2001 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.

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.

THE FRAME IN BACK IS RUSTING THROUGH. THE BACK CROSS MEMBER AT THE REAR BUMPER IS RUSTED BAD. IT RATTLES ALL THE TIME.BACK SWAY BARS ARE RUSTED BAD.

NHTSA ID

11103719

Incident

Jun 1, 2017

Mileage

120,000 mi

I OPENED THE REAR GLASS AND WHILE THE GLASS WAS BEING RAISED BY THE PISTONS, I HEARD A LOUD BANG. THE GLASS SUDDENLY SHATTERED ALL OVER ME AND THE BACK OF THE MOUNTAINEER. I GOT GLASS IN MY FACE AND ARMS AND FEET. I HAD LACERATIONS TO MY ARMS FROM THE GLASS AND GLASS SPLINTERS IN MY FEET WHERE THE GLASS GOT INTO MY SHOES. THE GLASS DID NOT HIT ANYTHING AS WAS ONLY PART OF THE WAY UP WHEN IT SHATTERED. I DID NOT OPEN THE FULL REAR GATE, JUST THE GLASS PANEL WHICH IS UNLOCKED WITH A PUSH BUTTON TO THE RIGHT OF THE REAR GATE HANDLE LATCH. THE DAY WAS HOT AND I HAD THE AC RUNNING SO THERE WAS TEMPERATURE GRADIENT INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE TO THE OUTSIDE. THIS IS A DANGEROUS DEFECT AS I WAS INJURED AND OTHER COULD BE MORE SEVERELY INJURED BY THIS DEFECT.

NHTSA ID

11003795

Incident

Jul 8, 2017

Mileage

191,500 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, SMOKE EMITTED FROM THE HOOD AND THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TOW YARD. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 130,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10462142

Incident

Jun 17, 2012

Mileage

130,000 mi

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER ON MY 2001 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER 5.0 SUV. THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT NO LONGER WORKS. CANNOT MOVE IT, ADJUST IT, ETC. THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS BUT THE FORD DEALERSHIP SAYS IT DOES NOT APPLY TO MY VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10349464

Incident

May 18, 2010

Mileage

100,000 mi

TL*-THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, AND WHEN THE CONTACTS DAUGHTER, SEATED IN THE PASSENGERS SEAT SECURED THE SAFETY SEAT BELT.AN INADVERTENT DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIRBAG OCCURRED. THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES AND WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL. THE AUTHORIZED DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE MALFUNCTIONS WHICH THERE WERE NO RESOLUTIONS. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DRIVEN SINCE OCTOBER 9, 2009 DUE TO THE SAFETY HAZARD. THE CONTACT CONTINUES TO WAIT FOR A RESPONSE FROM THE AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THIS TIME. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 75,000. UPDATED 11/16/10. *LJ

NHTSA ID

10320093

Incident

Oct 9, 2009

Mileage

75,000 mi

I RECEIVED A RECALL FROM FORD IN AUGUST 2007 AND THEY STILL DO NOT HAVE A PART AVAILABLE FOR MY VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10222219

Incident

Aug 1, 2007

THIS IS NOT A SAFETY COMPLAINT BUT RATHER ABOUT SERVICE RECEIVED ON RECALL OF SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH FOR A 2001 MOUNTAINEER, 05S28. WE RECEIVED NOTICE IN SEP 2007 & CALLED AND SETUP AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THE PART REPLACE ON OCT 11 2007. UPON ARRIVAL WE WERE TOLD THAT PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE BUT THEY WOULD DISCONNECT CRUISE CONTROL. WE WAITED OVER AN HOUR TO HAVE THIS DONE WHICH WAS FRUSTRATING. PLUS FORD SHOULD HAVE BEEN UPFRONT AND TOLD US WE WOULD HAVE TO MAKE TWO TRIPS TO HAVE PROBLEM CORRECTED. WE TRAVELED 90 MILES ROUND TRIP. ON FEB 24TH, I SENT THE DEALERSHIP AN EMAIL CONCERNING THE STATUS OF REPLACEMENT PARTS SINCE IT HAD BEEN NEARLY 6 MONTHS SINCE THE CRUISE CONTROL HAD BEEN DISABLED. THE NEXT DAY THE DEALERSHIP CALLED BACK AND SAID THAT THE PARTS HAD COME IN FRIDAY, FEB 22 AND SET UP A 2:00PM APPOINTMENT TO INSTALL NEW PARTS. WHEN WE GOT TO THE DEALERSHIP, WE WERE INFORMED THAT THE PARTS FOR THE MOUNTAINEER WERE NOT IN. ANOTHER 90 MILES FOR NOTHING. IN ADDITION, THEY CANNOT TELL US WHEN THE PARTS WILL BE IN! *TR

NHTSA ID

10219401

Incident

Feb 25, 2008

LEFT FRONT SIDE OF THE SUV WAS SQUEAKING. JUST WITHIN A WEEK, IT BECAME EXTREMELY LOUD AND EMBARRASSING TO DRIVE. I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID IT'S THE BALL JOINTS WHICH IS VERY COMMON FOR THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10218801

Incident

Feb 12, 2008

Mileage

83,000 mi

SAFETY BELT RETRACTION SPEED. *TT

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

WARNING INDICATORS-PARKING AID-REVERSE SENSING SYSTEM (RSS) AND FORWARD SENSING SYSTEM (FSS)-FALSE ACTIVATION OF WARNING TONE-SERVICE TIPS. *MJ UPDATE. *TT

ALUMINUM CORROSION - SERVICE TIP. *TT

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

REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER GRID/INTEGRAL ANTENNA DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR - TERMINAL TAB REPAIR. *TT