1998 Mercury MOUNTAINEER: complaints, problems and recalls

THE VEHICLES BRAKE LIGHTS STAY ON. CONSUMER STATES SOMETIMES ALL THE LIGHTS WILL ILLUMINATE. CONSUMER FEELS THERE IS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10002213 at NHTSA ↗

GAS PEDAL CAME COMPLETELY APART. UNABLE TO ACCELERATE. MR *NLM *DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS*741060

Owner-reported narrative. 103,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10006365 at NHTSA ↗

MY DISPLAY LIGHTS ON MY RADIO STARTED DIMMING IN AND OUT. NOW THEY ARE COMPLETELY GONE. I TOOK IT TO MY LOCAL FORD DEALER AND THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WOULD COST AT LEAST $350 FOR THEM TO SEND IT OFF AND HAVE IT REPAIRED. THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER SAME VEHICLES WHO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. 52,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10018674 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE TURNING RIGHT THROUGH A CLOVERLEAF INTERSTATE ENTRANCE RAMP AT APPROXIMATELY 35-40 MPH I ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE AND MERGE WITH ON-COMING TRAFFIC. THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL POPPED AND WENT UNDER THE BRAKE PEDAL. I WAS ABLE TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND VISUALLY VERIFIED THAT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BRACKET HAD BROKEN. THIS IS THE METAL BRACKET THAT WAS SPOT WELDED TO THE COWL PANEL/("FIREWALL"). THIS LEFT 3 HOLES IN THE COWL PANEL, EACH BEING APPROXIMATELY 7/32" IN DIAMETER. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE HOME BY PULLING THE ACCELER…

Owner-reported narrative. 99,600 miles reported. Look up ODI 10020561 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE DRIVING, THE (3RD) GEAR WENT OUT. THE TRANSMISSION WAS CHECKED AND PIECES OF THE GEAR WAS FOUND. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED AT AN INDEPENDENT TRANSMISSION MECHANIC (NORTHEASTERN TRANSMISSION). THE PARTS WERE TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP, HOWEVER THEY REFUSED TO INSPECTED THE PARTS. THE CONSUMER THEN CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, BUT THEY WERE NOT WILLING TO ASSIST. (NORTHERN OHIO AUTOMOTIVE, 7513 TYLER BLVD; MENTOR OH 44060, [phone removed] *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 33,568 miles reported. Look up ODI 10022503 at NHTSA ↗

1998 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER TRANSMISSION REPAIRS. *MR THERE WAS NO THIRD GEAR AND THE TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED. ENGINE LIGHT STAYED ON AND THE EGR SENSOR HAD TO BE REPLACED. *TT *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 33,568 miles reported. Look up ODI 10025095 at NHTSA ↗

1998 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER. AUTOMATIC DOOR LOCKS WILL NOT UNLOCK. THIS ALSO CAUSES A PROBLEM WHEN TRYING TO UNLOCK THE VEHICLE WITH THE KEY(WON'T UNLOCK).HE HANDLES BRAKE WHEN TRYING TO GET OUT OF CAR. I WAS STUCK IN MY CAR AT THE POST OFFICE TODAY AND HAD TO CLIMB OUT OF THE WINDOW TO GET OUT. THANK GOD THIS WAS NOT AN EMERGENCY SITUATION AND KIDS WERE NOT WITH ME.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10028724 at NHTSA ↗

ELECTRONIC CONTROLS OPERATED BY THE GENERIC CONTROL MODULE (WIPERS, REAR DEFROSTER, POWER WINDOWS ETC.) HAVE LOCKED UP. THROTTLE STICKS AFTER FULL STOP AND USE OF CRUISE CONTROL AND NEEDS EXCESSIVE FORCE TO MOVE FORWARD. EXISTING RECALLS SHOULD COVER THESE REPAIRS, AS WELL AS TWO OTHER RECALLS FOR THE CORROSIVE HOOD LATCH, AND SPEED CONTROL WHERE THE THROTTLE COULD ICE UP IN PROLONGED COLD WEATHER. I WENT IN ARMED WITH DOCUMENTATION AND THE RECALL INFORMATION FROM THE WEBSITE BUT THE SAYVILLE FORD DEALERSHIP IN SAYVILLE, NY, REFUSED TO SERVI…

Owner-reported narrative. 29,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10029148 at NHTSA ↗

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: 2003-08-05 (August 5, 2003)

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH HIGH BACK SEATS, THE UPPER BOLT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE HIGH BACK SEAT, THAT ATTACHES THE SEAT RECLINER MECHANISM TO THE SEAT BACK FRAME, COULD FRACTURE. IF THE BOLT FRACTURES AND DOES NOT JAM IN THE SEAT BACK FRAME, THE SEAT BACK MAY RECLINE UNTIL IT MAKES CONTACT WITH AN OBJECT BEHIND THE SEAT, SUCH AS THE SECOND ROW SEAT CUSHION.

Consequence: THE DRIVER COULD POTENTIALLY LOSE CONTACT WITH THE STEERING WHEEL OR FOOT PEDALS DURING SUCH AN EVENT, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE DRIVER SEAT UPPER BOLT WITH A METAL SPACER AND BOLT. IN ADDITION, SEATS WITH TUBULAR BACK FRAMES WILL HAVE THE FULLY THREADED LOWER RECLINER BOLT REPLACED WITH A PARTIALLY THREADED BOLT. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON AUGUST 29, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673.

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.

Reported: 1999-03-30 (March 30, 1999)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: CERTAIN 1997-1999 RHD EXPLORER EQUIPPED WITH 4.0L OHV/SOHC ENGINES AND CRUISE CONTROL BUILT FROM MAY 29, 1996 THROUGH MARCH 4, 1999; 1998-1999 EXPLORER/MOUNTAINEERS EQUIPPED WITH 4.0L OHV/SOHC OR 5.0L ENGINES OR 1998-1999 RANGERS EQUIPPED WITH 2.5L, 3.0L FFV/EFI OR 4.0L ENGINES AND CRUISE CONTROL BUILT FROM JANUARY 5, 1998 THROUGH MARCH 4, 1999; 1998-1999 MUSTANGS EQUIPPED WITH 3.8L, 4.6L 2-VALVE OR 4-VALVE ENGINES AND CRUISE CONTROL BUILT FROM MARCH 2, 1998 THROUGH MARCH 4, 1999; 1999 F250/F350/F450/F550 (OVER 8,500 LBS.) TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH 5.4L OR 6.8L ENGINES AND CRUISE CONTROL BUILT FROM MARCH 2, 1998 THROUGH MARCH 4, 1999; AND 1999 F-53 STRIPPED CHASSIS EQUIPPED WITH 5.4L OR 6.8L ENGINES AND CRUISE CONTROL BUILT FROM MARCH 2, 1998 THROUGH MARCH 4, 1999. A CRUISE CONTROL CABLE CAN INTERFERE WITH THE SPEED CONTROL SERVO PULLEY AND NOT ALLOW THE THROTTLE TO RETURN TO IDLE WHEN DISENGAGING THE CRUISE CONTROL.

Consequence: IF THE CRUISE CONTROL IS USED AND THIS CONDITION IS PRESENT, A STUCK THROTTLE COULD RESULT, WHICH COULD POTENTIALLY RESULT IN A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLES. AT THE PRESENT TIME, THE REPLACEMENT CABLES ARE NOT AVAILABLE. CUSTOMERS ARE BEING ADVISED NOT TO USE THE CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM UNTIL A REPLACEMENT CAN BE MADE.

Reported: 1999-06-29 (June 29, 1999)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES. THE SECONDARY HOOD LATCH MAY CORRODE AT THE LATCH PIVOT AND STICK IN THE OPEN POSITION.

Consequence: IF THIS OCCURS AND THE PRIMARY HOOD LATCH IS EITHER NOT ENGAGED OR IS RELEASED, A HOOD FLY-UP COULD OCCUR.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A SECONDARY HOOD LATCH WITH COMPONENTS THAT ARE COATED PRIOR TO ASSEMBLY FOR IMPROVED LATCH PIVOT CORROSION PROTECTION.