the intake manifold failed unexpectedly with a crack in the plastic coolant crossover. the coolant sprayed all over inside of engine compartment. it was the weekend i was on a rural highway in the sticks with my two kids ages 4 & 6 in the car somewhere between boston & the university of nh. not wanting to become stranded in sub zero degree weather in the middle of no where, i managed to crawl it into the driveway of a local mechanic where it died & would not start, the motor was super hot! the mechanic added coolant managed to get the engine turn over after sitting for the weekend & called to tell me the plastic intake manifold was cracked & that is was not covered under recall by ford. it cost me over $1200 for the expenses incurred as a result(parts & labor, hotel & rental car expenses). the engine miraculously has been running fine for close to a year now with a newly factory redesigned (aluminum coolant crossover) ford intake manifold. *la | |||
| 10/14/2003 | 1 | ||
| Independent shop replaced the intake plastic manifold, coolant went inside engine. *ak | |||
| 06/13/2003 | 1 | ||
| Owner said intake manifold cracked. *ak | |||
| 08/26/2003 | 66634 | 1 | 09/20/2001 |
| Vehicle overheated while driving due to a crack in the intake manifold. *ak the consumer was driving the vehicle when she smelled anti-freeze, she pulled over and then the vehicle over heated. *scc *jb | |||
| 41000 | 1 | ||
| While driving at highway speeds consumer heard a snapping noise. when this occurred vehicle started pulling to the right. upon inspection of the vehicle by the dealership there was a hole in the intake manifold, and the fluid had leaked out. *ak | |||
| 08/12/2003 | 1 | ||
| When driving 55 mph and without warning intake manifold cracked, causing oil to leak. dealer has been notified. *ak | |||
| 08/02/2003 | 105000 | 1 | 03/30/1999 |
| Intake manifold cracked causing the car to overheat. found on numerous websites that ford is aware of the problem, which seems to happen frequently. however, the recall for the part is only for service vehicles and does not cover private vehicles. the part number is the same for both vehicles and is a hazard on the vehicle regardless of whether it is commercial or not. private vehicles should be covered by the recall.*ak | |||
| 07/14/2003 | 70 | 1 | 01/08/2002 |
| I have a 1997 grand marquis with less than 60,000 miles. the intake manifold cracked july 14, 2003 while returning from a weekend vacation. i was in the middle of nowhere with my 3 year old son, 5 year old daughter and 4 month old puppy. the temperature outside was a over 95 degrees. we had a long tow to the dealership and were told the manifold was cracked. ford has recalled all police and fleet vehicles for this problem - individuals do not rank for the recall. (discrimination? i believe many would think so!) ford has admitted a problem by recalling police and fleet vehicles. if they won't do a full recall for us regular folks, they should at least reimburse us for the repairs and, if applicable, towing and car rental costs.*ak | |||
| 08/01/2003 | 55462 | 1 | 03/22/1998 |
| The consumer noticed that there was not antifreeze in the vehicle and could smell coolant inside the vehicle. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who informed the consumer that the vehicles plastic intake manifold cracked. as a result of the failure coolant leaked into the engine and the vehicle overheated. the manufacturer made smfe finiancial adjustments for some vehicless but not for the consumers vehicle. *ak *nlm | |||
| 07/08/2003 | 76000 | 1 | 09/05/2001 |
| 1997 mercury grand marquis - 76,000 miles - cracked intake manifold causing coolant to be dumped, engine to overheat rapidly and with no warning. not known yet if engine has been damaged. please advise if there is any recourse through ford motor company or through litigation. *ak | |||
| 06/04/2003 | 83000 | 1 | |
| Intake manifold split while driving causing vehicle to overheat. dealer notified. *ak | |||
| 04/04/2003 | 82883 | 1 | |
| The plastic intake manifold cracked, which caused coolant to leak onto the engine. *jb *nlm | |||
| 02/22/2003 | 57000 | 1 | |
| The plastic intake manifold cracked, which caused coolant to leak onto the engine.*jb | |||
| 12/07/2002 | |||
| While driving the vehicle at 25-30mph the intake manifold broke. dealer has been notified. please provide further information. ph | |||
| 11/20/2002 | |||
| While driving the vehicle at 40pmh the engine intake manifold developed a cracked and lose all antifreeze. dealer has been notified. please provide further information. ts | |||
| 08/15/2002 | |||
| While driving noticed smoke under the hood. plastic manifold was causing the burning, and damaging wire and alternator. dealer has been notified.*ak | |||
| 08/03/2002 | 1 | 05/19/2002 | |
| Coolant is leaking from intake manifold . dealer contacted. *ak the dealer replaced defective plastic intake manifold piece with a metal part. *yh | |||
| Intake manifold on engine cracked while being driven 60 mph, producing smoke from rear. please describe details. *ak | |||
| 04/02/2002 | 1 | 03/01/1997 | |
| While driving, consumer noticed steam coming from the engine. vehicle was taken to mechanic, plastic engine intake manifold was cracking at the seam.*ak *tt | |||