2002 Mercury Mountaineer Suspension Problems

I PURCHASED A USED VEHICLE FROM REDEFINED AUTO SALES LOCATED IN SKOKIE, IL ON 3/11/17. SINCE THEN I HAVE SPENT OVER $1500.00 IN COST FOR REPAIRS ON THIS VEHICLE, BEGINNING WITH I HAD TO GET THE OIL CHANGED THE SAME DAY THAT I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THE CHANGE OIL REQUIRED LIGHT CAME ON AS SOON AS I EXITED THE EXPRESSWAY, I ALMOST GOT INTO A SERIOUS ACCIDENT ON THE EXPRESSWAY IN ROUTE FROM THE CAR DEALERSHIP BECAUSE A MOTORIST TRIED TO CUT ME OFF AND THAT IS WHEN I DISCOVERED THAT THE HORN WAS NOT WORKING. THE NEXT DAY THE POWER DOOR LOCKS STOPPED WORKING AND THINGS JUST HAS WENT DOWN HILL SINCE THEN, THE VEHICLE IS IN THE SHOP RIGHT NOW AS I'M TYPING THIS, I HAVE NOT DRIVEN THE VEHICLE ANYWHERE OTHER THAN BACK AND FORTH TO REPAIR SHOPS. I FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE BBB BUT NOTHING WAS DONE ABOUT THE COMPLAINT BECAUSE THE BUSINESS RESPONDED SAYING THE VEHICLE WAS USED AND I REJECTED THE RESPONSE AND THEN RECEIVED AN EMAIL FROM THE BBB SAYING THAT THE CASE WAS CLOSED. THIS VEHICLE WAS A LEMON WITH A LOT OF ISSUES AND NONE OF THOSE ISSUES WERE DISCLOSED TO ME WHEN I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH WHEN VEHICLE BEGAN TO DRIVE AS IF WERE "FLOATING". THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER AND UPON EXAMINATION; THE CONTACT COULD NOT FIND A FAILURE WITHIN THE VEHICLE. HE RE-ENTERED THE VEHICLE AND AS HE BEGAN TO ACCELERATE, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE ABNORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR FACILITY WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER SWAY BAR WAS FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO ANOTHER INDEPENDENT REPAIR FACILITY WHERE THE SWAY BAR WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE DID NOT RECUR. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 101,000. UPDATED 01/11/2011*LJ UPDATED 03/28/11

2002 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER AWD V8 - APPROXIMATELY JANUARY AND MAY 2009 BOTH REAR HUB BEARINGS WENT BAD AT 87,000 AND 90,000 MILES , BOTH SETS OF EMERGENCY BRAKE SHOES WERE DISINTEGRATED WHEN TAKEN OFF . REAR COIL SPRINGS ARE BROKEN . FRONT DIFFERENTIAL BOX HAS LEAKED FOR SOME TIME NOW . REAR END AXLE SEAL HAS BEEN LEAKING FOR SOME TIME NOW . GOING ON 4TH SET OF BRAKES ON FRONT . JUNE 2010 AT 109,000 MILES TRANSMISSION FINALLY WENT OUT - AFTER ACTING UP FROM TIME OF PURCHASE AT 37,000 MILES - IT WOULD SLIP WHEN PUT IN DRIVE AT FIRST MORNING STARTUP AND WOULD JERK ERRATICALLY AT LOW SPEEDS - WE HAVE NEVER PULLED ANYTHING WITH VEHICLE . *TR

REAR COIL SPRING FAILURE - COMPLETELY BROKEN IN TWO POSES A MAJOR SAFETY PROBLEM. *TR

ON COLD MORNINGS, THE FRONT WINDSHIELD FOGS/FROSTS UP. TURNING HEAT ON AND SELECTING DEFROST PROVIDES LITTLE TO NO AIR TO WINDSHIELD. DEALERSHIP IDENTIFIED IT AS A BROKEN VENT SELECT DOOR, REQUIRING DASHBOARD TO BE REMOVED AND PART REPLACED, $1100 FIX. IN DOING RESEARCH ON THE VENT SELECT DOOR - CARS ARE DESIGNED THAT IF THE SELECTOR BREAKS THAT THE AIR SHOULD DEFAULT TO THE FRONT DEFROST SO THAT WINDSHIELD WOULD NOT FOG/FROST AND CAUSE A LIFE THREATENING SITUATION. MULTIPLE TIMES THIS HAS OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING, ALL ALONG BELIEVING THAT THE FOGGING UP WAS DUE TO SNOW BUILD UP ON OUTSIDE VENTS. THE FACT THAT THE VENT BROKE AND DID NOT PUSH AIR TO THE WINDSHIELD IS WHY I'M LOGGING THIS COMPLAINT AS IT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A LIFE THREATENING SITUATION. IN READING THE OTHER ENTRIES, NOTING THAT I'VE HAD TO HAVE THE REAR COIL SPRINGS REPLACED AND HAD BACK LIFTGATE REPLACED AFTER CRACKING. *TR

2002 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER. IN THE PAST 4 YEARS WE HAVE REPLACED THE REAR BEARINGS 5 TIMES AND NOW FORD MOTOR COMPANY WILL NOT HONOR THE WARRANTY. EACH TIME THE BEARINGS LAST BETWEEN 4 AND 6 MONTHS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT DURING ROUTINE INSPECTION, A TECHNICIAN CONCLUDED THAT THE TWO REAR COIL SPRINGS HAVE FRACTURED WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WARNINGS. HE THEN ADDED THAT THE FAILURE WAS COMMON FOR THIS MODEL TYPE. HE IS IN THE PROCESS OF HAVING THE VEHICLE REPAIRED AT AN EXPENSE OF $600.00. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 80,000. UPDATED 10/26/09. *LJ UPDATED 10/26/09*JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS. THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE RESUMED OPERATION WITH CAUTION TO THE RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE FAILURE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE FRONT AND REAR CONTROL ARM. THE FRONT AND REAR CONTROL ARMS WERE REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 121,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

FAILURE OF REAR COIL SPRING ON 2002 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER. *TR

BOTH REAR COIL SPRINGS WERE BROKEN. BOTH HAD BEEN WEAKENED DUE TO CORROSION BEFORE THEY BROKE. THIS IS A WIDELY-KNOWN ISSUE WITH THIS VEHICLE AND I HAD BEEN CHECKING FOR THIS PROBLEM EVERY COUPLE MONTHS. I LAST CHECKED IN DECEMBER OF 2008 AND NEITHER SPRING WAS BROKEN THROUGH AND NEITHER SHOWED EXTERNAL CORROSION AT THE TIME, BUT THEY MUST HAVE BEEN VERY DETERIORATED EVEN THEN. MY POINT IS THAT A VISUAL INSPECTION WITH THE WHEELS OFF DID NOT REVEAL THE PROBLEM BEFORE THE SPRINGS BROKE. ONE OF THE BROKEN SPRINGS HAS A SPLIT ALONG THE LENGTH OF THE SPRING WIRE SEVERAL INCHES LONG AND A COMPLETE FAILURE ROUGHLY PERPENDICULAR TO THE WIRE. THE OTHER DOES NOT HAVE THE SPLIT; IT IS JUST BROKEN IN SHEAR PERPENDICULAR TO THE WIRE. *TR

WHILE DRIVING MY 2002 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER I HIT A BUMP ON A SMALL BRIDGE AND MY REAR DRIVERS SIDE COILSPRING SNAPPED IN HALF. ODDLY ABOUT TEN DAYS LATER I WAS FOLLOWING A MOUNTAINEER THAT HIT A DIP IN THE ROAD AND THE SAME COILSPRING BROKE. I DO NOT KNOW THE YEAR OF THAT MOUNTAINEER THOUGH. TO REPAIR THE COILSPRING IS EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE BECAUSE IT IS DEALER ONLY 300.00 FOR THE PART AND 135.00 TO INSTALL IT. *TR

I HAD A FLAT TIRE AT THE LEFT REAR OF THE VEHICLE, WHEN CHANGING THE TIRE I NOTICED THE SPRING WAS BROKEN IN SEVERAL PIECES. I HAVE TO SEE OF THE DEALER WILL REPLACE IT UNDER WARRANTY MY VEHICLE HAS 90,000 MILES. *TR

THE TRANSMISSION KEEPS SLIPPING CAUSING THE CAR TO STALL AND STUTTER IN TRAFFIC HAD TO HAVE IT REBUILT IN 2008 COSTING $3600.00, THE DIFFERENTIALS CAUSING PROBLEMS ON FRONT AND REAR WITH THE CAR WHEELS SPINNING AND STICKING AT TIMES, THE TIRES (ALL FOUR) BALLING OUT FROM THE INSIDE OUT HAVING TO REPLACE THEM EVERY THREE TO FOUR MONTHS, THE POWER LOCKS, RADIO, INTERIOR LIGHTS ALL WORK WHEN THEY WANT TO LIKE ITS A SHORTAGE. *TR

I HAD NOTICED THE STANCE OF THE VEHICLE HAD CHANGE AND DURING A ROUTINE NEW YORK STATE INSPECTION IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE REAR SPRINGS ON MY 2002 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER HAD BROKEN. THE REAR SPRING DEFECT ALSO CAUSE THE REAR SHOCKS TO PREMATURELY WEAR OUT AND NEED REPLACEMENT. THE SPRINGS WERE CRACKED ENTIRELY IN HALF. IT APPEARS AS IF THERE WERE A DEFECT RELATING TO THE METALLURGICAL PROPERTIES OF THE METAL USED OR POSSIBLY A DEFECT IN THE MANUFACTURE OF THE SPRINGS. AT NO TIME WAS THIS VEHICLE DRIVEN OFF ROAD OR USED TO TOW ANYTHING. THE VEHICLE SIMPLY WAS USED BY MY WIFE TO DRIVE BACK AND FORTH TO WORK( 20 MILE ROUND TRIP ON THE HIGHWAY) THE CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY BY ABOUT 2 YEARS AND HAD ABOUT 50,000 MILES ON IT. A FORD REPRESENTATIVE TOLD ME TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER FOR THEM TO INSPECT IT, THERE CONCLUSION WAS THE SAME. TWO REAR BROKEN SPRINGS, AS WELL AS 2 REAR SHOCKS THAT REQUIRED REPLACEMENT . THEIR COST ....OVER $1000.00. THERE IS NO WAY THIS ITEM SHOULD BREAK...GOD FORBID IT HAPPENS ON THE HIGHWAY AT A HIGH SPEED, .... A SPRING BREAK AT HIGHWAY SPEED WOULD CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO BECOME EXTREMELY UNSTABLE AND POSSIBLY CAUSE A HIGH SPEED CRASH. SPRINGS ACTUALLY SUPPORT THE WEIGHT OF THE VEHICLE AND WHEN THERE BROKEN.....THERE IS A SUDDEN AND UNFORESEEN UNSETTLING OF THE VEHICLE.....WHICH IN MY OPINION IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. I BROUGHT THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF FORD VIA THEIR 800 TELEPHONE # - (800-392-3673)...THEIR RESPONSE WAS..."WE ARE UNDER NO LEGAL RESPONSIBILITY TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND IT WAS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO FIX THE CAR....." I BELIEVE FORD HAS A RESPONSIBILITY, NOT ONLY ME, BUT TO ALL IT'S CUSTOMERS WHO OWN THIS VEHICLE OR ITS COUSIN THE FORD EXPLORER. I EXPECTED MORE FROM A LARGE COMPANY SUCH AS FORD. I'M SURE THEY HAVE A PROTOCOL TO DOCUMENT THIS INCIDENT, BUT I WONDER IF THEY JUST SWEPT THIS INCIDENT UNDER THE FORD CARPET. I FEEL I HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO LET OTHERS KNOW...THIS IS WHY I MADE THIS COMPLAINT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER. THE VEHICLE HAS TOYO OPEN COUNTRY AT TIRES, SIZE P22570R15 (NA). THE TIRES WERE PURCHASED BRAND NEW IN MAY OF 2007 FROM JENSEN TIRE COMPANY WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH. AT 36,000 MILES, THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE BLEW OUT IN JUNE OF 2008. THE REPAIR SHOP STATED THAT THE TIRE WAS WORN DOWN TO THE STEEL. THE TIRE COMPANY FROM WHERE THE TIRE WAS PURCHASED IS PROVIDING REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE FAILED TIRE. THE REMAINING TIRES WERE INSPECTED BY OTHER SHOPS AND EACH SHOP RECOMMENDED THAT THE REST OF THE TIRES BE REPLACED. TOYO STATED THAT THE TIRES NEEDED AN ALIGNMENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AN ALIGNMENT HAD JUST BEEN PERFORMED; HOWEVER, THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED HER TO HAVE ANOTHER ONE. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS AT THE SHOP, THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE BALL JOINTS WERE DEFECTIVE DUE TO THE DAMAGE CAUSED BY THE TIRES AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE BALL JOINTS HAVE NOT BEEN REPLACED AND THE MANUFACTURER IS REFUSING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE REPAIRS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 34,200 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 123,402.

BOTH REAR COIL SPRINGS HAVE BROKEN IN TWO PLACES FOR NO APPARENT REASON WHICH OVER TIME RUINED MY REAR WHEEL BEARINGS MY WIFE DRIVES THIS VEHICLE DAILY AND HAS NEVER TOWED A TRAILER OR HAULED HEAVY LOADS. *TR

NOTICED SLIGHT ROARING NOISE IN REAR SUSPENSION. FIGURED IT WAS A WHEEL BEARING THAT WAS WORN, WHICH IS WHAT IT WAS, BUT IN LOOKING AT THAT ISSUE SAW THAT REAR PASSENGER COIL SPRING WAS BROKEN. VEHICLE STANCE DID NOT INDICATE A BROKEN SPRING. CHECKED THE DRIVER SIDE TO BE SAFE AND NOTED THAT REAR SPRING WAS BROKEN IN TWO PLACES AND LOOKED AS IF IT WAS TO COME OFF THE BOTTOM SPRING/STRUT CUSHION. AS A RESULT OF THIS MECHANIC INDICATED BROKEN SPRINGS HAD CREATED PREMATURE WEAR OF REAR TOE LINKS. I AM CURRENTLY LOOKING FOR REPLACEMENT PARTS. THIS VEHICLE HAS SEEN NO OFF-ROAD USE OR BEEN USED TO CARRY HEAVY CARGO LOADS. LADY DRIVEN ONLY. *TR

THE PASSENGER REAR SIDE COIL SPRING WAS CRACKED AND BROKEN ALMOST CUT DOWN A TIRE SAID THE DEALER. *JB

FRONT END NOISE AND VIBRATION THIS IS HAPPENING TO A LARGE NUMBER OF FORD SUV EXPLORERS AND MOUNTAINEERS. IT IS EFFECTING THE DRIVING AND SHAKES THE STEERING WHEEL. THE SUV SPRINGS ARE MAKING A LARGE NOISY SOUND WHEN TURNING AND CANT TURN ALL THE WAY IN ONE DIRECTION. TRUCK JUST STOPS AT A CERTAIN POINT. *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 65MPH A LOUD BANG WAS HEARD AND MY 2002 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER SWERVED TO THE RIGHT ALMOST HITTING ANOTHER CAR. I THOUGHT I HIT SOMETHING ON THE ROAD, BUT INSPECTION REVEALED THE RIGHT REAR COIL SPRING HAD SNAPPED. FURTHER INSPECTION REVEALED THE LEFT SIDE HAD ALSO BROKEN AT SOME POINT. I RESEARCHED THE INTERNET AND FOUND THIS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM. HERE ARE TWO OF THE MANY LINKS WITH OWNERS EXPRESSING THE SAME CONCERNS. HTTP://WWW.EXPLORERFORUM.COM/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?P=1619655 , HAS TWO PAGES OF THIS PROBLEM WITH EXPLORERS AND MOUNTAINEERS, HTTP://WWW.CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM/AUTOMOTIVE/FORD_SPRINGS.HTML , TALKS ABOUT BROKEN SPRINGS ON ALL FORD MODELS. I CALLED MY LOCAL DEALER TO INQUIRE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND WAS TOLD THIS IS THE FIRST THEY HAD HEARD OF THE PROBLEM, HOWEVER THEY JUST HAPPEN TO STOCK THE PARTS TO REPAIR IT. I COULD NOT AFFORD THEIR COST SO I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO HAVE IT REPAIRED BY A RELATIVE. *TR