Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN | |||||
| 18123 | 09/01/2004 | 10011333 | Updated rear halfshaft removal procedure. *tt | 01/18/2005 | |
| 17560 | 02/01/2004 | 10008124 | Rear axle noise. also includes lincoln aviator 2002. *mj | 07/22/2004 | |
| 17555 | 02/01/2004 | 10008120 | Certified rear axle available. *mj | 07/22/2004 | |
| 17050 | 08/01/2003 | 10003163 | Tcil flashing with diagnostic trouble code p0741 and/or noise from the converter housing. *tt | 10/09/2003 | |
| 16806 | 04/01/2003 | 10002674 | Fluid leaks from the rear halfshaft seal. 2002-2003 explorer/mountaineer/aviator added. *tt | 09/10/2003 | |
| 16898 | 06/01/2003 | 10002609 | A whine noise on tip-in at speeds of 45 to 65 mph. this may be due to driveline stack-up tolerance with the driveshaft and rear axle. *tt | 09/08/2003 | |
| 16883 | 06/01/2003 | 10002600 | Tcil flashing with diagnostic trouble code p0741 (tcc slippage detected) and/or noise from the torque converter housing. *tt | 09/08/2003 | |
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - CONTROL MODULE (TCM, PCM) | |||||
| 042107 | 12/13/2004 | 042414 | 10014086 | General (pcm) power train control module programming procedures. *tt | 04/28/2005 |
| 04217 | 11/01/2004 | 10013369 | General power train control module (pcm) programming procedures. *tt | 04/15/2005 | |
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - COOLING UNIT AND LINES | |||||
| 03148 | 07/21/2003 | 10003748 | New transmission cooler flusher - service tips. 2003 escort and super duty f series included. *tt | 10/29/2003 | |
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL) | |||||
| 042212 | 11/15/2004 | 10013398 | Gear selector lever - increased effort to shift from drive to park. *tt | 04/18/2005 | |
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - TORQUE CONVERTER | |||||
| 16971 | 07/01/2003 | 10003847 | A fluid leak coming from within the converter housing on vehicles with 5r55s transmission. *tt | 11/04/2003 | |
| POWER TRAIN - AXLE ASSEMBLY | |||||
| 05618 | 04/01/2005 | 10017892 | Rear axle noise repair. *tt | 12/06/2005 | |
| 06216 | 01/01/2006 | 0644 | 10014100 | Limited slip axle chatter, shudder, binding sensation, or vibration during low speed turning maneuvers. *tt | 04/28/2005 |
| 041715 | 09/06/2004 | 10013121 | Front axle tube leak. *eh | 04/08/2005 | |
| 18221 | 10/01/2004 | 10010732 | Rear axle noise. oasis. various models including 2005 explorer, mountaineer and aviator. *tt | 12/07/2004 | |
| 17905 | 07/01/2004 | 10009332 | Multiple vehicles using fehp rear axle fluid. fluid usage change. *tt | 09/23/2004 | |
| 17736 | 04/01/2004 | 10008236 | Rear axle noise. *tt | 07/23/2004 | |
| 17717 | 04/01/2004 | 10008222 | Rear axle chatter, shudder, binding sensation, or vibration during low speed turns. *tt | 07/23/2004 | |
| 17641 | 03/01/2004 | 10007413 | Rear 3.55 axle noise. certified rear axle or improved gear set available. *tt | 06/22/2004 | |
| 04B15 | 05/01/2004 | 10007006 | Rear axle date code inspection and service. vehicles may have been built with an improper mix of rear axle lubricant and friction modifier additive. if so, the customer may experience noise and vibration while driving. *tt *mj | 05/21/2004 | |
| 03198 | 09/06/2004 | 04175 | 10004037 | Chatter, shudder, a binding sensation, or vibration during low speed turns on vehicles equipped with the 9.75 inch or 8.8 inch limited slip rear axle. *tt | 11/14/2003 |
| 16949 | 07/01/2003 | 10003838 | Rear axle vibration/drone above 60 mph. *tt | 11/04/2003 | |
| 17054 | 08/01/2003 | 10003164 | Axle whine at cruise or during acceleration/ deceleration. *tt | 10/09/2003 | |
| 0186 | 04/30/2001 | 619276 | On some vehicles, including sport and sport trac, the front axle leaks fluid from the vent tube. *tt | 05/22/2001 | |
| POWER TRAIN - AXLE ASSEMBLY - AXLE SHAFT | |||||
| TSB-08-19-3 | 05/01/2009 | 10028736 | Ford: some vehicles may exhibit oil separation from the internal lube found in the unitized cartridge seal. oil separation appears to be and is often misdiagnosed, as an axle lube leak. *pe | 05/20/2009 | |
| POWER TRAIN - AXLE ASSEMBLY - AXLE SHAFT - SEAL | |||||
| TSB-08-19-3 | 05/01/2009 | 10028736 | Ford: some vehicles may exhibit oil separation from the internal lube found in the unitized cartridge seal. oil separation appears to be and is often misdiagnosed, as an axle lube leak. *pe | 05/20/2009 | |
| 04105 | 06/07/2005 | 05155 | 10008994 | Axle seal leaks. leaks from rear halfshaft axle seal. service tips. *tt | 09/07/2004 |
| POWER TRAIN - DRIVELINE | |||||
| 0537 | 06/07/2005 | 05164 | 10012952 | Driveline 1st order vibration/boom/drone. *tt | 04/05/2005 |
| 17107 | 09/01/2003 | 10004046 | Driveline vibration on drone/boom at highway speeds. *tt | 11/17/2003 | |
Investigations
| NHTSA ID | Manufacturer | Date open | Date close | Subject | Recall campaign | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL) | ||||||
| EA09013 | Ford Motor Company | 08/18/2009 | 02/12/2013 | Vehicle Rollaway Allegations | ||
| This investigation is being closed based on several considerations.by the most inclusive counting of all alleged rollaway incidents (i.e., counting all alleged rollaway incidents and assuming a singular failure mechanism), the incident rate is low, however during ea09-013, odi identified a number of different failure mechanisms in 180 incidents related to the alleged defect.the highest rate for any particular failure mechanism, the failure of the automatic transmission parking system, was 4.4/100k.the next-highest failure rate was for the bsi system, at 3.4/100k.for all identified failure mechanisms there has been a drastically declining trend including very few incidents occurring in recent years.accordingly, this investigation is closed.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by nhtsa that a safety-related defect does not exist.for additional information regarding this investigation, see the complete closing resume in the document file for ea09-013. the odi reports cited above can be reviewed at www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/complaints under the following identification (odi) numbers:10168454, 10279630, 10280078. | ||||||
| EA09013 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY | 08/18/2009 | VEHICLE ROLLAWAY ALLEGATIONS | |||
| In response to an information request (ir) letter sent by the office of defects investigation (odi), ford stated consumer reports of higher than expected efforts when shifting into and out of park could be a result of a groove being worn into the swing arm ramp of the steering column. the swing arm is a component bolted to the steering column that assists in shifting through the transmission gears.an engineering evaluation conducted by ford of returned steering columns found the groove could be created over time if consumers shift more quickly from the drive or reverse to park than the brake shift interlock (bsi) solenoid pin retracts after the brake pedal is applied. in november of 2004 ford released a redesigned bsi solenoid with a shorter pin retracting time as a serviceable component. ford has noted the shorter retraction time significantly lessens the likelihood of bsi solenoid pin to swing arm contact even with rapid consumer shifts.ford also issued a technical service bulletin, tsb 04-22-12, to instruct service technicians on the proper diagnosis and vehicle repair. reviewing complaints to odi and data submitted by ford, odi has identified 200 alleged incidents of unintended vehicle movement after consumers believe they have shifted the vehicle into park, resulting in 85 alleged crashes and 32 alleged injuries.in addition to the reports of alleged incidents of unintended vehicle movement, odi has also identified 883 reports of consumers alleging difficulty or the inability to shift the vehicle into park.preliminary evaluationpe09-020 has been upgraded to an engineering analysis to further assess the scope, frequency and risk to motor vehicle safety of the alleged defect in the subject vehicles. | ||||||
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - LEVER AND LINKAGE - COLUMN SHIFT | ||||||
| EA09013 | Ford Motor Company | 08/18/2009 | 02/12/2013 | Vehicle Rollaway Allegations | ||
| This investigation is being closed based on several considerations.by the most inclusive counting of all alleged rollaway incidents (i.e., counting all alleged rollaway incidents and assuming a singular failure mechanism), the incident rate is low, however during ea09-013, odi identified a number of different failure mechanisms in 180 incidents related to the alleged defect.the highest rate for any particular failure mechanism, the failure of the automatic transmission parking system, was 4.4/100k.the next-highest failure rate was for the bsi system, at 3.4/100k.for all identified failure mechanisms there has been a drastically declining trend including very few incidents occurring in recent years.accordingly, this investigation is closed.the closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by nhtsa that a safety-related defect does not exist.for additional information regarding this investigation, see the complete closing resume in the document file for ea09-013. the odi reports cited above can be reviewed at www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/complaints under the following identification (odi) numbers:10168454, 10279630, 10280078. | ||||||
| EA09013 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY | 08/18/2009 | VEHICLE ROLLAWAY ALLEGATIONS | |||
| In response to an information request (ir) letter sent by the office of defects investigation (odi), ford stated consumer reports of higher than expected efforts when shifting into and out of park could be a result of a groove being worn into the swing arm ramp of the steering column. the swing arm is a component bolted to the steering column that assists in shifting through the transmission gears.an engineering evaluation conducted by ford of returned steering columns found the groove could be created over time if consumers shift more quickly from the drive or reverse to park than the brake shift interlock (bsi) solenoid pin retracts after the brake pedal is applied. in november of 2004 ford released a redesigned bsi solenoid with a shorter pin retracting time as a serviceable component. ford has noted the shorter retraction time significantly lessens the likelihood of bsi solenoid pin to swing arm contact even with rapid consumer shifts.ford also issued a technical service bulletin, tsb 04-22-12, to instruct service technicians on the proper diagnosis and vehicle repair. reviewing complaints to odi and data submitted by ford, odi has identified 200 alleged incidents of unintended vehicle movement after consumers believe they have shifted the vehicle into park, resulting in 85 alleged crashes and 32 alleged injuries.in addition to the reports of alleged incidents of unintended vehicle movement, odi has also identified 883 reports of consumers alleging difficulty or the inability to shift the vehicle into park.preliminary evaluationpe09-020 has been upgraded to an engineering analysis to further assess the scope, frequency and risk to motor vehicle safety of the alleged defect in the subject vehicles. | ||||||
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN | |||
| 05/04/2012 | |||
| Ford has a tsb on their website for the problems i am having with my vehicle.i contacted tyem and i was told that i have to pay for the repairs.what i do not understand is if there are sooo many complaint from consumers on this vehicle for the same issues is that not the responsibility of the manufactor being it considered a defective product? i have to children and this is of extreme concern to me that these issues on my car can cause an accident. -back trunck door is cracked doen the latch. -the car doesnt shift correctly and tires seem loose -the overdrive light is blinking all the time and the transmission is signalling.. i have found so many websites with complaints about the same issues on 2003-2004 mercury montanieers. | |||
| 03/02/2012 | 86000 | ||
| Transmission failed while traveling @ 35 mph, would not shift into next gear. | |||
| 10/09/2011 | 92000 | ||
| I attempted to put my vehicle in reverse so i could pull out of a parking space. when i did this, the transmission level broke right off. the vehicle, since it is full-time awd, cannot be moved or towed since all the wheels are engaged in park. the metal holding the transmission lever to the steering column sheared off which i can only consider to be a grave safety risk if the vehicle was in motion and this happened. | |||
| 09/07/2009 | 90000 | 1 | |
| We purchased a 2003 mercury mountaineer approx. 9 months ago and have now discovered that the front differential has gone out. when we did extensive research we found that there was a massive recall between 2002 - 2006 for this manufacturer's defect on mountaineers, explorers, expeditions and range/lnd rovers. when we contacted ford motor co; they said that our particular vin# did not make the recall list. when i asked how come a manufacture's defect could not make the recall list they said it could be an oversight or just maybe not for that model. i then asked how come the research proved to show that these were defective upon manufacturing and some of them not get recalled they had no answer for me. we now have a vehicle that is inoperative and nobody wants to clarify the problem. we have had 2 estimates both with used parts from a wrecking yard. the 1st estimate was $1350 and the 2nd was $800 and no guarantees since they would be pulling the front differential off of a wrecked vehicle the same year as ours and it could also potentially be defective. we do not have the money for the repairs and now my husband has no transportation to get to work. he does drive my car at the moment but can not carry all of his tools in my vehicle since his is an suv. we did seek legal council and were informed that we need to file this complaint in hopes that you could force ford to recall our vehicle and they said we had a very good law suit. if my husband did not have this checked and continued to drive it without knowledge of the problem it could have resulted in the gears locking up and a crash which could have resulted in serious injuries or even deaths. please advise what our options are. *tr | |||
| 06/26/2009 | 127000 | 1 | |
| 2003 mercury mountaineer 4.6l-v8: when the vehicle is not under acceleration [stop sign/signal, exiting an expressway to a surface street, coasting] the engine will not hold idle, then stall. the steering & brakes are compromised when the engine stalls. to restart the engine, the headlights go dark for a moment...this is a very serious matter. decelerating from an expressway to a surface street, on a curved exit ramp , at night makes for an out of control situation where the driver can not see because of engine failure! i've replaced the throttle position censor [tps] with no improvement. the dealer offers replacement of parts $1500, and no guarantee of solving the problem. the vehicle is useless to me fore it is a hazard to be on the road...for me and anyone else driving near me. *tr | |||
| 07/28/2008 | 61000 | 1 | |
| Powertrain. *tr | |||
| 09/01/2006 | 2 | 01/29/2004 | |
| 2003 mercury mountaineer transmission made a clunking sound, slid backwards and forwards while shifting into reverse. a/c blower motor made a humming sound. while driving the motor would misfire. *kb while driving the consumer noticed that the dash light went out. the consumer attempted to correct the problem by turning the lighting switch. when the switch was turned the dash light came on but the headlights went out. the consumer's indicated that they sometimes hear popping sounds while driving, which seems to be of an electrical nature. | |||
| 02/17/2006 | 1 | ||
| 2003 mountaineer transaxle housing broke in half. the oil from the transaxle leaked on the exhaust causing a small fire. *ts the driver indicated that she may have hit an object in the road. *nm | |||
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | |||
| 11/20/2009 | |||
| I have a 2004 mercury mountaineer and the transmission is very dangerous, my wife started to back up and put it in reverse and the transmission hesitated and then slamed into reverse causing her to jerk and then her foot came of the brake and hit the gas pedal causing her to ram a parked car behind her, and that was just the first time .the next time i myself was in the vehicle adn it done the same thing except there was not a car behind me to stp me and i went over a embankment and if not for a tree i would have gotten hurt bad , the tree stoped me from going to the bottom , and it still to this day will slam into reverse, nothing has been done with it yet . i have read on the internet that alot of mercury mountaineer owners are haveing the same problem this is going to get someone killed if it has not allready. | |||
| 12/08/2009 | 78898 | 1 | |
| Purchased the 2003 mercury mountaineer in 2007. we only drive the car locally for school and work and within 30 days of purchase, the car would not go into reverse. was told the transmission was slipping and made the dealership/warranty pay for $1600 repair. since then the check engine light comes on every 3 months. we get check fuel cap message, replaced that twice (last one from actual ford dealership) because they told us it wasn't the original from the car. car leaks water through the rear window/roof seal and now my light stays on when i lock the car and it tells me every time we get in the car that there is a door ajar no matter if we get out and reclose all 4 doors and back door. r&r wheel speed sensor and ball joints had to be replaced 8/29/08 for $555. just recently had my transmission go out again (12/8/09) and had to have complete rebuild of a mercury transmission which cost us another $4000. it still slightly vibrates going between 30 and 40 miles per hour. also the back hatch has cracked completely down through the logo. our ford dealer charges $200 just to look at the vehicle! *tr | |||
| 03/03/2010 | 102100 | 1 | |
| I have a 2003 mercury mountaineer. i was stopped to get fuel. i put my suv in park to get out. i was leaving my keys in it. when i stepped out and walked to the rear, my suv started rolling backwards. i had to run back an jump in it and hit the brake. i looked at the gear shifter an it didn't go into park. it stopped in the middle of p and r. if i had locked the doors i would never been able to get inside before it hit the fuel pumps. it has been stopping at that spot every time i put it in park. *tr | |||
| 01/03/2010 | 60000 | 1 | |
| I have 2003 mercury mountaineer and i have had it since february 2007. i have had numerous problems with it and the last problems was the breaking point. i have three more years to pay for this vehicle and i want something to be done about the problems with this vehcile. ford should be held responsible for this vehicle and fixing the problems associated with it. i purchased this vehicle from community ford in new albany, ms in february 2007 with 45,000 miles on it. i couldn't get an extended warranty or any warranty with the vehicle i was told. after a year, i had to replace the front end and it was $500.00 at george's tire services. i took it in due to this noise coming from the front and i was advised that if i didn't have the work did it would lock up on me while i am driving and cause and accident. i noticed that my structure body:hatchback/tailgate has cracked completely. my seat belt on the driver side in the back don't work. my engine cooling system aircompressor has went out and i have electrical problems where my oil gauge is constantly saying it's low. i have my oil change every 3000 miles. i am hearing this noise in the rear of the vehicle and i don't know what it is and can't afford to get going to ford to see what it is. i have been smelling this burning coming from the under the hood and i don't know what it is either. my lastest problem is my transmission is going out and i have had this vehicle for two years and i have three more years of payment on this vehicle. my transmission cost me around $3500 and i don't have any warranty on it. this is a lemon i have purchased and i think something should be done about it. *tr | |||
| 06/22/2009 | 108000 | 1 | |
| I have a 2003 mercury mountaineer and i am having transmission problems now. i had an accident back in june 2009 where my vehicle rolled out of the yard and hit the neighbors house and i was hurt in the process. on june 22, 2009, i went outside to warm my vehicle up before i went to work that morning. while, i was getting ready to leave out the door to go to my vehicle it start rolling back. i immediately ran outside behind the vehicle to keep it from hitting the neighbors house because i knew people were there. i grab the door and it threw me on the ground so hard that i thought i damaged my organs. after the lowndes county sheriff left, i went to george's in west point, ms where they do my tires and brakes to check on the brakes. they checked my car and said everything was fine. i went to the north mississippi medical clinic to make sure i was ok and i didn't have any broken bones. i had to go back to the doctor again the next day on june 23, 2009 because i was not feeling good. i was taken to baptist memorial hospital on june 26, 2009 due to the incident and when i was thrown it jarred my acid reflux and caused a virus. i was checked thoroughly for organ damage and put on pain medication. this incident cost my insurance to go up and i didn't know what happen until my transmission starting going out in my vehicle. i have had this vehicle for two years and have three more years to pay for it and my transmission is going out. i looked on the internet under recalls to see if there were any and i saw 12 complaints regarding the transmission problems. one complaint caught my attention regarding the vehicle rolling out of the yard and that's what happen to me. i took my vehicle to starkville ford on dec.29, 2009 and was told that my 2nd shift gear has completely gone out and i asked how does this happen and he said he didn't know. he knows because i am pretty sure he has seen alot of these vehicles and it is going to cost me $3500 to fix my vehicle . *tr | |||
| 10/10/2009 | 78000 | 1 | |
| I have a 2003 mercury mountaineer with 78000 miles on it. the transmission was replaced three months ago for slipping and not downshifting it is now gong back in tomorrow to be repaired for needs to recall this vehicle it isn't very good. *tr | |||
| 02/11/2009 | 69949 | 1 | |
| I drive my husband's 2003 mercury mountaineer it has 69000 miles on it now and we bought it used dec 2004. when the suv shifts into 3 or 4th gear it clunks or shutters. we have taken it in to the dealers several times having it returned and told there is nothing wrong. in december 2007 we took it in again with the same complaint and they did a transmission flush. now when accelerating up to 35 the rpm would raise up to 4,000, like it was slipping.then it shift into wrong gear. the overdrive off light on the dash started flashing. next day service engine soon light is on. we took it to dealership they claim they won't know what is wrong with it until they take it apart and it could cost any where from $3,000 to $4,000. we repeatedly took it to the same dealer and they would never find anything wrong and now that the warranty is expired we have a major expense not covered.we ended up taking it to a transmission repair shop where they were very familiar with the problem. the overdrive piston put in at the assembly factory was made of aluminum and is a defective part. so after 1 week without a car, the new overhaul kit, overdrive piston and torque converter we spent a grant total $1,895.83. this is something the dealer should have fixed when we first complained about it. i can honestly say we will never go back that dealer again. *tr | |||
| 03/03/2008 | 60000 | 3 | 08/01/2006 |
| Transmission problems started at 62000 miles. ford done repairs on 2 different occasions two days after the warranty went out the transmission went out and it started smoking out from under it. the vehicle is a lemon!!!! they need to recall mercury mountaineers. *tr | |||
| 11/01/2005 | 10000 | 1 | 11/16/2003 |
| Please see the issue about the transmission not going into park properly. very dangerous.... mr. mark fields, president of ford motor company re: vin# 4m2du86k73zj05447 i own a 2003 mercury mountaineer, with 28000 miles on it, which i purchased new from lakewood ford in nov. 2003. in 2005, i brought my car in with a few minor problems, at which time i explained to the service tech that the car was not shifting into park properly and was sticking. after having the car for a day, they returned it to me saying they couldn't find anything wrong. yesterday, my wife took an entire day and rented a car, so that we could bring it into freeway ford to have them check the transmission again. the service manager oley seemed nice enough in handling the matter but then at the end of the day reported back to us the following; 1)the transmission problem was something to do with a shift lock out and it would cost us $265 dollars to replace and was not covered under the warranty. the warranty issue with the transmission is unacceptable and i would like your team to reconsider. first, it is indeed part of the power train and it is unfathomable to me that any court of law would consider it otherwise. second, i'd think this is a safety issue as well, and should something happen where the car slips out of park and kills someone, i can't imagine the nhtsa would find no fault upon your company. i frankly was totally shocked at the response i got from the dealer. i've owned many brands of new cars, and no one has ever claimed something as obvious as this (with documented history!) as not covered in warranty. i consider myself a pretty fair person and i'm not one to make a big issue out of something but this is just wrong! if this is your policy, it's now very clear why ford is a failing company. this is the type thing that will show up on u-tube and just continue loss of customer loyalty. *nm | |||
| 06/30/2006 | 54800 | 2 | 07/10/2003 |
| We bought our mountaineer new in 2003. we have had numerous problems, but the worst has been with the transmission. we have consistently taken our vehicle to dealerships for service, but are continually told that they cannot replicate the problem at this time. the transmission has always shifted hard, but dealerships simply tell us it just shifts hard. in january of 2006 the overdrive light was flashing and the check transmission light went on. i took it into the dealer who told us we had to have the torque converter replaced as they found metal shavings in the pan. we paid over $1300 believing this would solve the shifting problem, it did not. at the end of june i took it into another dealership for an oil change and trip inspection. i mentioned again that it shifts hard. their tech looked at it, found metal in the pan and said the transmission needed to be replaced (at less than 55,000). apparently the torque converter ford sent to the first dealership was faulty, causing the transmission to need replacement. ford did pay for replacement of the transmission, giving us about a 45 day warranty (as the warranty started from the day the torque converter was first replaced). we thought surely that would fix the shifting problems. no...still shifts hard. if we could sell this thing for anywhere near what we owe...it would be gone. *jb | |||
| 09/02/2006 | 41652 | 1 | 12/13/2003 |
| On 9/2/06, i used my vehicle to go to store and while at the store, i had difficulty placing the vehicle into park and needed to shut vehicle off to finally lock it into park. i then returned home with the vehicle and parked it in my driveway. the vehicle then rolled down the driveway and crashed into my house and struck my 8 month old son 's stroller. it caused damage to my house and vehicle received damage to the windshield, front bumper, hood and grill. i immediately called the dealer and was given an appointment to bring it on 9/11/06. after examining the vehicle , the dealer stated that they recommended replacing the brake shift interlock switch since they have been found to stick and be faulty in other mountaineers. i was told that although this was a safety hazard, it was not a recall and not covered under my warranty. i was ordered to pay $298.67 for the repair and told that the repairs to my house and the damage to the vehicle would also have to be handled by me. i don't know how something as serious as this is not a recall but it is a known safely defect by ford motor company. i feel that they are responsible for all of the damage and the payment for the repairs and that they are lucky that no persons, only property was damaged that day. *b | |||
| 07/21/2006 | 22300 | 8 | 06/01/2004 |
| 2003 mercury mountaineer awd 4.0l. we purchased our mountaineer in june of 2004, with 22,000 miles on the odometer. approximately 300 miles into our ownership, we experienced a front bearing wine. dealership covered defect under 3 year / 36,000 mile warranty. other defects covered...replacement of the rear speed sensor at 23,454 miles. a 2nd abs problem required a new actuator speed control switch assembly at 28,419 miles. transmission shift solenoid replaced at 32,075 miles. driver side passenger window motor replaced at 33,443 miles. recall on rear glass hatch lift struts at 27,379 miles. january 23, 2006 our mountaineer now has 42,777 miles on the odometer. we noticed a low pitch noise starting at 25-30 mph and becoming higher in pitch at higher speeds. our local lincoln / mercury dealership service advisor determined we had a faulty rear axle ring & pinion gear set. they rebuilt our rear axle using the vin # to determine actual bill of sales date, which was june of 2003. this gave us a warranty until june of 2006 thus nearing the end of our 36 months warranty. we regretfully admit paying a $200.00 deductible the dealership asked for. we drove off with our newly rebuilt axle in our mountaineer. our noisy axle never went away. the dealership blamed this due to worn and noisy tires. we replaced these tires at 47,500 miles or 4,500 miles after the original axle noise complaint with no real apparent change to our noisy problem. our mercury mountaineer went back into the shop at 48,300 miles with a noise still distinctive from the rear. again our local mercury dealership took a look at the suv with the service manager riding in the vehicle. his comment... sounds like an on-going rear axle issue. he would check with his district manager about replacing the entire axle assembly this time around. they contacted us by phone the next day. they didn't believe it was the axle, but one of the rear outer hub wheel bearing assemblies. it would cost us $270.00. *jb | |||
| 04/03/2006 | 20000 | 10 | 03/31/2004 |
| Vehicle is 2003 mercury mountaineer awd/ the vehicle keeps on losing the power to the transmission and you just sit there watching the rpm race with no power happiness at all speeds which has almost caused many crashes re pulling out into traffic. has been to the dealer and they can not find anything . on going problem x 2 years and is at the dealership now re i feel i'm going to get killed in this vehicle. *nm | |||
| 06/08/2005 | 500 | ||
| At 34,500 miles, transmission began a noticeable delay in making the shift into reverse gear. gave a list of gripes to champion mercury dealership, where i bought the vehicle, to be fixed before the 36k warranty ran out. the dealership did not include this transmission gripe in the list they input into their computers. visited the dealership again at 39k miles, with the transmission problem getting worse, and the dealership denied having that gripe aired within the warranty period. so nothing was done about the transmission. now, at 43k miles, the transmission bangs into reverse gear after a large delay, and the shifts from 2-3 and 3-4 include a heavy shudder, consistently. *jb | |||
| 07/06/2005 | 37000 | 3 | 11/15/2003 |
| Last december the engine revved and accelerated very high, around 6,000 rpms. afterwards, the transmission engaged, acceleration lowered and the transmission changed gears while entering a street in oncoming traffic. when attempting to accelerate the engine revved but the vehicle did not move. attempted this 3 times to no avail. on 4th attempt the transmission engaged and the vehicle moved. the vehicle was taken to the dealer. the dealer said it was the solenoid pack and an oil additive that they believed were causing the problem. they performed the repairs. the problem recurred in june. took the vehicle back to the dealer. the dealer found nothing on the diagnostic machine and could not duplicate the problem. the problem recurred again in july. took the vehicle to the dealer and again the dealer could not find anything wrong. the dealer replaced the solenoid pack again because they did not know what else to do. the mechanic spoke of ongoing problems with ford mountaineers and explorers. yesterday while on the highway this problem occurred again while attempting to accelerate. after several attempts the transmission engaged. called ford, who referred another dealer stating there was nothing they could do. called dealer and they offered to replace the transmission. *ak | |||
| 09/06/2004 | 1 | 11/16/2003 | |
| When shifting my mountaineer into drive the vehicle jerks into gear. at highway speeds it shifts very hard from one gear to another. sometimes when trying to pass a vehicle and accelerating the transmission gets confused and goes to the wrong gear. it gives you a feeling similiar to a standard shift being put in 4th when it should be in 2nd bogging down dramatically.*ak | |||
| 11/04/2003 | 30000 | 2 | 02/18/2003 |
| I began having problems with my transmission shifting hard into gear. as speed increased it would jerk inot the next gear. i went to the ford/mercury dealership in montgomery, al. in nov 03.they told me it needed a computer upgrade that was different from what was on my car. at the time the car was still under warranty. the jerking stopped temporaryily. i began to notice it again. well now the warranty is gone, i did not purchase an extended warranty, the truck is 13 months old and my shift solenoid is gone. per 2 estimates it will be costly. but i am also told at the age of my car and miles this should not be occurring unless it is a faulty transmission. one transmission company has advised me that fixing the shift solenoid will not work long until the inner part of the transmission is fixed or rebuilt. | |||
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL) | |||
| 01/08/2010 | 112000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2003 mercury mountaineer. while the vehicle was on in the park position with the automatic start, the gear shifted into reverse and crash into a vehicle. the contact called to the police who confirmed that the vehicle was in the park position. the contact is concerned about the safety risk since the failure may have caused a serious injury or tragedy to occur. the vehicle was not destroyed. the failure mileage was 112,000. | |||
| 05/30/2009 | 88000 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2003 mercury mountaineer. the contact stated that the vehicle experienced difficulty shifting out of park and into drive. the vehicle also has difficulty changing gears. the contact feels that this is a safety issue with the transmission because the inability to change gears could cause a crash. the current and failure mileages were 88,000. | |||
| POWER TRAIN - AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - TORQUE CONVERTER | |||
| 08/19/2003 | 6 | 01/01/2003 | |
| The problem persisted and concern with stalled vehicle, serviced and problem still continue. *bf these problems elevated to vehicle stalling, the alternator was replaced, there were continuous occurrences of the battery fail/check engine indicator light, vibration when braking, and the torque converter locked. the consumer requested a new lease and or early termination of the lease. *sc | |||
| 07/01/2004 | 8501 | 2 | 03/06/2004 |
| While driving on the highway at 65 mph suddenly made a wining like song, then stopped accelerating and stalled. consumer was able to coast over to the truck medium. then, it was then towed to a dealership. it indicated that this occurred because a catalytic converter was plugged. dealership was going to replace the plugged catalytic converter part, but was having difficulties finding the part. *ak *nm | |||
| POWER TRAIN - AXLE ASSEMBLY | |||
| 07/21/2006 | 22300 | 8 | 06/01/2004 |
| 2003 mercury mountaineer awd 4.0l. we purchased our mountaineer in june of 2004, with 22,000 miles on the odometer. approximately 300 miles into our ownership, we experienced a front bearing wine. dealership covered defect under 3 year / 36,000 mile warranty. other defects covered...replacement of the rear speed sensor at 23,454 miles. a 2nd abs problem required a new actuator speed control switch assembly at 28,419 miles. transmission shift solenoid replaced at 32,075 miles. driver side passenger window motor replaced at 33,443 miles. recall on rear glass hatch lift struts at 27,379 miles. january 23, 2006 our mountaineer now has 42,777 miles on the odometer. we noticed a low pitch noise starting at 25-30 mph and becoming higher in pitch at higher speeds. our local lincoln / mercury dealership service advisor determined we had a faulty rear axle ring & pinion gear set. they rebuilt our rear axle using the vin # to determine actual bill of sales date, which was june of 2003. this gave us a warranty until june of 2006 thus nearing the end of our 36 months warranty. we regretfully admit paying a $200.00 deductible the dealership asked for. we drove off with our newly rebuilt axle in our mountaineer. our noisy axle never went away. the dealership blamed this due to worn and noisy tires. we replaced these tires at 47,500 miles or 4,500 miles after the original axle noise complaint with no real apparent change to our noisy problem. our mercury mountaineer went back into the shop at 48,300 miles with a noise still distinctive from the rear. again our local mercury dealership took a look at the suv with the service manager riding in the vehicle. his comment... sounds like an on-going rear axle issue. he would check with his district manager about replacing the entire axle assembly this time around. they contacted us by phone the next day. they didn't believe it was the axle, but one of the rear outer hub wheel bearing assemblies. it would cost us $270.00. *jb | |||
| POWER TRAIN - AXLE HUBS | |||
| 07/21/2006 | 22300 | 8 | 06/01/2004 |
| 2003 mercury mountaineer awd 4.0l. we purchased our mountaineer in june of 2004, with 22,000 miles on the odometer. approximately 300 miles into our ownership, we experienced a front bearing wine. dealership covered defect under 3 year / 36,000 mile warranty. other defects covered...replacement of the rear speed sensor at 23,454 miles. a 2nd abs problem required a new actuator speed control switch assembly at 28,419 miles. transmission shift solenoid replaced at 32,075 miles. driver side passenger window motor replaced at 33,443 miles. recall on rear glass hatch lift struts at 27,379 miles. january 23, 2006 our mountaineer now has 42,777 miles on the odometer. we noticed a low pitch noise starting at 25-30 mph and becoming higher in pitch at higher speeds. our local lincoln / mercury dealership service advisor determined we had a faulty rear axle ring & pinion gear set. they rebuilt our rear axle using the vin # to determine actual bill of sales date, which was june of 2003. this gave us a warranty until june of 2006 thus nearing the end of our 36 months warranty. we regretfully admit paying a $200.00 deductible the dealership asked for. we drove off with our newly rebuilt axle in our mountaineer. our noisy axle never went away. the dealership blamed this due to worn and noisy tires. we replaced these tires at 47,500 miles or 4,500 miles after the original axle noise complaint with no real apparent change to our noisy problem. our mercury mountaineer went back into the shop at 48,300 miles with a noise still distinctive from the rear. again our local mercury dealership took a look at the suv with the service manager riding in the vehicle. his comment... sounds like an on-going rear axle issue. he would check with his district manager about replacing the entire axle assembly this time around. they contacted us by phone the next day. they didn't believe it was the axle, but one of the rear outer hub wheel bearing assemblies. it would cost us $270.00. *jb | |||
| POWER TRAIN - DRIVELINE | |||
| 05/10/2006 | 50515 | 1 | |
| Purchased the 2003 mercury, mountaineer, awd vehicle new on 6/17/03. on 05/10/06 at 50515, the left front hub bearing had to be replaced. a visual exam indicated water damage with bearing seizure. on 11/24/08 at 88826, the same problem as the earlier hub replacement was diagnosed. at this time both the left and right front bearing hubs had to be replaced. the right front hub was practically frozen and showed signs of heat fatigue to the outer casing. both hubs showed rust and pitting. i maintained possession of both hubs for future reference. there is no doubt in my mind that had the hub locked up on the highway while traveling at highway speeds, (70mph) a potential for a rollover accident existed. on 11/21/06, a rear differential noise was diagnosed. the rear differential was rebuilt. on 11/24/08 the noise was again heard coming from the rear. apparently the noise from the front bearings damage shielded the rear diff. noise. i notice only one other complaint for the particular model year, however the basic drive train design has not changed for mercury or ford explorer for some time and other model years may also have experienced this problem. there is no reason that a rear differential should not go 100000 plus miles without a problem and likewise there is no reason that the front hubs should not be able to roll up 100,000 miles without a problem. this is clearly a design flaw. *tr | |||
| POWER TRAIN - DRIVELINE - DIFFERENTIAL UNIT | |||
| 02/20/2008 | 2 | 01/25/2007 | |
| Upon leaving work in the am i started my vehicle and none of my dash gauges were working nor were any of the electric window or the radio. i then called my mechanic who adv me to bring it to him. while i was en route to take my vehicle to him it started making a weird noise like i was in a helicopter and i started smelling this weird smell like oil burning at first it thought they messed up my oil change and i was furious. upon arriving at the shop he immediately smelled the odor put it up on the lift and found out that my front differential had gone bad. i purchased another one and hi installed it and i took it home because he could not find out what was wrong with the gauges on my way to take it to a dealer i was driving down the road and smoke and was coming from the front and back under my car another driving passing by signaled something was coming from beneath my vehicle and upon that i heard a loud bang popping noise and my vehicle lost power and i had to have it towed back to the mechanic only to find out that again the differential failed. i still do not have my vehicle and the gauges windows and radio still does not work. my mechanic checked all the fuses and adv that there was no problem with them. he did however call a mercury dealer who adv he has had to change some of the front differentials on other mountaineers but was not certain as to how many were done. *tr | |||
| 12/16/2006 | 60000 | 6 | 01/12/2006 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2003 mercury mountaineer. while driving 65 mph, the contact noticed smoke coming from the front and rear of the vehicle. she then heard a loud bang and the steering wheel began to shake. the vehicle lost power, but did not shut off. the vehicle was towed. the ford dealer diagnosed the vehicle as needing the front end differential replaced. the vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred when the contact picked up the vehicle. since then, the front end differential has been replaced five times. the ford dealer was unable to diagnose the cause of the continuous failures of the replacement part. the contact also stated that the rear liftgate is cracked. a valid vin was unavailable. the current mileage is 64,000 and failure mileage was 60,000. | |||