1997 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER Suspension Problems

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.

Mileage: 156,000

DEALER STATES THAT MY VEHICLE [XXX] IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL FOR 1997 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER SWAY BAR LINKS 00S47- RECALL ID#00V402000. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY MY VEHICLE SHOULD BE EXCLUDED EVEN THOUGH IT IS A 1997 MOUNTAINEER. I WOULD LIKE SOME COMPENSATION FROM FORD MOTOR COMPANY. *JB UPDATED 07/19/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE FRONT STABILIZER BARS ON MY 1997 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER. I HAVE REPLACE THEM 4 TIMES AND WITHIN 6 TO 8 WEEKS THEY BREAK AGAIN. FORD HAD A RECALL AND FIXED THEM THE FIRST TIME AND EVER SINCE THEN I HAVE HAD TROUBLE KEEPING THEM FROM BREAKING. WITHOUT THEM THE TRUCK BOUNCES ALOT AND HARD TO HOLD ON THE ROAD.

Mileage: 133,000

REAR END IS LEAKING FLUID, AND IS MAKING A ROARING SOUND.*AK

WHILE DRIVING 45-50 MPH A RATTLE / SHAKING WOULD START COMING FROM FRONT OF VEHICLE. DEALER / MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THERE IS A LOUD THUMPING NOISE THAT COMES FROM THE FRONT END OF VEHICLE.*AK

VEHICLE IS MAKING A NOISE IN FRONT END DUE TO DEFECTIVE BALL JOINTS. CONSUMER HAS YET TO CONTACT DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

I WAS ONE OF THE FORTUNATE FORMER OWNERS OF FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES. ON JANUARY 28,2000 I VISITED A LOCAL TIRE KINGDOM INC TIRE DEALERSHIP IN CLEARWATER FLORIDA FOR A POSSIBLE FRONT END ALIGNMENT AND TIRE BALANCING BECAUSE I WAS COMPLAINING ABOUT A VIBRATION IN MY FRONT END OF MY 97 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER. I DO MOSTLY HIGHWAY DRIVING @ 60-70MPH AT THE TIME I HAD 34K MILES ON THE ODOMETER. WHEN THE MECHANIC STARTED WORKING ON MY CAR HE BEGAN REMOVING THE TIRES FROM MY SUV TO ROTATE AND BALANCE MY TIRES. HE NOTICED THAT TWO OF MY TIRES HAD SIGNS OF BELT SEPARATION AND THE TIRES WERE NO LONGER USABLE. I ACTUALLY WITNESS THE CONDITION OF THESE TIRES . IT WAS RECOMMENDED THAT THE TIRES BE REPLACED. WHICH I IMMEDIATELY APPROVED THEM TO DO. I ACTUALLY REPLACED ALL FOUR TIRES. AT A COST OF APPROX. $400.00. AS WE ALL KNOW FIRESTONE BEGAN THE RECALL OF WILDERNESS AT TIRES PRODUCED AT THE DECATUR PLANT EXPERIENCED AN INCREASED RATE OF TREAD SEPARATION CLAIMS.*AK (DOT NUMBER: W2 TIRESIZE: P235X15)

ENTIRE VEHICLE WILL VIBRATE WHEN IT REACHES SPEEDS ABOVE 35 MPH. CONSUMER STATED THAT A DETERMINATION COULD NOT BE MADE FOR REASON OF VIBRATION. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK

THE LOWER BALL JOINT AND UPPER CONTROL ARMS WERE WORN. NLM

THE LOWER BALL JOINT AND UPPER CONTROL ARMS WERE WORN. NLM

RECALL OO V 402 000/STABILIZER BAR LINK STUB: RIGHT SIDE STABILIZER BAR LINK STUB BROKE. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND DID REPAIRS UNDER WARRANTY. *AK BECAUSE OF ONE MONTH DIFFERENCE IN AGE, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL EVENTHOUGH THE PROBLEM WAS THE SAME. *YH

AFTER GETTING MY MOUNTAINEER BACK FROM ACCIDENT RELATED REPAIRS I NOTICED THAT WHILE BACKING &/OR TURNING THERE WAS A POPPING SOUND FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. ONE OF THE CONTROL ARMS WAS REPLACED DUE TO THE ACCIDENT, THE OTHER ONE WAS REPLACED IN 9/1999 & THE VEHICLE IS MAKING THE POPPING SOUND AGAIN.

VEHICLE DRIFTS TO RIGHT, REPAIR ATTEMPTED SEVERAL TIMES, INSTALL CAMBER CASTER AND TOE WERE OFF SPECS, REPLACE FRONT POWER STEERING PURGE.

VEHICLE PULLS TO THE RIGHT AND HAS BEEN SERVICED SIX SEPARATE TIMES SINCE MAY, 1997. *AK

FRONT END MISALIGNED, CAUSING VEICLE TO PUL TO THE RIGHT.