I HAVE HAD REPEATED PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION I.E. A NOTICEABLE CLUNK WHEN THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTS FROM OVERDRIVE TO LOW UPON APPROACHING A STOP SIGN. ADDITIONALLY, WHEN BACKING AND SHIFTING TO FORWARD THE TRANSMISSION HESITATES AND SLIPS BEFORE GOING INTO FORWARD DRIVE. THIS CAUSES SOME ANXIETY WHEN YOU HAVE TO BACK FROM A COMMERCIAL BUSINESS INTO A BUSY TRAFFIC WAY AND THE TRANSMISSION SLIPS LEAVING YOU NOT KNOWING IF YOUR GOING TO BE ABLE TO AVOID APPROACHING TRAFFIC FROM THE REAR. I HAVE REPORTED THE PROBLEM TO COLORADO RIVER FORD IN ON AT LEAST TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS AND HAVE HAD THE TRANSMISSION FLUID REPLACED IN ACCORDANCE WITH MERCURY'S RECALL. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM CONTINUES. SUBSEQUENTLY,I HAVE CHANGED TO BRADLY FORD FOR REPAIRS. ON ONE OCCASION IMMEDIATELY AFTER A RAIN STORM AND WHILE TRAVERSING A HIGHWAY WASH, I SLOWED THE VEHICLE AND STRADDLED THE CENTER LINE (NO TRAFFIC) TO AVOID ANY STANDING WATER. ADMITTEDLY, THERE WAS MUD RESIDUE ON THE FAR SIDE OF THE WASH. REGARDLESS, AS I EXITED THE WASH AND ACCELERATED THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTED FROM OVERDRIVE TO LOW GEAR CAUSING THE REAR WHEELS TO SPIN AND I WENT INTO A BROAD SIDE SKID TO THE RIGHT AND BACK TO THE LEFT AND TO THE RIGHT AGAIN, ALL OF WHICH WAS AS CLOSE TO A NEAR ACCIDENT AS I WANT TO EXPERIENCE. AS A RETIRED ARIZONA HIGHWAY PATROLMAN I WILL ADMIT THAT MY SPEED WAS TOO FAST FOR THE CONDITIONS (ESTIMATED SPEED 30 TO 40 MPH). HOWEVER, I AM ALSO OF THE OPINION THAT THE SHIFTING PATTERN OF THE VEHICLE ADDED TO THE MOMENTARY LOSS OF CONTROL. REGARDLESS, AT THIS POINT THE VEHICLE REGISTERS 35,500 MILES AND BRADLY FORD IN LAKE HAVASU CITY IS GOING TO ATTEMPT TO RECTIFY THE PROBLEM. THEY WILL BE TEARING DOWN THE TRANSMISSION FOR EXAMINATION. THIS IS AFTER THEY HAVE ALREADY REPLACED A PRESSURE SOLENOID AND THE PROBLEM STILL CONTINUES. I DO NOT BELIEVE THE REPAIR WILL RELIEVE THE PROBLEM AND WILL RESULT IN MY TAKING A FINANCIAL LOSS WHEN I TRADE THE VEHICLE IN. *NM
2004
STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE
I ACTUALLY MISSED TWO RECALL ON MY VEHICLE THAT I PURCHASED IN 2004. MY DEALER WHICH IS JOHNSON BROTHERS FORD/MERCURY ON IH 35 TEMPLE, TEXAS 76501. MY WIFE WAS UNLOADING TRUCK AND THE LIFTGATE PLUNGED DOWN ON HER WITHOUT ANY NOTICE. SHE SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES FROM INCIDENT. THE YEAR BEFORE OUR TAILGATE STARTED CRACKING IN 2006 . THE DEALER JOHNSON BROTHERS NEVER NOTIFIED ME OF THE TAILGATE RECALL OR THE RECALL #RQ8003 FOR THE LIFTGATE ISSUE IN 2008. THIS DEALER HAS BEEN THE WORST IVE SEEN SINCE BUYING MY FIRST NEW OR USED VEHICLE IN AMERICA. I ,[XXX], HAVE ONLY RECEIVED HELP CONCERNING OIL CHANGES , AND TIRE CHECKS SINCE 2004. POOR SERVICE CENTER FOR CUSTOMERS. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)*TR THE CONSUMER STATED THE TRANSMISSION OIL PAN WAS NEVER CHANGED AND THE DEALER CONTINUED TO TELL THE CONSUMER, ALL THE FLUIDS WERE FINE. HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL WHILE IN DRIVE MODE.