1998 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS Suspension Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE EXAMINING HIS VEHICLE AT HIS RESIDENCE, HE NOTICED THE FRONT BALL JOINTS WERE DEFECTIVE. THE VEHICLE TAKEN TO EXPRESSWAY FORD OF MOUNT VERNON (3800 HIGHWAY 62 E, MOUNT VERNON, IN 47620) ON MAY 30 2020, WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE SHOCKS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE FRONT SHOCKS WERE REPLACED HOWEVER, SEVERAL MONTHS LATER THE DRIVER'S SIDE SHOCK WAS LEAKING FLUID. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 165,400.

Mileage: 165,400

AUTOZONE- VALUCRAFT BRAND- BALL JOINTS PART NUMBER VFA2101 I RECENTLY HAD MY BALL JOINTS REPLACED AND I HAD A PREMATURE FAILURE OF THE BALL JOINT FASTENING HARDWARE WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE CITY ROAD IN A STRAIGHT LINE AT 45 MPH. IT CAUSED THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OF DAMAGE AND IT ALSO ALMOST CAUSE ME GREAT INJURY. I SUSPECT AUTOZONE IS USING LOW GRADE NUTS CAUSE THE NUT THAT WAS ON THE BALL JOINT SHEARED OFF CAUSING ME TO BEND A CONTROL ARM, CRACK MY FRAME, BLOW A TIRE, ALL WHILE BARELY MISSING A TELEPHONE POLE. HAD I BEEN GOING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT I COULD HAVE FLIPPED MY CAR, GOT PULLED UNDER A SEMI, CROSS THE MEDIAN INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND SO ON. I WOULD LIKE FOR AN INVESTIGATION TO BE STARTED ON THEIR POOR ENGINEERING CHOICES AND A RECALL TO BE STARTED. ITS JUST NOT FOR THE SAFETY OF ME BUT FOR THE SAFETY OF OTHER PEOPLE. I DO HAVE ALL DAMAGE PICTURES AND PICTURES OF THE FAILURE POINT. I HAVE PICTURES OF THE NUT IN QUESTION COMPARED TO ANOTHER COMPETITORS BRAND AND THERE IS A NOTICEABLE SIZE DIFFERENCE AND HARDNESS DIFFERENCE. THE BALL JOINTS WERE REPLACED 9/26/2015 AND FAILED ON 4/25/2016. AUTOZONE PART NUMBER VFA2101. MY BELIEF IS THE NUT IS A LOWER GRADE WHEN IT SHOULD BE A GRADE 8 NUT. I SAY THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS BECAUSE THE AUTO BODY SHOPS AROUND ME SAID THEY WILL NOT REPAIR THE FRAME BECAUSE ITS A LIABILITY AND WOULD RECOMMEND A NEW FRAME TO BE PUT UNDER THE VEHICLE ESSENTIALLY TOTALING MY CAR OUT CAUSING ME TO HAVE TO SPEND THOUSANDS TO REPLACE MY VEHICLE.

Mileage: 213,760

WHILE DRIVING OR BACKING AT SLOW SPEEDS THIS VEHICLE(WHICH HAS VERY VERY LOW MILES) MAKES LOUD,BANGING,POUNDING,BINDING NOISES AND SOUNDS LIKE THE ENTIRE FRONT END IS GOING TO FALL OFF. THIS HAPPENS FREQUENTLY AND IS NOT NORMAL FOR ANY CAR WITH SUCH LOW MILES 15 YEARS OLD OR NOT. I HAVE GOTTEN TO THE POINT THAT I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS CAR. I HAVE ALSO BEEN TOLD THAT OTHERS HAVE THIS SAME OR A SIMILAR ISSUE. THE CAR WAS DRIVEN BY AN OLDER COUPLE AKA MY GRANDPARENTS WHO BOUGHT IT NEW IN 98' AND THEY BOTH PASSED AWAY IN 2012. THIS MAY BE IN PART DUE TO THE "DOUBLE WISHBONE" SUSPENSION WHICH I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT. I AM EXTRA UPSET AS I SAID DUE THE FACT THAT THIS CAR HAS ONLY HAD AN AVERAGE OF JUST OVER 2,000 MILES ANNUALLY AND WAS TREATED VERY WELL. THE CAR LOOKS LIKE NEW BUT SCARES ME HALF TO DEATH WHEN I HEAR THIS UNMISTAKABLE LOUD SOUND OF BROKEN,BINDING,LOOSE OR DEFECTIVE PARTS. I AM ABLE TO REPAIR IT BUT WAS HOPING THERE WAS A RECALL DUE TO THE SAME STORY BEING POSTED OVER AND OVER. THIS CAR,EITHER MODEL THE GS OR LS IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. IF YOU ARE A PROSPECTIVE BUYER,PLEASE DRIVE THE CAR SLOWLY THEN TURN IN REVERSE AND IF IT EXISTS THE PROBLEM WILL SOUND OFF IMMEDIATELY. IF BACKING OUT WITH A VERY SLIGHT CURB,THE CAR WILL SOUND MUCH WORSE.FORD IS NOT KNOWN FOR ITS FRONT ENDS OTHER THAN THE FACT THAT ITS CARS AND TRUCKS FRONT ENDS ARE EITHER NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE TO ALIGN AND/OR ARE VERY EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR. I HAVE NEVER SEEN OR HEARD ANYTHING LIKE THIS IN ANY OTHER CAR MAKER,FORD SHOULD PAY FOR THIS TRAVESTY OF A FRONT END. WITHOUT TAKING A VISUAL I WOULD SAY IT MY CAR NEEDS BOTH UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS,TIE ROD ENDS AND A FULL SUSPENSION CHECK OR REBUILD. IF ANYONE HEARS THIS IN A CAR FROM A DEALER OR ELSEWHERE=DO NOT BUY!!! *TR

Mileage: 31,000

DURING NORMAL DRIVING NOTICED A SQUEAKING AND GROANING NOISE COMING FROM FRONT END OF CAR. STEERING HAS BECOME LOOSE AND WAS TOLD BY A MECHANIC THAT THE BALL JOINTS,SHOCKS,BUSHINGS ARE DRY AND THAT THE VEHICLE CANNOT BE LUBRICATED BECAUSE IT IS SEALED. SEEN OTHER COMPLAINTS ON WEBSITE REGARDING THESE SAME ISSUES. I HAVE BEEN WARNED THAT THE TIRES COULD FALL OFF AT HIGH SPEEDS CAUSING SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. *TR

Mileage: 83,400

VEHICLE BECAME UNDRIVEABLE DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE AIR SUSPENSION COMPLETELY GAVE OUT AND THE SHOCK ABSORBERS WERE NO LONGER WORKING. THE APPROXIMATE STARTING TIME TO THIS PROBLEM, WHEN THE COMPRESSOR WAS ACTING UP, WAS BACK IN SEPTEMBER OF 2010. THE CAR SITS SO LOW TO THE GROUND NOW THAT I WILL HAVE TO GET RID OF IT ALTOGETHER (EITHER HAVE A JUNK YARD BUY IT OR GET RID OF IT AS A PARTS CAR), AS IT'S UNSAFE FOR ME TO DRIVE, LET ALONE HAVE MY DAUGHTER IN. ALSO, I'M A POOR MOTHER, UNEMPLOYED, WHO DEFINITELY CAN'T AFFORD TO PAY THE LARGE COSTS OF GETTING THIS FIXED. IN TALKING TO PEOPLE ABOUT THE PROBLEM, IT'S EITHER THE COMPRESSOR HAS GONE BAD, A WIRING PROBLEM, OR A PROBLEM WITH THE ON/OFF SWITCH IN THE TRUNK. *TR

Mileage: 142,767

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND FELT EXCESSIVE VIBRATION. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED BY ANOTHER MOTORIST THAT THE END ROD WAS DISENGAGED UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE BALL JOINT WAS THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED OF THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 90,000.

Mileage: 90,000

DURING NORMAL DRIVING, HEARD EXTREMELY ALARMING LOUD CREAKING, SQUEAKING NOISES FROM FRONT END. STEERING BECAME SLOPPY AND ERRATIC. TOOK IT TO R&R AUTOMOTIVE IN LEX. PK. MD AND HAD COMPLETE FRONT END REPLACED, DUE TO WORN OUT BALL JOINTS, IDLER ARMS, PITMAN ARMS, TIE RODS, SWAY BAR ENDS WHICH COULD NOT BE LUBRICATED. REPLACED WITH THOSE EQUIPPED WITH GREASE FITTINGS. $1750.00 *JB

Mileage: 105,000

THE FRONT UPPER BALL JOINTS WERE SQUEAKING DUE TO DRYNESS,WHICH CONSUMER HAS BEEN INFORMED THAT THEY CAN BREAK AND CAUSE THE WHEELS TO FALL OFF.*AK

PROBLEMS WITH UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS AND TIE RODS.*MR THE PARTS WERE REPLACED, SOME OF THEM TWICE. FORD PUT UNGREASED PARTS ON. EVENTUALLY THEY DRIED OUT AGAIN AND STARTED SQUEAKING. IF NOT REPLACED THEY WOULD POSSIBLY BREAK WHICH COULD CAUSE THE DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL, POSSIBLY CAUSING INJURY OR DEATH. *PH THE FRONT BRAKES WERE RESURFACED. *JB

THE INNER AND OUTER TIE ROD ENDS HAVE BEEN REPLACED AS WELL AS THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS. *MR *SCC *NLM

Mileage: 60,000

WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH STEERING WHEEL SUDDENLY STARTED MOVING FRM SIDE TO SIDE, CAUSING LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL, RESULTING IN CRASH. *AK

THERE IS A CONSTANT FEELING THAT THE TIRES AND FRONT END ARE BOTH OUT OF ALIGNMENT AND TIRES OUT BALANCE(THEY ARE NOT) CAUSING A CONSTANT ROUGH RIDE ON THE SMOOTHEST PAVEMENT BEGINNING AT 55MPH. DEALER HAS CHANGED TIRES TWICE RE-BALANCED TIRES 4 TIMES AND RE-ALIGNED 3 TIMES. CAN YOU CHECK. *AK

VEHICLE PULLS TO THE LEFT WHILE DRIVING.

VIBRATION FELT AT SPEED 59-70 ON OCCASSION. YH

FRONT END MISSALIGNMENT CAUSES VEHICLE TO PULL TO THE RIGHT. YH

WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 55-65 MPH CONSUMER CAN FEEL A VIBRATION ALL THROUGH THE VEHICLE. ALSO WHEN HITTING A BUMP THE STEERING WHEEL ALMOST LEAVES DRIVER'S HANDS. THE DEALER IS NOT ABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. OWNER HAS BEEN TO DEALERSHIP 4 TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM. *AK