NHTSA complaint: 2003 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER — POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE FRONT AND REAR OF THE VEHICLE. SHE THEN HEARD A LOUD BANG AND THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO SHAKE. THE VEHICLE LOST POWER, BUT DID NOT SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED. THE FORD DEALER DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE AS NEEDING THE FRONT END DIFFERENTIAL REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED WHEN THE CONTACT PICKED UP THE VEHICLE. SINCE THEN, THE FRONT END DIFFERENTIAL HAS BEEN REPLACED FIVE TIMES. THE FORD DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF THE CONTINUOUS FAILURES OF THE REPLACEMENT PART. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE REAR LIFTGATE IS CRACKED. A VALID VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 64,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation