2000 Mercury Mountaineer vehicle speed control problems

“I WAS ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK(APPROX 12 MILES) AND DECIDED I'D TRY OUT THE CRUISE CONTROL IN MY NEWLY ACQUIRED 2000 MOUNTAINEER 302 AWD. THE FIRST PART OF THE COMMUTE IS WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER HARMLESS AND A VERY SAFE STRETCH TO TEST OUT THIS FEATURE SO I PRESS THE CRUISE BUTTON TO SET MY SPEED AT THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT OF 55MPH. ALL WAS WELL UNTIL I APPROACHED A SHARP HAIR PIN CURVE ABOUT 4 MILES INTO THE TRIP. I GENTLY STARTED TO APPLY THE BRAKE TO CANCEL THE CRUISE BUT THE VEHICLE DIDN'T RESPOND TO MY ATTEMPT. IN A STATE OF PANIC, I FIRMLY APPLY THE BRAKE TO REDUCE SPEED AND WAS ONLY ABLE TO DROP APPROXIMATELY 6-7 MPH. STILL WELL ABOVE THE ADVISED LIMIT FOR THAT PARTICULAR CURVE. AFTER MAKING IT THOUGH THE CURVE, THE MOUNTAINEER TRANSMISSION DOWN SHIFTED AND I WAS OFF TO THE RACES. I PANICKED AND IN DOING SO, FAILED TO PROCESS AND THINK CLEARLY. MY INSTINCT WAS TO KEEP POUNDING ON THE BRAKES IN HOPE THAT THE CRUISE CABLE WITH BREAK OR POP FREE. AT 70MPH MY BRAKES WERE USELESS. IT ACCELERATED JUST PAST 80MPH AND FINALLY RIGHT BEFORE MY TURN OFF ONTO THE ROAD THAT I LIVE, MY HEAD CLEARED AND I TURNED THE IGNITION KEY TO THE OFF POSITION AND WAS ABLE TO COAST…”

“I WAS DRIVING TO AN INTERSECTION WITH MY FAMILY WHILE GOING 45 MPH. I NOTICED BLACK COMING THROUGH THE VENTS. I PULLED OFF TO A GAS STATION PARKING LOT. I PROCEEDED TO USE FIRE EXTINGUISHERS UNDER THE HOOD, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD TO COME PUT IT OUT. THEY DID A LOOK THROUGH AND DETERMINED THE FIRE STARTED AT THE FUSE BOX. I WENT HOME AND RESEARCHED THAT THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM WITH THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE. I'M NOW OUT THE 6500 I USED TO PURCHASE IT. I CANT FIX IT OR TRADE IT IN NOW. *TR”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SMOKE EMITTED FROM UNDER THE HOOD AREA. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED BLACK SMOKE AND FLAMES IN THE ENGINE AREA. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CONTACTED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S INSURANCE COMPANY FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 165,000. UPDATED 06/26/13*LJ THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH WAS THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE. UPDATED 06/27/13 *BF UPDATED UPDATED 07/02/2013 *JS”

“BRAKE LIGHTS WERE NOT LIGHTING. FUSE WAS BLOWN, REPLACED FUSE, STEPPED ON BRAKE PEDAL, THEN POOF OF SMOKE AT FUSE INSIDE, AND UNDER HOOD SMOKE CONTINUED FOR 2 MINUTES. FOUND CONNECTOR FOR SWITCH ON MASTER CYLINDER WAS MELTED AND SWITCH IS STILL BAD. DISCONNECTED CONNECTOR FROM SHORTED SWITCH CAUSING FUSE TO BLOW. THEN REPLACED FUSE AND NOW BRAKE LIGHTS WORK. CRUISE CONTROL WAS INTERMITTENT FOR THE PAST 2 MONTHS PRIOR TO THIS EVENT. CONNECTOR IS TIED TO KEEP IT SECURE UNTIL REPAIR IS MADE. *TR”

“WHILE I WAS PARKING THE CAR IN THE GARAGE, I CAME TO A STOP ABOUT 12 INCHES FROM A FILE CABINET AGAINST THE BACK WALL. THEN I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE TO MOVE BACK A FEW INCHES FOR BETTER CLEARANCE. ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR UNEXPECTEDLY ACCELERATED FORWARD AND CRASHED INTO THE FILE CABINET AND TOTALED IT PLUS DAMAGED THE FRONT BUMPER, GRILL AND HOOD. NOTE THAT APPLYING THE BRAKE DID NOT STOP IT. VERY THANKFUL THAT NO ONE WAS IN THE FRONT OF THE CAR WHEN THIS HAPPEN. *TR”

“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND BECAME ENGULFED INTO MASSIVE FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE CAUSE OF FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE CRUISE CONTROL. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED WITH NO PERSONAL INJURY. THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED AND TOWED TO A TOWING FACILITY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.”