Mercury Mountaineer 1999

• Recall 90305 [USA]: This could result in an underhood fire.
  On certain pickup trucks, passenger vehicles, sport utility vehicles, and motor homes chassis, the speed control deactivation switch may, under certain conditions, leak internally and then overheat, smoke, or burn.
  dealers will install a fused wiring harness. Owners of the passenger cars included in this campaign will be instructed to return their vehicles to their dealers to have the speed control deactivation switch disconnected as an interim repair. As soon as repair parts are available (expected october 2007), owners will be instructed to return to the dealers for installation of a fused wiring harness. The recall began on august 13, 2007, and mailing completed by september 19, 2007. Owners may contact ford at 1-888-222-2751.
  ford recall no. 05s28.Customers may also contact the national highway traffic safety administration;s vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.Safercar.Gov.

• Recall 47829 [USA]: Failure of this connection could lead to fuel spillage and, in the presence of an ignition source, a fire could occur.
  Certain aftermarket fuel filters sold under the purolator brand name, p/n f65277, shipped from january 16 through june 2, 2006, for use on the above listed passenger vehicles. Due to incorrect design, the quick connectors may not fully seat with the tube interface, even though the person making the connection may believe that the quick connector is fully attached.
  ufi will notify owners and replace the filters free of charge. The recall began on august 4, 2006. Owners may contact ufi filters usa at 800-230-5876.
  this recall only pertains to ufi filters usa (purolator) aftermarket fuel filters and has no relation to any original equipment installed on the listed passenger vehicles.Customers may contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty: 1-800-424-9153); or go to http://www.Safercar.Gov.

• Recall 58865 [USA]: The throttle return spring force may not be sufficient to overcome the binding condition when the speed control is disengaged. braking function would be maintained though stopping distances may be increased.
  On certain sport utility vehicles equipped with speed control and 4.0l sohc engines, if the strand cover on the speed control cable becomes flared at the end, the speed control cable may bind when the speed control is activated.
  dealers will inspect the speed control cable and, if necessary, replace it. Owner notification began august 29, 2003. Owners should contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.
  ford recall no. 03s03.Customers can also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-dash-2-dot (1-888-327-4236).

• Recall 58876 [USA]: The driver could potentially lose contact with the steering wheel or foot pedals during such an event, increasing the risk of a crash.
  On certain sport utility vehicles equipped with high back seats, the upper bolt on the driver's side high back seat, that attaches the seat recliner mechanism to the seat back frame, could fracture. If the bolt fractures and does not jam in the seat back frame, the seat back may recline until it makes contact with an object behind the seat, such as the second row seat cushion.
  dealers will replace the driver seat upper bolt with a metal spacer and bolt. In addition, seats with tubular back frames will have the fully threaded lower recliner bolt replaced with a partially threaded bolt. Owner notification began on august 29, 2003. Owners should contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.
  ford recall no. 03s04.Customers can also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-dash-2-dot (1-888-327-4236).

• Recall 7615 [USA]: If the tread separates from the tire, the driver can lose control of the vehicle, possibly resulting in a crash causing injury or death.
  Tire description: firestone wilderness at, size p235/75r15, produced at the decatur, illinois tire plant and all firestone radial atx and radial atx ii tires, size p235/75r15. Operation of these tires at low inflation pressures, high speed, and in hot weather, can contribute to separation of the tire tread.
  the replacement/reimbursement program for this campaign expired on august 29, 2001. However, customers should contact firestone customer service at 1-800-465-1904 for possible assistance.
  

• Recall 7904 [USA]: An inoperative windshield wiper system could affect driver visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
  Vehicle description: multi-purpose vehicles equipped with 4.0l engines and all-time 4-wheel drive (a4wd) powertrains. The generic electronic module (gem) could experience a condition referred to as "lock-up" in which the gem controlled electronic functions (e.G., front windshield wipers, interior lights, 4x4 system, etc.) could not be turned on or, in some cases if the function is on, could not be turned off.
  dealers will install a resistor in the gem circuit.
  owner notification began april 15, 2000. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.Also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-dash-2-dot (1-888-327-4236).

• Recall 9680 [USA]: If this occurs and the primary hood latch is either not engaged or is released, a hood fly-up could occur.
  Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles. The secondary hood latch may corrode at the latch pivot and stick in the open position.
  dealers will install a secondary hood latch with components that are coated prior to assembly for improved latch pivot corrosion protection.
  owner notification began july 14, 1999.Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact ford at 1-800-392-3673. Also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-dash-2-dot (1-888-327-4236).

• Recall 9509 [USA]: This could result in a loss of brake pressure to the front wheels, increasing the stopping distance.
  Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles. The right front brake line to the hydraulic control unit (hcu) connection could separate causing the line to leak when the brake pedal is applied.
  dealers will replace the flare nut on the brake line.
  owner notification began may 17, 1999.Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact ford at 1-800-392-3673. Also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-dash-2-dot (1-888-327-4236).

• Recall 10106 [USA]: If the cruise control is used and this condition is present, a stuck throttle could result, which could potentially result in a crash.
  Vehicle description: certain 1997-1999 rhd explorer equipped with 4.0l ohv/sohc engines and cruise control built from may 29, 1996 through march 4, 1999; 1998-1999 explorer/mountaineers equipped with 4.0l ohv/sohc or 5.0l engines or 1998-1999 rangers equipped with 2.5l, 3.0l ffv/efi or 4.0l engines and cruise control built from january 5, 1998 through march 4, 1999; 1998-1999 mustangs equipped with 3.8l, 4.6l 2-valve or 4-valve engines and cruise control built from march 2, 1998 through march 4, 1999; 1999 f250/f350/f450/f550 (over 8,500 lbs.) trucks equipped with 5.4l or 6.8l engines and cruise control built from march 2, 1998 through march 4, 1999; and 1999 f-53 stripped chassis equipped with 5.4l or 6.8l engines and cruise control built from march 2, 1998 through march 4, 1999. A cruise control cable can interfere with the speed control servo pulley and not allow the throttle to return to idle when disengaging the cruise control.
  dealers will replace the cruise control cables. At the present time, the replacement cables are not available. Customers are being advised not to use the cruise control system until a replacement can be made.
  a pre-release warning letter that identified an interim fix until the parts for the permanent fix became available was mailed to owners beginning march 27, 1999.A second owner notification, identifying the permanent fix was mailed to owners beginning may 24, 1999.Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.Also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-dash-2-dot (1-888-327-4236).

To ensure accuracy and for your safety, it is recommended to do a free VIN recall check here or here [USA] - UK - Canada.

Bulletins are notices put out by manufacturers in conjunction with the NHTSA to notify the public of manufacturing issues or changes.

• Spark plug ejection from cylinder head investigation as of 20050922

  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¿s analysis showed, it is possible for a spark plug to detach from the engine cylinder threads in the subject vehicles.However, odi¿s analysis of 474 complaints describing such incidents found only a very few alleged any safety-related consequences.None of these showed any evidence of a serious safety consequence.Given the large population and relatively long exposure time of the subject vehicles, the complaint analysis indicates that the risk to motor vehicle safety from the alleged defect is very low.In view of the foregoing, it is unlikely that nhtsa would issue an order for the notification and remedy of the alleged defect at the conclusion of the investigation requested in the petition.Therefore, in view of the need to allocate and prioritize nhtsa¿s limited resources to best accomplish the agency¿s safety mission, the petition is denied.
  

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• Front seat back recliner attachment investigation as of 20030521

  By letter dated august 4, 2003, ford notified the agency that it is conducting a voluntary safety recall (nhtsa recall no. 03v281) involving certain model year (my) 1998-2001 ford explorer / mercury mountaineer 4-door, my 1998-2000 ford explorer 2-door and my 2001-2002 ford explorer sport and sport trac vehicles equipped with high back seats.Complaints allege that the drivers seat back reclined without warning.A bolt between the upper seat recliner attachment and the seat back frame may fracture.Ford will replace the bolt that attaches the seat recliner mechanism to the seat back frame on the driver side seat.Based on fords safety recall action, this investigation is closed.
  

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• Windshield wiper malfunction investigation as of 19990728

  There is no summary currently available
  

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• Vehicle hesitation/stalling investigation as of 19990609

  There is no summary currently available
  

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Common OBD Error codes specific to this vehicle.

• P0442 [3] Evaporative Emission Control System Leak Detected (small leak)
• P0455 [3] Evaporative Emission Control System Leak Detected (gross leak)
• P0456 [2] Evaporative Emissions System Small Leak Detected
• P0457 [2] Evaporative Emission Control System Leak Detected
• P1442 [2] A/C Evaporator Air Temperature Circuit Range/Performance
• P0340 [3] Camshaft Position Sensor Circuit Malfunction (Bank 1)
• P1309 [1] EGR Calibration High
• P1336 [1] Misfire Rate Catalyst Damage Fault - Bank 1
• B1834 [2] Door Unlock Disarm Output Circuit Failure
• B1676 [4] Battery Pack Voltage Out Of Range
• P0161 [2] 02 Sensor Heater Circuit Malfunction (Bank 2 Sensor 2)
• P0782 [1] 2-3 Shift Malfunction
• P0732 [2] Gear 2 Incorrect ratio
• P0733 [2] Gear 3 Incorrect ratio
• B1994 [5] Driver Side
• B1998 [5] Passenger Side
• P1762 [1] Coast Clutch Solenoid Circuit Malfunction
• P0300 [2] Random/Multiple Cylinder Misfire Detected
• P0301 [2] Cylinder 1 Misfire Detected
• P0171 [2] System too Lean (Bank 1)
• P0174 [2] System too Lean (Bank 2)
• P0500 [1] Vehicle Speed Sensor "A" Malfunction
• P1502 [1] RCNT Solenoid Circuit Malfunction
• U1039 [1] SCP (J1850) Invalid or Missing Data for Primary Id / Vehicle Speed
• P0351 [2] Ignition Coil A Primary/Secondary Circuit Malfunction
• P0352 [2] Ignition Coil B Primary/Secondary Circuit Malfunction
• P0353 [2] Ignition Coil C Primary/Secondary Circuit Malfunction
• P0354 [2] Ignition Coil D Primary/Secondary Circuit Malfunction
• P0741 [2] Torque Converter Clutch Circuit Performance or Stuck Off
• P1728 [1] Gear 3 incorrect Ratio
• C1726 [2] Air Suspension Rear Pneumatic Failure
• P0125 [4] Insufficient Coolant Temperature for Closed Loop Fuel Control
• P2357 [5] Cylinder 10 – pressure too low
• P1323 [1] P1323

Exploding airbags filled vehicle with smoke and ash. I received minor burns and abrasions on arms and face, daughter riding in back seat received black eye form flying object and required scan of head to rule out head injury. Was result of accident

Curse control occasionally makes engine accelerate while and after brake applied while moving under 5 mph and even while stopped with brake still applied. More than once a pedestrian was at risk in a crosswalk while vehicle stopped with brake still applied, then engine suddenly became near full throttle, requiring even stronger pressing of brake peddle. We took the car to dealer (henry day ford) who updated engine control rom; but same problem continued to exist. The dealer offered no warranty of repair or even acknowledgement of problem. We now drive with the cruse control and horn and ??? Cable disconnected near windshield washer reservoir.

Tl* the contact owns a 1999 mercury mountaineer. The contact stated that while driving at 30 mph, the check engine warning light illuminated. The failure occurred on multiple occasions. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the spark plugs needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure persisted. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vin was not available. The approximate failure mileage of the vehicle was 128,000.

Check engine light was on. Ran diagnostics to determine the fuel tank was not pulling a vacuum. Determined the fuel filler neck pipe was cracked at the top of the line near the tank cap. Went to replace the fuel filler neck pipe and found out where the pipe meets the tank, more than 1/2 of the diameter of the connection was missing (rusted thru) and broke off while trying to remove the hose (the metal attachment from the tank is stuck in the filler neck hose). The outside of the tank was wet with fuel. The rest of the tank is solid with no thin walls. Replaced tank and filler pipe with new. *tr

Have been having trouble with door locks, delay switch on rearview mirror, window lock and window functions, abs on all the time ,door ajar light on all the time. Nonfunctioning dome light switches and intermittent check engine light ( which when checked was determined to be some unknown insufficient exhaust flow issue). Constant clicking noises coming from the far left drivers side of dash. We noticed a flame coming out of my left front top dash vent after car had been parked for 5+ hours. It's obvious the fire started in the dash and it burnt both of the wiring harnesses under the left front control panel hitting the vent line and coming out the top vent of the drivers side of the dash. We had to poor buckets of water inside dash vents/ openings and front hood area to get the flames out. Our injuries were incurred while trying to put out the fire. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 1999 mercury mountaineer. The contact stated that the vehicle was parked and idle when it caught in fire from the engine area and spread to the instrument panel. The instrumental panel and the engine components were completely melted. The fire department was called and advised that the fire originated at the engine. A fire report was filed. The vin was not available. The vehicle was destroyed. The failure and the current mileage was 160,000.

Rear window wiper motor , washer works. *tr

My car caught on fire, while parked in my garage. My garage burned completely down and some damage was done to my home and surrounding property. *tr

On my vehicle a bold on the driver side seat has broken causing additional damage to the seat. The tubular part inside is cracked and needs to be replaced. Apparently there was a recall on the bolt that broke, but i never received a recall notice in the mail. Ford is stating this was sent to me 6 times. I do not recall ever receiving a notice. Ford will not authorize the dealer to repair this at no cost to me. I have since talked with several people at the customer service # provided to me by the dealership, and still have no resolution...Other than they will replace the bolt that broke...Not the rest caused by this broken bolt. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 1999 mercury mountaineer. The contact stated that the paint began peeling off the hood on the driver side. The manufacturer and dealer have not been notified. The vehicle has not begun to rust. The current and failure mileages were 120,000.

Front wipers stop working. This occurs abruptly without regard to weather conditions, time the car is running, etc. I have replaced both the motor and the switch. The wipers still fail. This is very dangerous. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 1999 mercury mountaineer. The contact received a recall notice for the vehicle speed control: cruise control switch in august of 2007. The parts for the recall repair are taking an extremely long time to arrive. He was dissatisfied that ford never provided their customers with updates and he had to call 8-10 times, more than once a month, to find out the status of the recall. The contact stated that his local dealer refused to deactivate the cruise control because they felt it was unnecessary. The dealer was located thirty miles away from his residence. There had been no failure to date. The current mileage was 75,000. Update 04-02-08 *bf

Tl*the contact owns a 1999 mercury mountaineer. While driving the vehicle the contact smelled smoke and pulled off the road. As the smell intensified the contact turned off the ignition switch and exited the vehicle. The contact stated that within five minutes the smoke turned gray and black in color. The fire department was notified, and, by the time they arrived, the vehicle was in flames underneath the hood. The vehicle was towed to the insurance investigators, and a report was pending to determine the cause of the fire. The current and failure mileage were 54,717.*ak

Dt*: the contact stated the vehicle lost traction, due to ice on the road, and hit a guard rail, while traveling 20 mph. The vehicle impacted the guard rail head on, and the frontal airbags failed to deploy. Both parties were secured by the seat belts. A police report and photos were taken of the incident. The vehicle was driven away after the report was taken. The vehicle was taken to an authorized repair shop as instructed by the insurer. The service dealer and manufacturer were not alerted.

Tl*the contact owns a 1999 mercury mountaineer. He received recall notice 05s28 in september of 2006. The parts are not available. The vehicle speed control is not disconnected. The current mileage was 77000. There are no failures at this time. The vin is not available.

Dt*: the contact stated while driving 40 mph the vehicle hit another vehicle from behind and the frontal airbags failed to deploy. A police report was filed at the scene and the driver sustained minor injuries. After the accident, the air bag light illuminated. The dealership was not alerted and no inspections have been made.

1999 mercury mountaineer developed problems with the windshield wipers, tires, driver's side mirror, linkage on the transmission, check engine light and the airbag light.*mr

Dt: was driving and the suv threw itself into 4 wheel drive low, causing rapid deceleration of vehicle. It was raining and it happened without warning. Ford has special service messages #508000 drive line trasfer case concerns. Contact has concerns about not being notified by manufacturer about problem.Suv is at dealer now and is still under warranty. Contact says is is very dangerous when this happens in traffic and rain.*ak

1999 mercury mountaineer. Leak in rear differential at 40,000 miles. Replaced pinion seal. At 67,000 miles, a loud, whine emitted from rear axle when driving (regardless of speed) and the mechanic advises us to replace rear differential bearings or entire rear differential. If we don't, we fear the rear axle will fail, causing a crash.*ak

Driver was traveling on the highway and without warning the vehicle stalled. Driver was unable to restart vehicle. Had vehicle towed to the dealer. Mechanic determined that the oil pump needed to be replaced. *ak

Accelerated 1999 mercury mountaineer v8 from stop light. Throttle got stuck in accelerate position. Tried to free throttle by repeated pulsing with foot but acccelerator stuck in full throttle position and could not stop car! Had to turn off ignition resulting in no power steering or braking. Was able to free throttle by removcing throttle cover (on engine) and manually moving throttle by hand. Would have hit car in front of me if there was traffic! Throttle plate assembly replaced by authorized ford dealer at my cost.*ak

Air bag light keeps turning on. Vehicle has been taken to the repair shop but they were unable to turn it off. There were no current recalls for the air bags on this particular vehicle.*ak

While the vehicle was parked consumer heard a loud noise coming from the rear. Dealer inspected the vehicle and noticed that the spare tire was on the floor and that the support cable broke. Consumer will contact the dealer in the near future. This information was provided by mrs. Zelma's husband john sullivan. *ak *tc

While driving there was unattended acceleration. Consumer's foot actually was on the brake and at the accelerator pedal at the same time. The pedals were very close together. Accident occurred. Vehicle was totaled. Upon impact, the air bags did not deploy.*ak.....Once off the exit ram slid through grass an dinto pine tree. *ak

Driver door locks driver in. *ak

The passenger side tie rod of my 1999 mercury mountaineer, 75,000 miles, fell apart (at the ball joint) while driving. I was very lucky to not crash the car (i was on a quite road and going slowly). My car has been well kept and had a full ford service ($800) in february. I went online and noticed that many other drivers had experienced the same problem. I kept the ball joint and found it completely worn out (you could pull it out of the socket). The car had to be towed to a repair shop and the tie bolt was replaced. The repair shop said that i should contact ford as this was a problem with the way the ball joint was manufactured (with no way to apply new llubrication during servicing). This is potentially a very serious issue that it should be investiagated. *ak

Driver's side door failed to open either by the automatic lock, pulling door handle from the inside or rolling the window down and pulling the handle from the outside. Warranty was extended to assist with repairs, but did not include all consumers. *ak

My graphich display (clock/radio stations, mode) stopped working on my radio. The auto shop has replaced the radio twice with the same results. All cabling and fuses were checked and certified okay. All other components are working except for the display. Help!!!!*ak

The side air bag indicator light come on while driving. The dealership indicated this occurred because of a high voltage issue with the side air bag control switch. The switch has to be replaced. The cause of the high voltage issue was undetermined. *jb

Gas pedal detached from the vehicle while driving. *ph this caused the vehicle to turn into the snow bank. *sc

Consumer was charged $80.15 to learn the check engine light problem she experienced was recalled by ford. *ph *nm

Tried to set cruise control and it would not hold speed set after 2 attempts, then it just "took off". Gas petal was all the way to the floor and i could not get it up. Could not shut off cruise control by braking or hitting "off" button. Was on expressway and going over 90. Had to fight gas petal all the way to the floor by braking. Fortunately i was on straight section of road and there was no ice and little traffic. I had to wait in car in 6 degree temp. For hr. And a half for aaa to load vehicle on flatbed to take to ford dealership. Unable to start engine b/c gas petal was still to the floor, so no way to keep warm. Ford dealership in mich. Disabled cruise control to allow me to continue to travel. Mercury dealership in toledo told me 2000 and 2001 mountaineers have been recalled for cruise control cable defect but when i called ford cust. Serv. They said they wouldn't do anything to fix the vehicle or reimburse for excess towing chg. Because there was no recall for 1999's. This is a serious safety issue and it could have been far more disastrous.*ak

Engine oil leak or possible fuel leak leading to vehicle fire, total loss. Driver escaped injury. *ak

Cd player does not work and graphical display not working. Had identical problem in sept/oct 2002. Under extended warranty. Paid $100 for new radio. Happened again dec 2003 - same thing cd stopped working and graphical display not working.*ak replaced - sept/oct 2002. Now same problem with new one.

Dt*: the contact stated the tailgate failed to close. The vehicle was taken to the dealership where they replaced the tailgate. The welds had popped loose which allowed the hinges to move out of position. Updated 04/12/06. *jb

Airbag light stays on and has been in repair shop 78 days since i bought it, 1-2001, airbag still is not fixed. *la

Nhtsa recall 00-v-072-000: vehicle description: multi-purpose vehicles equipped with 4.0l engines and all-time 4-wheel drive (a4wd) power trains. The generic electronic module (gem) could experience a condition referred to as "lock-up" in which the gem controlled electronic functions (e.G., front windshield wipers, interior lights, 4x4 system, etc.) could not be turned on or, in some cases if the function is on, it could not be turned off. The consumers vehicle experienced the same problem. *ak *la *jb

Took the truck back to the dealer for the four time 9/2903 for the check engine light came on again and the same code keeps coming up and it is getting old not to have the truck that we are still paying for monthly.Annd i have all the work orders for what they did

The cruise control was set at 65 mph when all of a sudden the vehicle accelerated to 90 mph. The dealer informed the consumer they would grease the throttle control cable, however the problem continued. The consumer stated there were two recalls on this issue.# 99-v-062-001 and 03-v-280-000. *jb

Recall 03v281000 concerning high back seat. This could cause driver's seat to recline without warning. Ford/mercury 301-423-4950. *ak

While driving the vehicle at 20 mph and no warning. The drivers side seat frame snapped. Causing the driver to pull off the road. Consumer has made contact with the dealership. Please provide any further details.

Abs light is on and had test done and comes up as rear speed control sensor. Have replaced numerous times and still no change. Have taken to ford dealerships, mercury dealerships, and other well known maintenance shops and no one knows what is wrong. Since the light has come on the front brakes feel like they are dragging. Also the display on the premium radio works when it wants to. *ak

Air bag light is always on the dashboard. Dealer has inspected vehicle 9 times, and problem still recurring.*ak

The upper bolt on the driver's seat back bracket broke, allowing the seat to drop past it's fully reclined position. The driver is experiencing some back and neck pain from the unexpected drop. The vehicle will be unusable until the seat is repaired. *nlm

The display on the premium factory radio does not function properly. Illuminated digits of the display panel may work intermittently or not work at all. All other functions of the radio seem to work. My research indicates that this has been a problem on radios installed in various ford motor company products of the 1997-2001 model year range. Ford motor company should make a no-charge repair on these radios.*ak

Smoke came out of center part of dashboard while driving. Turned off vehicle, cleared smoke. When turned vehicle back on, display on radio was out. Checked fuses, went to dealer. Dealer said vehicle out of warranty, recommended factory authorized repair facility. *jbsaid repair facility removed radio, checked for problem. Found burned component on circuit board that powers high current display. Circuit board wad burned beyond repair. Repair facility said they have seen this numerous times before and advised that it is fire hazard.

The air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that a wire under the driver's seat was broken. The consumer was told that as long as the light remained illuminated the air bags might not inflate in the event of a crash (part # 3l2z-14b455-aa). *nlm *nlm

Consumer states that while backing up the vehicle started fish tailing without warning. The steering column started smoking. Dealer notified. Please provide additional information. Ts

Original oil pump driver failed, causing oil pump to stop circulating oil thru engine, causing server engine damage. Mechanic stated that the oil pump driver part that failed, should have lasted for the life of the original engine. After completing approx $1500. In repairs to replace oil pump, bearings etc, he (will bmc motors 114 sierra st. El segundo, calif. 310-322-9511) discovered that an aluminum buffer on the defective part had disinegrated, causing a metal to metal situation, which caused the oil pump driver to fail, which stopped the oil flow thru the engine. This caused a rod to be thrown, and now an additional repairs in the neighbor hood of $3500 is being demanded. The vehicle was at the end of a lease, and subsequently turned in, and the creditor, ford motor credit, wants us to pay for the repairs caused by their defective part. We contacted the dealer that we leased from, and of course they say there is no history of any other reportings of this defect in an oil pump driver. Ts

Loss of control while driving 70-73 mph. Vehicle went into a rollover crash, and neither air bags deployed. *ak consumer states that this incident resulted in the death of her daughter. *scc

Cable holding spare tire underneath carrage rusted out, dropping tire in middle of the road while in motion. This failure occurred without warning or any type of indication. Please describe details. *ak

While driving 45mph engine just shutoff without warning.*ak

Airbag light came on. Computer read the wiring harness was faulty and had to be replaced. *ak the consumer states that the air bag light had come on. The manual indicates that the vehicle must be serviced immediately. When the vehicle was serviced, the service writer made it clear that this is a common problem. The factory harness indicates there is a problem with the head rest air bag only. (there isn't one) now the consumer is forced to replace the factory wire harness with a re-engineered harness that sends the computer the proper information. *scc

Airbag light comes on, flashes goes off, comes back on. Dealer recognizes problem and has designed a robust electrical harness replacement but refuses to cover costs. This re-desing of the electrical system for the proper functioning of the airbag restraint systems was first recognized by the manufacturer in 1999, the date of the vehicle. The nhtsa bulletin number is sb610933. Please help!!! This is a serious safety issue and concern for not only myself but the saftey of my children.*ak

No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak

Gas pedal sticks intermittently. Forcing pedal causes vehicle to surge/dealer check said no problem found at this time. Prior to taking to dealer i attempted lubrication in interior and under hood. Seemed to stop problem for 30 minutes to an hour, then intemittant sticking returned*ak

As the owner and driver of the vehicle at the time of incident, i feel that the mountaineer had an obvious design flaw which promoted the chance of it rolling. The roll over occurred following braking and steering to avoid a collision. Once heavier braking was applied, the car began to rock and then rolled over 2 times.It is apparent that this model suv and others had a high center of gravity and a narrow wheel base. The accident referred to in this report may not have occurred those characteristics were not present.*ak

While stopped at a red light with my foot on the brake pedal, the engine bucked and misfired as though it was going to die. Suddenly, the engine revved to the point that with both of my feet on the brake pedal, the car crept ahead and tapped the car ahead of me. Just as quickly as the engine surged, it dropped back in revs to normal idle. On my way home from the scene, it occured again, except this time i had my hand on the auto gear change, moved it qiuckly to neutral, and turned off the ignition. I made it home without further incident, called the dealer on monday , and had them tow the car to the dealership as i did not feel that the vehicle was safe to drive. After having the car for two days now, they claim that they can find nothing wrong. I told them that i would not accept the car back without a specific reason for this sudden acceleration. They say there is nothning wrong that they can find, but i will not drive this vehicle until a fix is located and repaired. *ak

My right side tire blewout. *ak (tiresize: 15)( dot number: tire size: 15 )

Consumer had noticed that tread was separating on all four tires. Took vehicle to tire retailer and was inspected. Consumer was informed that tires were bad and needed to be replaced. Dot, w2hl10y518, p235/75r15, with 2,000 miles.*ak the tires are firestone wilderness at, consumer requests reimbursement for replacement tires. *slc

We have had this vehicle in to two different dealerships at least 6 times for the same problem. They now say that rotors are below specs, and that someone has turned them to get them that way. All brake parts on this vehicle are original and have only been serviced by a registered mercury dealership. I ahve talked to the mercury customer assistance department two times also about this problem. We cannot get anywhere but they now say we must rebuild the brake system on the front of this vehicle at our expense. The original problem was a grinding dragging noise from the front that has went on for over 6 months. We are just seeking satisfaction and for mercury to correct their problem.*ak

Firestone wilderness at tires, P23575r15, dot vdhl1P1323 were showing signs of tread separation, all 4 tires were cracked around the sidewalls, firestone denied refund request because this particular tire is not on recall. *slc

Upon inspection of all 4 tires on vehicle, 3 of the tires (1 driver's front, 2 rear) were noted to have small cracks/splits around each tire sidewall approximately 3 inches below the top of the tread. Front tire has the greatest number of cracks.( dot number: w2hlipy tire size: p235/75r15 )

Tires are showing signs of cracking in the tread. Vehicle experiences abnormal shaking during speeds in excess of 40 mph.( dot number: w2hl tire size: p235/75r15 )

Consumer had received a recall notice on the firestone tires, p235/75r15 vd. Has to wait on a waiting list to have tires replaced. *ak

The dealer was notified on four different occasions of the obvious tire problem. The dealer balanced, rotated and aligned the tires. When the problem persisted the dealer advised that i notify the firestone tire and service center. I went to the firestone dealer and upon inspection of the tires was told that the left front tire was very dangerous because the belts inside the tire were separating. The representative also checked the right front tire and found it to also have separated belts. The firestone representative recommended for safety that i replace all 5 tires. The dealer prorated the tires based on the amount of tread remaining on the tires. As a safety measure i had the tires (wilderness at) replaced with uniroyal tiger paws at a cost of $200.32. I feel that i should not have had to bear the cost of replacing the tires. The belts were separating due to defective manufacture and should have been replaced at no cost to me. As a single individual who uses the vehicle extensively to travel the defective tires were a safety hazard.( dot number: w2/235 tire size: 75 15 )

Consumer stated that the wilderness at tires were on recall, and replaced with laredo uniroyal tires, at that time the tires were on both ford and firestones approve replacement list. Consumer is requesting in writing if the laredo uniroyal tires are approved his vehicle. *yd

Consumer took firestone tires into dealer to get them checked and they noticed tires had some splits. Consumer replaced tires. While driving home on highway, left rear wheel had some separation. First set of tires were original equipment. P235 75 r15, made in canada.*ak dot# vnhl ipy. *slc

Consumer was on a waiting to get replacement tires for recalled firestone tires, consumer felt the risk was too great to travel on a long distance trip on the faulty firestone tires and replaced them, consumer request reimbursement. Nlm

Pe00 020, consumer was traveling about 45mph on side road and heard a banging noise, vehicle veered left to right. She was able to control vehicle and steered onto the shoulder in the sand. Right rear tire tread had separated from rim, and tire was hitting up against vehicle and it was very hot. Firestone wilderness at, P23575r15, and dot w2hlity488. There were no injuries. She contacted firestone. Manufacturer told her that this tire not on recall. Consumer replaced all four tires with michelin tires.*ak firestone wilderness at p235/75/r15 *mw

The rear 3 point seatbelts lock in the retracted position when worn causing the passenger to have to unbuckle the seatbelt to release tension in order to continue wearing the seatbelt. Both rear seatbelts continue to ratchet tighter each time the occupant leans back. This is extremely uncomfortable. The dealer has replaced the belts once, but the same symptoms persist.*ak

Pe00020, original equipment on 1999, mercury mountaineer,tire size P23575r15, dot vdhlipy4198. Passenger's rear tire tread blewout of the rim which may have caused a crash. Luckily, driver had control of vehicle. *ak

Tires were inspected under recall and front tires had separationn.All four tires were replaced. I sent in all the paper work that firestone needed under the recall but they refused to reimburse any money i laided out because the code on my tires were not the v.D code the code on my tires were w.2 code. *ak (dot number: w2hl1py159 tiresize: 235/75/15)

Consumer has a 99 mercury mountaineer. Consumer took vehicle to see if tires were okay. Firestone center put the vehicle up on a rack & found that tread could be easily pulled off by the finger. 10 inches & 12 inch portion from each side. They immediately replaced that one with a firestone recall tire. Another firestone dealer replaced the set with bridgestone ht. The dot# unknown.*ak the dealer charged the customer 50% of the cost of replacing non recall tires. The customer wants reimbursement of the expenses. *yh

While driving about 65 mp right front tire had a blowout. Then, consumer replaced all four tires. P235/75r15, dot w2, mercury, mountanier, 1999. *ak the tire blew out on a new vehicle with only 4000 miles. Firestone refused to refund the customer for replacement tire. *yh

----- original message ----- from: tom stangl [email protected] to: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected] sent: friday, september 15, 2000 1:50 am subject: firestone wilderness at blowout inquiry > on june 29, 2000, while driving from st. Paul, minnesota to duluth, i experienced a blowout on i35. Many cars were on the road at the time, however i was able to maneuver to the side of the road safely and change the tire. There was no debris in the road and no other cars experienced problems around me. I drove to a duluth firestone dealer and had the tire replaced. Upon examining the tire, they could not find a puncture. The tire was torn up from the highspeed freeway incident and maneuvering to the side. The tire was located on the passenger rear. The rim was not damaged and i purchased a matching tire from firestone. Attached is a line item from my mastercard for your reference. The tires are wilderness at brand on a 1999 mercury mountaineer with dot code w2hl. The tires had 13,590 miles on them at the time of the incident. I am very concerned that this incident is tied to the problems currently being experienced by others leading to the recall of this line of firestone tires. Currently this includes dot code vdhl. I would appreciate your comments on the expansion of the recall to include my tires now that it appears i have experienced the same problem as others with more severe consequence. Regards, tom stangl white bear lake, mn 06/29 firestone 00016918 duluth mn $111.50. *ak (dot number: w2hl tiresize: p235/75 r1)

Prior to publicized reports or recalls on firestone tires i had my first 2 tire blowouts in my 20 years of driving on my new mercury mountaineer. The first was considered a puncture which i accepted. The second was considered a road hazard by the firestone dealer. The second tire blow out appeared much like a bad hair piece, i am now aware of the term - tread separartion. Again, this occured prior to any reports of any firestone tire defects. I went to another tire dealer for replacement as i was not satisified with the firestone dealers explaination. (dot number: w2hl027477 tiresize: p235/75r15)

While driving the rear drivers side firestone wilderness at tire blewout, consumer requested reimbursement but firestone denied request because the tire was not purchased on a pro-rated basis. Nlm

Vehicle stalls in reverse/ sittting at stop lights / stop signs and going up hills. Engine light came on as a warning indicating something was wrong. Dealer cannot duplicate the problem to find a remedy. *ak

Pe00.020; consumer was traveling on highway and vehicle would shake and vibrate . Tires run out sideway, and consumer tooks his vehicle to the dealership. The tire are firestone wilderness#at p235/75r1. He has notified firestone.*ak firestone wilderness at p235/75/15 *mw

Right front firestone wilderness at tire blewout causing damage to the rim, the blowout was so severe it took over a half hour to change the tire. Nlm

Tire blowout which damaged the right front rim - couldn't afford a new rim, thus my tire is not in complete balance.( dot number: tire size: P23575r-15 )

Vehicle was going south on nys rte 41 at 40mph and began pulling left, driver steered to the right. The next thing i remember the vehicle had crossed the northbound lane and was on its left side in a 5 ft ditch east of the northbound lane. The front and side airbags did not deploy and the left front tire was off the rim laying under the left front door. All tires had been rotated and properly maintained at 26 lbs as recommended on the manufactures sticker on the left front door. These tires are not included in the recent recall, as they do not have the "vd" dot #. The tread did not seporate, but was similar to accidents as depicted on the national tv news.( dot number: w2hl 1py tire size: p235/75r15 )

Ford representative will not authorize needed repairs. No safety defect listed in summary. *ak

The rear end makes a noise while driving, also during right turns, tried to get it repaired twice before!*ak

Windshield wipers come on all by themselves when consumer least expects. *ak

Tire failed as we were exiting expressway on the passenger rear side. We called for service and roadrunner roadservice came and replaced tire with spare at approximately 4 pm i have copy of receipt. We took tire to a firestone store and they replaced tire free after we forced the issue, they did not want to replace for free at first. Tires have been properly rotated on time and tire pressure has been maintained and checked properly. Tire manufacturer was checked by ford/mercury service dept and we were told our tires were made in canada and therefore we are not eligible for replacement even though we have had a tire failure. Firestone kept the tire that they replaced so we do not have it in our possession. *ak( dot number: vn tire size: 23575r15 )

Was driving 40mph onto a ramp when it felt like the left rear tire had blownout & went flat. Pulled over & checked before changing tire & noticed the tread had left the tire. Took tire to firestone shop & it was replaced. Mechanic indicated consumer ran over an object to cause the flat. Did not have the tire. Firestone wilderness at size p235/75r15 had 2,000 miles on it. *ak

Original tires on a 1999 ford mountineer; mechanic that serviced vehicle told consumer tire was bad, consumer was expierencing a very bad vibration, so consumer replaced the firestone tires with michelin, and the vibration went away.*ak firestone wilderness at p225/70/r15 *mw

While making a right turn consumer hit a bump and the windshield wipers came on, steering wheel went to the right, and the consumer almost hit an enbankment. *ak

While driving down the road about 15 mph and making a turn, it feels like vehicle will tip over.Also, after stopping at a light and then proceeding, vehicle jerks and hesitates.Consumer contacted dealer. *ak

Noticed defective stud/lug assembly on tire rotation. Question how many other vehicles may have same defect? Is this a safety issue? *ak

When traveling and upon hitting a bump in the raod, the windshield wipers come on intermittently, causing the blades to wear. Also, air conditioner is blowing out hot air. Consumer has contacted the dealer, dealer has yet to replace parts. Please provide any further details. *ak

Windshield wipers would turn on automatically without indications. Occurs on bumps and turns when initializing turn signal. *ak *yc

For no apparent reason the windshield wipers come on and go off without application. The dealer has been notified about this problem. Part to correct is on national back order. *ak

Windshield wipers would intermittently come on while switch is in off mode, or when turn signal is used. Also wiper would stop working while operating. Dealer notifed and waiting on repair parts. *ak

The windshield wipers come on spontaneously. They do not operate at high speed unless i activate my turn signal which will activate the high speed (but not always). A right hand turn (with or without turn signal) seems to trigger them to come on (but not always). When they do come on spontaneously, they will be in the pause mode at different intervals. They stop operating just as spontaneously. They have come on at times even before i leave my driveway, sometimes after 20 miles or more, but usually within 1-2 miles of driving. The service representative at varsity told me he had never heard of the problem, but the next day he told me he had 5 vehicles that morning with the same problem and that ford engineers were looking into it. I have a fear the wipers will not operate in a rainstorm and i will have an accident. *ak

Vehicle was being driven in heavy rain in dark early morning hours on i-94 in se michigan. When passing a tractor trailer, the windshield wipers (front and rear) spontaneously failed. Vehicle was driven off at next exit, and wipers would not operate. Driven back to dealer in dry daylight hours for warranty fix. Nothing conclusive found, then i read about your investigation in the newspapaer on 8/20/99.

Windshied wipers fail to work properly. Would stop or go on their own. Causing poor visibility to driver. Had wipers repaired seven times so far. Been through lemon law. Problem has since returned. *ak

Shortly after car was purchased, the windshield wipers started to go on when they weren't prompted to do so. Channel 7 news did a report on this and called them phantom wipers. The problem they reported is the exact problem i am having. Also, when it rains heavily and i need the fast wiper speed, only the slow one works even when i put it on for the fast speed. This is very distracting. The wipers go on and off at any time - there is no consistency to when this happens. This is ruining the windshield as it has dry wipers go on and off and moving dirt constantly across the glass - must be doing some kind of damage to the glass and of course wearing the wipers out - all causing me unncessary expenses. It is extremely ridiculous to be told - " there is no fix". Pleeeeeeeeaaaaaassssseeeee do something about this. I have always purchased only mercury cars - for the quality and the service. I can assure you this is the last mercury vehicle i will purchase.

No summary.

Windshield wipers are working intermittently, and sometime's don't work at all. *ak

1999 mercury mountaineer sway bar failure. Consumer states that front passenger sway bar link was sheared off. Then he noticed the driver side sway bar link was the same way. Consumer replaced both of the links. *kb the consumer stated a recall had been issued for earlier models. *jb

1999 mercury mountaineer electrical burning smell coming from vehicle.*mr *cb

While driving at low speed, the driver heard a loud knocking sound coming from the front of the vehicle. This caused the steering wheel to shake. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection. The mechanic was unable to duplicate the problem. *jb *nm

Firestone wilderness at tires (P23575r15) wore unevenly even with tire rotations every 3 months. Nlm

Consumer was told that the firestone tires were not covered under recall because they were not manufactured in decatur, the tires have pieces of the sidewall beginning to peel away. Nlm

Firestone wilderness tires (p235 70 r15) experienced failure. *slc

Owner would like assurance that tires on vehicle are not include in recall (oot-005). Tires are wilderness at, dot # beginning with w2ul, recall notice is confusing. *cj

This vehicle has been recalled 5 times since purchase, the most recent is for the pcm (00s45), the consumer believes this vehicle was poorly put together and that the manufacturer should provide an extended warranty for the vehicle. Nlm

Windshield wipers come on uncommanded - - intermittently. Occurs most often when making a left-hand turn. Often happens when using turn signal lever. Occurs less frequently when traveling in a straight line. The speed of the wipers is also affected, most often starts in the slow speed mode, wiper speed remains the same despite increase/decrease by turning switch.

I am very concerned that the vehicle maufacturer and the tire company have refused to correct this problem even though they have been aware of it since 1996. Ford continues to supply these tires. The purchaser has no choice in the make of tires that ford supplys on the car. It is my life and the lives of my loved ones they are playing with and i don't appreciate it at all. If these tires were on their cars, i am sure they would replace them immediately. Why must it take more deaths ,rollovers, accidents for some action to be taken on this matter.*ak( dot number: tire size: p235r15 )

Vehicle vibration noticed often at high speeds (60-70 mph). Tires (4) replaced with new michelin 235/75r15 ltx owl 6c 104r 78868 tires on 9/6/00. Mileage on tires and vehicle at replacement was 11,457( dot number: w2hl tire size: 235/75r15 )

After hearing about the firestone recall. I was concern about my tires. I went to a firestone store and they inspected my tires and said that my tires are not the recall tires. I am affraid to drive my mountaineer far or at a high speed like 55 or 60 mph. What can be done about this? I have the same tires that being recall, but the firestone tire store said you are not in any danger, your tires came from a different plant. These tires are firestone wilderness a/t tires i am affray for my family and myself. What can i do? (dot number: w2hl tiresize: p235/75r15) (dot number: w2hl tiresize: p235/75r15)

Consumer unable to have recalled speed control cable repaired due to lack of parts. Nlm recall 99v-062

My job requires me to be on the road in all the southern states 6 days a week, in hot interstate travel conditions. All four of my tires were manufactured in the wilson nc plant, which has been proven by numerous investigations that these tires have caused many fatal accidents by tire tread separation. I must tell you that i feel very "unsafe" and uneasy every time i get in my automobile. This is a very uneasy feeling. I would like to replace all of the tires and the spare, with another tire from another manufacturer. I feel this cost should be covered by firestone, since they made the faulty tires in the first place.*ak (tiresize: p235/75r15)( dot number: tire size: p235/75r15 )

Horn, which is located in middle of steering wheel and underneath plastic panel of airbag, is too hard to press. Consumer must use both hands before horn will sound. *ak

While driving vehicle cut off without prior warning, causing loss of steering. Also, headlights went out. Consumer has contacted dealer, dealer has replaced the battery. Please provide any further details. *ak

Windshield wipers come on by themselves and stay on. Sometimes they do not come on even with application. Dealer replaced the switch, but problem still exists. *ak

Windshield wipers will turn on by themselves without touching switch, and they will not function on high speed, causing a distraction or poor visibility. *ak

Consumer called complaining about having problems with the brakes. Also stated that while driving the vehicle at 5 mph and had a brake failure. Dealer was contacted and stated that the caliper fail and the had got hot and the system fail. Mr

Safety recall o3s04 mercury mountaineer 1999.*mr the driver seat back frame may fracture. This could result in looseness or noise in the seat. *ph the consumer was unable to make an appointment because he/she was never able to get a representative on the phone and after a 6-8 minute tape recorded message, the line went dead. *jb

Brakes failed seven times within 70,000 miles. An independent mechanic determined that the gem control module was the problem. When the gem control module malfunctioned, the brakes failed, and the 4-wheel drive didn't operate. Also, windshield wipers operated intermittently. *ak

Abs sensor failed, however system continues to experience failures after replacement of the sensor. Mjs

Windshield wipers have to be turned on high in order to function. When the wipers are on, they run at slow pace. Dealer can not fix them. *ak

Windshield wipers come on by themselves, distracting the driver. Dealer claims module is on back order. *ak

During wet weather conditions the dome light fills up with water and will leak all on the inside. This could cause an electrical short and/or a fire. Dealer has been contacted. *ak

Vehicle accelerates suddenly, resultig in a collision that caused minor injuries . A recall has been issued . However, dealer has been notified. *ak

After starting vehicle air bag light failed to turn off. Would remain on continuously while vehicle is being operated. Would flash a code first when light comes on. Been to dealer twice & mechanic could not locate cause of problem. *ak