1997 Mercury MOUNTAINEER: complaints, problems and recalls

I HAVE A 1997 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER. IN WHICH JUST RECENTLY MY SEATBELT(DRIVER) DOES NOT HOLD. IT KEEPS ON SLIDING OUT. THERE IS NO TENSION IN THE BUCKLE. I TOOK IT IN TO FORD TO GET IT REPAIRED IN WHICH I HAVE TO PAY $87.24. THEY SAID THAT THE MILEAGE HAS A LOT TO DO WITH IT.I LOOKED UP SOME RECALLS ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND THAT THERE IS A RECALL ON THE NAVIGATORS AND THE EXPEDITIONS ON THE 1997-2000 MODELS AND ALSO ON THE 2000 MOUNTAINEERS . WHICH INCLUDES FORD EXPLOYERS F-150,ECT. I FEEL THAT THERE IN NO DIFFERENCE IN THE SEATBELTS ON THES…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10000475 at NHTSA ↗

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.

Owner-reported narrative. 133,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10011009 at NHTSA ↗

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION. THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THE VEHICLE WAS TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL OR PARK. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. THIS HAS OCCURRED FIVE TIMES. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10022336 at NHTSA ↗

THROTTLE STICKS WHILE IN CRUISE CONTROL. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER , WHO FIXED THE IEG VALVE. VEHICLE IS STILL EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10033691 at NHTSA ↗

TIRE TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE SIDEWALL. THE CONSUMER HAD FOUR TIRES INSTALLED ON THE SUV AND WHEN THEY REACHED 1/2 OF TREAD, THE TWO FRONT TIRES EXPERIENCED SIDEWALL SEPARATION. *PH *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10037877 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE COMPLETELY STOPPED, THE ENGINE ROARED AND THE VEHICLE LUNGED INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC HITTING ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE DEALER REPAIRED THE DAMAGES TO THE VEHICLE BUT WAS NOT ABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 46,289 miles reported. Look up ODI 10052086 at NHTSA ↗

ABS ON BRAKES CUT IN WHEN SHOULD NOT. MADE IT DIFFICULT TO STOP.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 99,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10063725 at NHTSA ↗

THE TAILGATE OF MY 1997 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER FELL OFF IN JULY 2001 DUE TO RUST AND / OR METAL FATIGUE AND / OR AN ENGINEERING DEFECT? IT WAS REPLACED ON 7/30/01 AND THE METAL IS NOW CRACKING AGAIN. FORD MOTOR COMPANY DOES NOT SEEM INTERESTED! *LA

Owner-reported narrative. 59,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10065617 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2000-11-28 (November 28, 2000)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES. UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, A FRONT SWAY BAR LINK CAN FRACTURE.

Consequence: VEHICLE HANDLING COULD BE AFFECTED, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE BOTH THE LEFT AND RIGHT FRONT SWAY BAR LINKS.

Reported: 2000-12-27 (December 27, 2000)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 4.0L SOHC ENGINES AND STILL RETAIN THE ORIGINAL THROTTLE BODY (PART NUMBERS 97JF-9E926AB OR 97JF-9E926-AC). SOME OF THE ORIGINAL THROTTLE BODIES INSTALLED ALLOWED A GAP BETWEEN THE PLATE AND BORE TO BE BUILT TOO NARROW. THIS REDUCED CLEARANCE ALLOWED THE ENGINE DEPOSITS NORMALLY PRESENT IN THE THROTTLE BODY TO CONTACT OR BRIDGE THE GAP. IF THE ENGINE DEPOSITS BRIDGED THE GAP BETWEEN THE THROTTLE PLATE AND BORE AND THEN HARDENED, ON THE INITIAL APPLICATION OF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AFTER THE ENGINE HAS COOLED, THE OPERATOR WOULD NEED TO APPLY ADDITIONAL FORCE TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO BREAK THE BRIDGE.

Consequence: THIS COULD RESULT IN ENGINE SURGE WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BREAKS FREE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE ORIGINAL THROTTLE BODIES.

Reported: 2009-10-13 (October 13, 2009)

FORD IS RECALLING MODEL YEARS 1995-2003 WINDSTAR, 2000-2003 EXCURSION DIESEL, 1993-1997 AND 1999-2003 F-250 SD THROUGH F-550 SD DIESEL, 1992-2003 E-150 THROUGH E-550, 1995-2002 EXPLORER, 1997 AND 2002 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER, 1995-1997 AND 2001-2003 RANGER, AND 1994 F53 VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE TEXAS INSTRUMENTS SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH (SCDS). THE SCDS MAY LEAK INTERNALLY AND THEN OVERHEAT, SMOKE, OR BURN.

Consequence: A VEHICLE FIRE COULD OCCUR WITH OR WITHOUT THE ENGINE RUNNING.

Remedy: FORD WILL NOTIFY OWNERS THAT DEALERS WILL INSTALL A FUSED WIRING HARNESS IN LINE WITH THE SCDS. ON 1999-2003 WINDSTAR VEHICLES WITH A LEAKING SCDS, DEALERS WILL ALSO INSPECT THE ABS CONTROL MODULE CONNECTOR AND REPAIR AS NECESSARY. REPAIRS WILL BE COMPLETED FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 27, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FORD AT 1-888-222-2751.

Reported: 1997-04-30 (April 30, 1997)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MULTI-PURPOSE PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 5.0L ENGINES ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF ALASKA, IDAHO, IOWA, MAINE, MICHIGAN (UPPER PENINSULA ONLY), MINNESOTA, MONTANA, NEBRASKA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW YORK, NORTH DAKOTA, SOUTH DAKOTA, VERMONT, WISCONSIN, AND WYOMING. THESE VEHICLES, WHEN OPERATED FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND TEMPERATURES BELOW -20 DEGREES FARENHEIT, DO NOT RETURN TO IDLE DUE TO ICE IN THE THROTTLE BODY.

Consequence: ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE CAN BE CONTROLLED BY EITHER APPLYING THE SERVICE BRAKES OR SHIFTING THE TRANSMISSION TO NEUTRAL, INCREASED BRAKE PEDAL EFFORTS OR SOME INCREASE IN STOPPING DISTANCE CAN RESULT.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A REVISED PCV SYSTEM WITH WATER HEATED VACUUM SOURCE.

Reported: 1997-08-19 (August 19, 1997)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MULTI-PURPOSE PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE LIFTGATE ASSIST GAS CYLINDER BRACKET ON THE RIGHT HAND BODYSIDE OUTER PANEL WAS INCORRECTLY WELDED.

Consequence: THE GAS CYLINDER BRACKET MAY NOT PROPERLY SUPPORT THE LIFTGATE INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REINFORCE THE BRACKET ATTACHMENT WITH TWO POP RIVETS.

Reported: 1998-03-19 (March 19, 1998)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MULTI-PURPOSE PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 4.0L SINGLE OVERHEAD CAM ENGINES. THE ENGINE FUEL LINES CAN BE DAMAGED IF THE VEHICLE IS JUMP STARTED AND THE GROUND CABLE IS ATTACHED TO THE FUEL LINE BRACKET THAT IS LOCATED NEAR THE BATTERY. SINCE THE BRACKET IS NOT GROUNDED, THE STAINLESS STEEL FUEL LINE BRAID COULD ACT AS A GROUND POTENTIALLY OVERHEATING THE PTFE INNER LINER OF THE FUEL LINE RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO THE FUEL LINE.

Consequence: THE FUEL LINES CAN LEAK, AND IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, A FIRE COULD POTENTIALLY RESULT.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A WARNING LABEL ON THE FUEL LINE BRACKET ADVISING OWNERS NOT TO USE IT FOR A JUMP START GROUND. ALSO A REVISED BOLT WILL BE INSTALLED IN THE ALTERNATOR BRACKET TO PROVIDE A CONVENIENT JUMP START GROUND LOCATION.