# 2003 MERCURY MARAUDER — POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT
> NHTSA complaint `415763` · 2003-07-01 · Ford Motor Company
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 1
- **Fire:** No
- **Crash:** No
- **Police report:** No
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** MERCURY
- **Model:** MARAUDER
- **Year:** 2003
- **Manufacturer:** Ford Motor Company
- **Component:** POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT
- **Miles at failure:** 4,917
- **Speed:** 15 mph
## Narrative
ON MY 2003 VEHICLE, THERE WAS APPARENETLY A SPARE AXLE PIN CONTAINED IN THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL FROM THE FACTORY.  WHILE I WAS DRIVING IN TOWN, THIS PIN WAS THRUST AGAINST THE PUMPKIN (DIFFERENTIAL COVER), PUNCTURED THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL COVER AND  CAUSED THE DIFFERENTIAL TO LEAK FLUID.  THE DEALERSHIP FOUND THE "SPARE PIN" WHEN THEY REPAIRED THE DIFFERENTIAL COVER.  HAD I BEEN ON THE INTERSTATE, AND HAD THE PIN BECOME SUDDENTLY CAUGHT IN THE RING (INSTEAD OF THROWN AGAINSTED THE COVER), THIS CONDICITON COULD HAVE CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SUDDENLY LOCK UP (THE REAR DIFFERNTIAL).  THIS COULD HAVE EASILY CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO ROLL OVER.  I AM A POLICE OFFICER IN THE NAVY AND AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS ISSUE.  *AK
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*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*