2003 Mercury Marauder

THIS VEHICLE PURCHASED IN JUNE 2003 HAS HAD 6 ALIGNMENTS (THE FIRST AT ABOUT 500 MILES) AND THE STEERING RACK REPLACED ALL BEFORE 3100 MILES BECAUSE OF A CONSTANT PULL TO THE RIGHT. THE DEALER HAS INFORMED ME THAT I AM NO LONGER ENTITLED TO A "COURTESY" ALIGNMENT. RF TOE IN HAS DRIFTED .8 DEGREES IN 1 WEEK'S TIME AND LF CAMBER 1.3 IN SAME TIME. WILL BE ENTERING LEMON LAW PROCEEDINGS. ADDITIONALLY THE FIT AND FINISH HAS LEFT MUCH TO BE DESIRED, HAVE HAD REAR "PACKAGE" CARRIER, FR HEAD LIGHT, WINDOW MOLDINGS, AIRBAG COVERS AND OTHER TRIM ITEMS REPLACED.*AK

INSUFFICIENT FRONT END ALIGNMENT PROCEDURES TO ACCOMMODATE LACK OF APPROPRIATE ALIGNMENT EQUIPMENT NECESSARY TO HANDLE THE 2003 MERCURY MARAUDER WHEELS. AS SUCH, I DID NOT FIND OUT MY ALIGNMENT WAS OUT ON MY NEW MARAUDER UNTIL THE TIRES HAD WORN OFF THE INSIDE CORNER TREAD AND WAS NOTICED BY THE MERCURY TECHNICIAN. I HAD TO PURCHASE A NEW SET OF TIRES AT 13,182 MILES AND THEN LOCATE A NON-MERCURY DEALER WHO HAD THE CLIPS NECESSARY TO ATTACH TO THE MARAUDER WHEELS TO ACCOMMODATE ALIGNMENT. OWNERS SHOULD BE AWARE TO CHECK ALIGNMENT PROACTIVELY ON THEIR VEHICLES IF NOT PROACTIVELY CHECKED OR REQUESTED TO BE CHECKED BY THEIR DEALER SERVICE GROUPS. *PH

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

ENGINE CUTS OUT AROUND TURNS; MISALIGNMENT, VEHICLE PULLS DRASTICALLY TO THE RIGHT; LOW HANGING PANEL ON DRIVER'S SIDE INTERFERES WITH THROTTLE AND BREAK OPERATIONS; BURNING ODOR EMITTING FORM ENGINE COMPARTMENT; FLUID LEAKING FROM REAR AXLE; SMOKE EMITTING FORM ENGINE COMPARTMENT; LACK OF ACCELERATION BETWEEN 2000-4000 RPM; ENGINE STALLS WHILE IDLING; NOISY CLICKING, CLUNKING, AND GRINDING SOUNDS COMING FROM FRONT AXLE; POOR ACCELERATION BETWEEN 20-40 MPH; FRONT TIRES RAPIDLY WEARING UNEVENLY; SQUEAKING FROM FRONT END; LOOSE RIGHT FRONT EXTERIOR DOOR HANDLE; TRUNK ORGANIZER LID CRACKED; ALARM SYSTEM NOT WORKING; REMOTE ENTRY KEY SYSTEM INOPERABLE; STAINS ON LEATHER SEATS; SHARP EDGES AROUND TRUNK; CRUISE CONTROL MALFUNCTIONING. THIS VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED 02/01/03 AND HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP SEVEN TIMES FOR A TOTAL OUT-OF-SERVICE TIME OF OVER A MONTH. THE ENTIRE REAR END WAS REPLACED BUT THE VEHICLE STILL LEAKS OIL. THE ACCELERATION PROBLEMS ARE POSING VERY DANGEROUS DRIVING CONDITIONS FOR ME, AS POWER LACKS SEVERELY BETWEEN 2000-4000 RPM. THE FRONT END CLICKS, GRINDS, CLUNKS, AND SQUEAKS DURING DRIVING. ON MOST OCCASIONS WHILE IN THE SHOP, THE SERVICE DEPARTMENTS DOCUMENTED THAT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE MY CONCERNS EVEN AFTER THEY VERBALLY CONFIRMED MY COMPLAINTS DURING TEST DRIVES WITH ME. ON SOME OCCASIONS, THEN ATTEMPTED TO MAKE REPAIRS WITHOUT DOCUMENTING IT TO AVOID "LEMON LAW" STATUS. THIS VEHICLE IS UNSAFE, UNRELIABLE, AND HAZARDOUS TO DRIVE. MLG *NLM

AFTER REPAIR OF OVER DRIVE PROBLEM, THE NEXT DAY WHILE CAR WAS IDLING, NOTICED STRONG EXHAUST FUMES COMING IN VEHICLE. HAD TO ROLL DOWN WINDOWS. HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS TWO OTHER OCCASIONS. CALLED DEALER AND WAS TOLD NOT TO WORRY SINCE IT HAS A CERAMIC HONEY COMB FILTER. DEALER STATED WOULD BE A CONCERN IF IT WAS DOING THIS AT 10,000 MILES. CAR IS BEING TAKEN BACK TO DEALER FOR PROBLEM. *JB

PROBLEMS WITH MERCURY 2003 MARAUDER PURCHASED -2/08/03 WOULD LIKE TO FAX CURRENT WARRANTY REPAIR ORDER. LEAKS AROUND LENS COVER, WIPER BLADES REPLACED, REAR LEFT SPEAKER VIBRATES, BRAKE & BRAKE PEDAL SQUEAKING, SPOT ON REAR WINDOW, NEW WINDOW ORDERED, OVERDRIVE LIGHT ON, CAR STALLED HAD TO BE RETURNED, VALVE BODY AND WIRING REPLACED IN TRANSMISSION, SPOT ON DRIVER'S LEATHER SEAT COVER, NEW COVER HAS BEEN ORDERED. *NLM *CB