# 1997 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER — POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
> NHTSA complaint `718644` · 2009-05-02 · Ford Motor Company
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 1
- **Fire:** No
- **Crash:** Yes
- **Police report:** Yes
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** MERCURY
- **Model:** MOUNTAINEER
- **Year:** 1997
- **Manufacturer:** Ford Motor Company
- **Component:** POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
- **Miles at failure:** 115,000
## Narrative
I HAD JUST GOTTEN INTO THE DRIVER'S SEAT OF MY PARKED 1997 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER AT AN AUTO REPAIR SHOP LOT WHEN I REMEMBERED THAT I NEEDED TO RETRIEVE AN ARTICLE FROM UNDERNEATH THE SEAT. I GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND KNELT DOWN NEXT TO IT. AS I REACHED UNDER THE SEAT, THE CAR DOOR HIT ME AND DRAGGED ME ALONG THE GROUND. I THEN REALIZED THE VEHICLE WAS NOT ONLY MOVING IN REVERSE BUT WAS PICKING UP SPEED, AS IT WAS ON A SLIGHT INCLINE. I KNEW I COULD NOT STOP THIS HEAVY SUV; I ALSO SAW THAT ITS LEFT FRONT TIRE WAS HEADING RIGHT FOR ME.     I WAS THEN A 60-YEAR-OLD FEMALE WHO HAD PLAYED SPORTS AND WAS STILL IN GOOD PHYSICAL CONDITION. I DID A FOOTBALL-STYLE TUCK AND ROLLED AWAY FROM THE MOUNTAINEER TO AVOID GETTING RUN OVER. THE VEHICLE STOPPED MOVING ONLY AFTER HITTING ANOTHER PARKED AND UNOCCUPIED VEHICLE: THE PICKUP TRUCK THAT BELONGED TO THE OWNER OF THE AUTO REPAIR SHOP.     LOCAL POLICE INVESTIGATED AND FOUND NO HUMAN ERROR OR FAULT; NO TICKET WAS ISSUED. ALSO, WHILE I SUFFERED SOME SCRAPES AND BRUISES I DID NOT NEED EMT OR HOSPITAL ATTENTION.      I REPORTED THIS FIRST-EVER ACCIDENT TO MY AUTO INSURANCE COMPANY, BUT THE ADJUSTER EXPRESSED NO INTEREST IN FOLLOWING UP ON WHAT I AND THE AUTO REPAIR SHOP OWNER STILL BELIEVE TO BE ITS ROOT CAUSE: A FORD SUV TRANSMISSION DESIGN FLAW THAT ALLOWS FOR SLIPPAGE OUT OF PARK POSITION UNDER INEXPLICABLE CONDITIONS, SUCH AS PAVEMENT INCLINE AND/OR MOTOR VIBRATION.     NO TRANSMISSION PARTS WERE DAMAGED OR REPLACED ON THIS VEHICLE BECAUS
---
*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*