1997 Mercury Mountaineer problems

“TIRE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE SIDEWALL. THE CONSUMER HAD FOUR TIRES INSTALLED ON THE SUV AND WHEN THEY REACHED 1/2 OF TREAD, THE TWO FRONT TIRES EXPERIENCED SIDEWALL SEPARATION. *PH *JB”

“TL* THE CONTACT'S HUSBAND OWNS A 1997 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS RELEASED, THE VEHICLE UNINTENTIONALLY ACCELERATED. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT'S HUSBAND REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 110,000.”

“I NEEDED MY BRAKES (ALL 4) DONE, AND NOTICED WHEN I STEPPED ON MY EMERGENCY BRAKE THE SUV WOULD NOT STOP AND BARELY SLOWED, AFTER GETTING IT BACK FROM DEALER WHICH I INFORMED OF TH E BRAKE, I TESTED THE E BRAKE AGIAIN AND ALL THOUGH IT NOW GRABBED THE CAR WOULD STILL MOVE FORWARD IN DRIVE WITH NO APPLIED PREASUR TO THE GAS. I TOOK IT BACK AND TOLD THEM THE E BRAKE STILL DID NOT WORK RIGHT , THAT IT WOULD NOT PASS INSPECTION(KEEPING THE SUV FROM MOVING AT 1100 RPMS). THIS IS WHAT WAS TOLD TO ME ALL MERCURY MOUNTAINEERS AND FORD EXPLORERS HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND IT CAN'T BE HELPED, HE TOLD ME HE COULD BRING OUT A BRAND NEW ONE AND IT WOULD DO THE SAME. I ASKED WHAT ABOUT INSPECTION- IT WON'T PASS HE SAID BRING IT TO THEM FOR INSPECTION AND THEY WOULD PASS IT . "NOT GOOD!" WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT THIS? IF IT IS TRUE ALL SUVS EXPLORERS AND MOUNTAINEERS ARE LIKE THIS THEY SHOULD BE RECALLED DON'T YOU THINK.?”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER. HE EXPERIENCED DIFFICULT STEERING, BECAUSE THE FRONT SWAY BAR LINKAGE HAD FRACTURED. SECONDLY HE WOULD INTERMITTENTLY SMELL AN ODOR OF GASOLINE INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THIRDLY DURING BRAKE APPLICATION THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WOULD ALSO STICK. THIS CONDITION WOULD CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO LURCH FORWARD. LASTLY THE MAIN BAR THAT HELD THE TWO BUMPERS TOGETHER HAD CORRODED. THE FAILURES WERE DESCRIBED IN RECALLS (98V060000, 00V422000, 00V402000). HOWEVER HE WAS ADVISED BY REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER THAT THE PREVIOUS OWNER HAD THE VEHICLE REPAIRED ACCORDING THE RECALLS. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 157,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 156,000.”

“I WAS AT A GAS STATION MAKING A PURCHASE WITH MY DISABLED MOTHER. WE LEFT THE STORE, AND GOT INTO MY TRUCK. I STARTED MY TRUCK AND PROCEED TO DIVE TOWARDS THE EXIT OF THE GAS STATION WHEN I SMELLED SOMETHING LIKE BURNING RUBBER. I SAID TO MY MOTHER THAT SOMETHING SMELLED FUNNY AND THEN LOOKED AND SAW A THIN STEAM OF SMOKE COMING UP FROM IN BETWEEN MY LEGS. I PARKED THE TRUCK AND JUMPERS OUT LEAVING MY OM IN THE CAR. I THEN SAW A FIRE INSIDE OF THE METAL TRACK IN WHICH MY SEAT MOVES MECHANICALLY UNDERNEATH MY SEAT, WHERE THE WIRES ARE. I RAN INTO THE GAS STATION PANICKED AND ASKED THE ATTENDANT FOR A FIRE EXTINGUISHER, TO WHICH HE REPLIED " NO, I DON'T KNOW I DON'T HAVE ONE" AND DID NOTHING. SO I RAN BACK OUTSIDE TO MY TRUCK WHERE MY MOTHER WAS HAVING TROUBLE EXITING MY TRUCK AS SHE HAS ANXIETY AND HEALTH ISSUES. SHE FINALLY GOT OUT AND A TOW TRUCK THAT WAS DRIVING BY, SAW THE SMOKE GETTING HEAVIER AND FLOWING OUT OF MY TRUCK, HE STOPPED AND OUT THE FIRE OUT WITH AN EXTINGUISHER. THE FLAMES WERE COMING THROUGH MY SEAT AND I WAS AT A GAS STATION. I WAS TERRIFIED. I HAVE PTSD AND THIS HASN'T HELPED MY SLEEP AT ALL. ALSO, WE WERE AT A GAS STATION AND AS YOU KNOW,…”

“WE REALLY DON'T HAVE ANY INFORMATION REGARDING THE INCIDENT. THE CAR HAD BEEN PARKED OUTSIDE FOR APPROXIMATELY 4 HOURS, WHEN UPON WAKING AT AROUND 3:50 AM ON SUNDAY MORNING, I SMELLED A STRANGE ODOR EMANATING FROM SOMEWHERE IN THE HOUSE. AS I INVESTIGATED, I SOON FOUND OUT THAT THE SMELL WAS NOT IN THE HOUSE, BUT OUTSIDE, AND THAT'S WHEN I FOUND MY CAR ABLAZE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD ALREADY BEEN CALLED BY THE TIME I REALIZED WHAT IT WAS, AND THE FIRE WAS PUT OUT. NO POLICE CAME, AND NO REPORT WAS FILED. THE ONLY INFORMATION GIVEN TO ANY OFFICIAL WAS MY NAME, MY CELL NUMBER, THE LICENSE PLATE NUMBER, AND POSSIBLY THE VIN. THE 1997 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER NOW SITS IN MY DRIVEWAY. *TR”