HELLO AND GOOD DAY, WHEN I 1ST PURCHASED MY MOUNTAINEER (PURCHASED USED WITH APPROX 119,000 MILES) I TOOK IT TO GET IT WASHED. WHEN I WAS GETTING IT WASHED THE REAR HATCH PANEL (THE RECTANGULAR PANEL UNDER THE GLASS WITH THE MAKE AND MODEL NAME) CRACKED AND BROKE APART. I TRIED TO CONTACT FORD AND MERCURY CONCERNING THIS TO EXPLAIN WHAT HAPPENED AND HOW PART OF THE CAR LITERALLY FELL OFF. THEY INFORMED ME THAT THEY WOULD NOT RECALL THIS BUT THAT I COULD TAKE IT TO MY LOCAL DEALER AND THEY COULD FIX IT FOR $750! I DID RESEARCH TO FIND, LITERALLY, THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM. PEOPLE'S REAR HATCH PANELS ARE FALLING OFF WHILE DRIVING ALL THE TIME, I SEE IT ON THE ROAD ALOT. SINCE THE PANEL FELL OFF, THE RETAINING METAL PIECE THAT HOLDS THE REATCH HATCH CLASP IN PLACE TO THE DOOR, IT RUSTING OFF. THIS IS BECAUSE THE PANEL IS BROKEN OFF AND WATER/ICE HAS RUSTED THE AREA, WHERE USUALLY WATER AND ICE COULD NOT REACH IT. THIS SMALL PROBLEM IS NOT CAUSING MULTIPLE PROBLEMS. I AM CONCERNED THAT MORE OF MY REAR PANEL WILL FLY OFF WHILE DRIVING AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT I AM CONCERNED THAT MY REAR HATCH PANEL WILL COME OPEN WHILE DRIVING (THE CLASP COULD RUST OFF ANYTIME) AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT OR IT WILL FLY OPEN AND STUFF WILL FLY OUT OF MY CAR AND THEN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT I AM CONCERNED THAT MY PANEL WILL OPEN WHILE PARKED AND MY CAR /POSSESSIONS WILL BE STOLEN I AM CONCERNED THAT THE DOOR CLASP WILL CAUSE MY CAR ALARM (FACTORY) TO GO OFF AND RUN MY BATTER DOWN AND/OR SHORT OUT MY ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. BELOW IS A LINK TO ONE FORUM WITH OVER #450 PEOPLE COMPLAINING ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM HTTP://WWW.TOPCLASSACTIONS.COM/LAWSUIT-SETTLEMENTS/LAWSUIT-NEWS/1223-FORD-CRACKED-TAILGATE-CLASS-ACTION-LAWSUIT THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. *TR
2004
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT
OUR VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN JUNE 2008 AT DEALERSHIP NEARBY. WE WERE DRIVING HOME AND THERE WAS A GRINDING AND POPPING SOUND IN THE REAREND OF THE VEHICLE. IT WAS ME , MY HUSBAND, 3 MTH OLD AND 2 YR OLD OCCUPYING THE CAR. MY HUSBAND GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND STATED TO GET THE BABIES OUT OF THE CAR IN A HURRY IT WAS ON FIRE. WE GOT THE BABIES OUT AND RAN IN TO CALL 911 AND THE FIRE DEPT. THE FIRE WAS CONTAINED AND TOOK TO A LOCAL GARAGE AT THAT TIME I CONTACTED MY AUTO INSURANCE TO SEE IF THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE COVERED. THEY SENT AN AUTO ADJUSTER OUT TO LOOK AT IT. OUR INSURANCE DID HELP TO REPAIR THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL. THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL HAD GOT SO HOT IT EXPLODED CAUSING THE FIRE. THEN AFTER THE CAR WAS REPAIRED WE BEGAN TO HAVE PROBLEMS AGAIN AT THAT TIME I CONTACTED FORD MOTOR COMPANY. THEY EXPLAINED THEY COULD NOT REPLACE THE CAR BUT IF I TOOK TO A LOCAL FORD DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC THEY MAY CONSIDER REPAIRING. SO I DID AND THE WHOLE TRANSFER CASE HAS TO BE REPLACED AND FORD IS NOT PAYING FOR THE COST. I JUST DON'T WANT THIS EXPERIENCE TO HAPPEN TO ANYONE ELSE AND TO RISK THEIR LIVES JUST DRIVING THIS CAR AS A RESULT TO A FIRE. THE FIRE WAS CLOSE TO THE FUEL TANK. I DON'T THINK THIS CAR IS SAFE FOR US TO DRIVE I ALWAYS HAVE THAT FEAR IN MY MIND AND WORRYING ABOUT MY BABIES. NOW I HAVE THIS NEW PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE TO DEAL WITH. I HAVE TALKED TO SEVERAL PEOPLE AND ONE PARTICULAR COMPANY THAT HAS THE SAME TYPE OF VEHICLES WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS. SOMETHING REALLY NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS. *TR