1998 Mercury Mountaineer

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.

EA05-005 IS CLOSED WITH FORD?S ACTIONS IN RECALLS 05V-017, 05V-388, AND 06V-286, RECALLING APPROXIMATELY 6.7 MILLION VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH TEXAS INSTRUMENTS SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCHES (SCDS).THE BRAKE SYSTEMS IN THESE RECALLED VEHICLES GENERATE A VACUUM THAT CAN POTENTIALLY CAUSE THE SCDS TO FAIL AND, IN CERTAIN SWITCH INSTALLATION ORIENTATIONS, CATCH FIRE.FORD IS ALSO INCLUDING THE ENTIRE POPULATION OF 1998 EXPLORERS.FORD HAS INFORMED ODI THAT TESTING TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF FAILURES IN THE 1998 EXPLORERS WILL CONTINUE AFTER THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.ODI BELIEVES THAT THE VEHICLES EXHIBITING THE FACTORS CAUSING SCDS FAILURE DESCRIBED IN THIS REPORT CORRELATE WELL WITH THE OBSERVED FAILURE RATES ON THESE VEHICLES BY MODEL AND MODEL YEAR.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST IN THE NON-RECALLED VEHICLES MANUFACTURED WITH SCDS THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED IN FORD?S RECALLS.ODI WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE NON-RECALLED POPULATION FOR INCIDENCE OF ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES.THE AGENCY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.SEE ATTACHED CLOSING REPORT FOR DETAILS.

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 DRIVER'S 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 FORD'S SAFETY RECALL ACTION, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.

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AT THIS POINT ALL 4 DOOR LOCKS/LATCHES ARE MESSED UP. BOTH DRIVER &PASSENGER BACK DOORS WON'T OPEN FROM OUTSIDE OR INSIDE. DRIVER &PASSENGER FRONT DOORS WON'T OPEN FROM OUTSIDE UNLESS OPEN FROM INSIDE FIRST. KEY WON'T UNLOCK DOORS. BACK GLASS ON HATCH DOOR WON'T OPEN. BACK WIPER BROKEN. BACK HATCH WOULDN'T OPEN UNTILL I PAID TO HAVE IT FIXED. I CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER THEY SAID MY TRUCK NOT ON RECALL LIST & WANTED ME TO PAY TO FIX IT. MY TRUCK HAS SAME ISSUES AS THE ONES BEING RECALLED. HOW DO THEY DETERMINE WHICH ONES TO RECALL?

NHTSA ID

11062659

Incident

May 20, 2015

UNDER MY HOOD STARTED SMOKING, I POPPED MY HOOD TO FIND FLAMES UNDER IT. I HAD TO GET MY KIDS OUT THE TRUCK AND PUT THE FLAMES OUT WITH AND EXTINGUISHER. THAT'S WHEN I NOTICED THAT MY BRAKE FLUID RESERVOIR WAS MELTED AND SO WERE THE WIRES THAT CONNECT TO THE CRUISE CONTROL SWITCH. NOT I AM WITHOUT A VEHICLE TO GET TO WORK AND GET MY CHILDREN TO SCHOOL.

NHTSA ID

11047281

Incident

Nov 18, 2017

Mileage

190,000 mi

DRIVERS SEAT BROKEN UNABLE TO ADJUST FOR PROPER VISION VIA WINDSHIELD.

NHTSA ID

10872444

Incident

Nov 6, 2015

Mileage

155,000 mi

ONE OF THE BRAIDED STAINLESS STEEL FUEL LINES THAT ATTACHES TO THE ENGINES FUEL RAIL DEVELOPED A LEAK. I KEPT SMELLING A STRONG ODOR OF GAS, BUT I COULD NOT FIND OUT WHERE IT WAS COMING FROM. AFTER TWO WEEKS OF SMELLING THE GAS, I TOOK IT TO A GARAGE AND THEY SHOWED ME THE GAS SQUIRTING FROM THE BRAIDED HOSE GOING TO THE ENGINE. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE FORD DEALER AND SHOWED THEM THE LEAK. THEY TOOK THE VEHICLE IN THEIR SHOP AND REMOVED THE FUEL LINES. BECAUSE OF THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE, FORD DOES NOT PROVIDE ANY REPLACEMENT PARTS. I WAS UNABLE TO GET REPLACEMENT FUEL LINES FROM FORD. I CHECKED WITH "JUNK YARDS" ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. I HAD NO LUCK FINDING REPLACEMENT FUEL LINES. JUNK YARDS CUT THE FUEL LINE WHEN THEY PULL ENGINES. I FINALLY LOCATED A COMPANY IN NEW CASTLE, DE THAT SUPPLIES HYDRAULIC HOSES, ETC. I TOOK MY OLD FUEL LINES TO THEM AND THEY REMOVED THE FITTINGS AND INSTALLED THEM ON NEW STAINLESS STEEL BRAIDED LINES. I TOOK THE NEW LINES BACK TO THE FORD DEALER AND THEY INSTALLED THEM ON MY VEHICLE. THEY SAID THE NEW HOSES HAD NO LEAKS. THE FORD DEALER CHARGED ME OVER $400.00 TO REMOVE THE OLD HOSES AND INSTALL NEW HOSES. THE SHOP IN NEW CASTLE, DE ONLY CHARGED ME $40.00 FOR A PAIR OF NEW HOSES. I'M VERY LUCKY I DID NOT HAVE AN ENGINE FIRE. THESE STAINLESS HOSES ARE USED ON A LOT OF FORD VEHICLES. FORD SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO SUPPLY REPLACEMENT HOSES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10680325

Incident

Jun 18, 2013

Mileage

79,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIRE RODS, WHEEL BEARINGS, AND THE TIRES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 210,000.

NHTSA ID

10618577

Incident

Oct 5, 2011

Mileage

210,000 mi

HAD A WRECK COMING DOWN THE MOUNTAIN. EMERGENCY BRAKE DIDN'T WORK RAN INTO A TREE AND DAMAGED A MAILBOX (RELATED VEHICLE INFORMATION: MODEL YEAR=1998, MAKE=MOUNTAINEER , MODEL=MERCURY ). *TR

NHTSA ID

10618525

Incident

Feb 4, 2012

ALL OF A SUDDEN WITH NO WARNING MY INTERIOR DOME LIGHTS, POWER WINDOWS AND FRONT AND BACK WINDSHIELD WIPERS DIDN'T FUNCTION. I WAS DRIVING IT STARTED TO RAIN AND I COULD SEE VERY WELL WITHOUT FUNCTIONING WIPERS. I HAD TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I FIGURE THAT A FUSE MIGHT HAVE BLOWN BUT WHEN I CHECKED ALL FUSES THEY SEEM TO BE OK. I WAS REVIEWING A RECALL FOR A 1999 MOUNTAINEER FOR A GEM PROBLEM. ALTHOUGH MY VEHICLE IS A 1998, COULD THIS PROBLEM BE SIMILAR TO THE 1999 RECALL. IT APPEARS TO HAVE ALL THE SIMILAR SYMPTOMS . IS IT POSSIBLE THAT MY 1998 MOUNTAINEER HAS A RECALL FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. THANK YOU *TR

NHTSA ID

10565323

Incident

Feb 17, 2014

Mileage

104,000 mi

1998 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER. ATTORNEY REPRESENTING CONSUMER REQUESTS LIST OF VEHICLE TIRE TREAD PROBLEMS. *SMD

NHTSA ID

10498621

Incident

Jul 3, 2012

FRONT AXLE LEAKS FLUID FROM VENT TUBE - VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 4X4 OR AWD. *TT

GENERAL (PCM) POWER TRAIN CONTROL MODULE PROGRAMMING PROCEDURES. *TT

GENERAL POWER TRAIN CONTROL MODULE (PCM) PROGRAMMING PROCEDURES. *TT

DRIVEABILITY-MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP (MIL) ILLUMINATED-DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES (DTC'S) P0420 AND/OR P0430. *MJ

LOW LINE PRESSURE READING AT WIDE OPEN THROTTLE (WOT), SLIPPING SHIFTS AND / OR DELAYED ENGAGEMENTS WITH POSSIBLE DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES P0732, P0733, P1762 SET ON VEHICLES BUILT BEFORE 12/1/2001. *TT

MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP ILLUMINATED WITH DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES (DTCS) P0442, P0455, P0456, P0457 OR P1442 OR A CHECK FUEL CAP LAMP ILLUMINATED WITH DTC P0457 FOR THE EVAPORATIVE EMISSION SYSTEM. *TT