2008 Mercury Mariner

WHILE DRIVING MY 2008 MERCURY MARINER, MY STEERING WENT OUT ON A CURVE ON A 4 LANE HIGHWAY WHICH CAUGHT ME OFF GUARD. I COULD NOT MOVE MY STEERING WHEEL WHICH CAUSED ME TO ALMOST DRIVE INTO THE CAR BESIDE ME. I PULLED OVER TO GET GAS & WHEN I STARTED THE CAR, THE STEERING WAS FINE. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WOULD COST AT LEAST $545 FOR JUST THE SENSOR BUT THAT THE WHOLE STEERING COLUMN WOULD NEED REPLACING SO IT WOULD BE A LOT MORE THAN THAT TO FIX. I WAS UNABLE TO AFFORD A REPAIR, I SIMPLY STAYED ON MY GUARD & WOULD JUST PULL OVER & RE-START THE CAR SO THAT I COULD DRIVE AGAIN SAFELY. THEN I GOT NOTICE OF A RECALL SO I TOOK IT IN & TOLD THEM THAT I HAD ISSUES WITH THE STEERING & WAS VERY GLAD THAT THERE WAS FINALLY A RECALL. THEN 2 MOS LATER, THE STEERING WENT OUT AGAIN & THIS TIME IT IS WORSE THAN BEFORE. I CAN NO LONGER TURN THE CAR OFF & RE-START IT TO GET STEERING, IT IS SIMPLY GONE OUT COMPLETELY & IT HARDER TO TURN THAN EVER. THE STEERING WHEEL ACTUALLY TRIES TO TURN THE OPPOSITE WAY THAT THE DIRECTION THAT I AM TURNING. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP & THEY TOLD ME THAT THIS HAPPENED TO ANOTHER PERSON & FORD WOULD NOT COVER IT AND TOLD ME THAT ALL THEY DID WAS RE-PROGRAM THE CAR. AFTER RESEARCHING THE RECALL, I FOUND THAT IF THE CAR SHOWS HISTORY OF A LOSS OF THE TORQUE SENSOR, THAT THE TORQUE SENSOR WAS TO BE REPLACED. I THEN CALLED FORD CUSTOMER CARE & THE LADY THERE WAS VERY COLD & SIMPLY STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY WOULD DO SINCE IT WAS ALREADY FIXED ONCE. I TOLD HER THAT IT WAS NOT REPAIRED CORRECTLY BECAUSE OF PREVIOUS ISSUES WITH IT, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED. SHE TOLD ME TO TAKE IT UP WITH THE DEALER THAT I TOOK IT TO. I NOW HAVE NECK PROBLEMS DUE TO DRIVING MY UNSAFE CAR THAT I HAVE NO MONEY TO REPAIR & AM STILL MAKING PAYMENTS ON. THIS IS MY ONLY VEHICLE & I STILL NEED TO GET TO WORK & GET MY SON TO SCHOOL SO I AM LEFT WITH NO CHOICE BUT TO DRIVE IT. *TR

I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR THE POWER STEERING RECALL THEY SUPPOSEDLY FIXED IT I HAVE NO PROOF OF THAT. SINCE I HAVE GOTTEN MY VEHICLE BACK THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED SHAKING WHILE AT A COMPLETE STOP I TOOK MY VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY HAVE TOLD ME THAT I NEED A NEW STEERING COLUMN BECAUSE THE TORQUE SENSOR IS BAD WHICH IS PART OF THE RECALL AND THAT FORD WILL NOT COVER THIS UNDER THE RECALL BECAUSE THEY ALREADY FIX IT WHICH AGAIN I HAVE MY CONCERNS THAT THEY DID NOT REALLY FIX IT IN THE FIRST PLACE. *TR

ON AUGUST 8TH 2014. AT THE TIME OF THE REPAIR AT SUNNYVALE FORD, I TOLD THE ADVISOR ([XXX] ) THAT I HAD AN INCIDENT WHERE THE POWER STEERING STOPPED WORKING AND REVERTED TO MANUAL MODE. SUNNYVALE FORD THEN ONLY CONDUCTED A RE-PROGRAMMING OF THE ELECTRICAL POWER STEERING. ON WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21ST 2015 WHILE DRIVING MY KIDS TO SCHOOL THE POWER STEERING WENT INTO MANUAL MODE AGAIN AND FAILED TO WORK (STEERING WHEEL WAS STIFF). SUNNYVALE FORD THEN DIRECTED ME TO THE ADVISOR ([XXX] ) AND THEY ASKED FOR THE VEHICLE TO BE TAKEN IN TO THEIR SHOP FOR A DIAGNOSIS (WITH A FEE OF $150). I CALLED FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE TO TALK TO SOMEONE AND GET THEIR HELP ON THE ISSUE, I TALKED TO A REPRESENTATIVE THAT TOLD ME THERE WAS A 12,000 MILE/ 12 MONTH WARRANTY ON THE RECALL REPAIR. I THEN HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO SUNNYVALE FORD ON FRIDAY MORNING (1/24/15) I WAS ADVISED THAT THEY NEEDED AUTHORIZATION FROM FORD (MANUFACTURER) TO RE OPEN THE RECALL AND REPLACE THE POWER STEERING TORQUE UNDER THE RECALL, BUT WOULD NOT HAVE INFORMATION UNTIL MONDAY JANUARY 26TH. ON MONDAY, JANUARY 26TH I CALLED, I WAS THEN TOLD THAT [XXX] WAS OUT FOR THE DAY AND NO ONE ELSE COULD HELP ME. I CALLED FORD DIRECTLY TO ASK FOR ASSISTANCE IN GETTING THIS EXPEDITED, THEY ADVISED ME THAT THERE WAS NO WARRANTY (CONTRADICTING WHAT THE REPRESENTATIVE TOLD ME ON 1/23/14). I ASKED TO SPEAK TO A SUPERVISOR AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A 24 HOUR CALL BACK TO SPEAK TO A SUPERVISOR. ON TUESDAY, JANUARY 27TH [XXX] CALLED TO TELL ME THAT THE REPAIR WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER THE RECALL AND NOW THEY WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE COLUMN (COSTING ABOUT $1,300). LATER ON TUESDAY I RECEIVED A CALL FROM FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE SUPERVISOR [XXX] TO TELL ME THAT IT WASN'T GOING TO BE COVERED. I ASKED TO TALK TO HIS MANAGER AND HE SAID HE IS THE HIGHEST RANKED SO THERE WAS NO ONE ELSE I COULD TALK TO. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).' *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCURY MARINER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE PULLED OVER, TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED IN ORDER TO RESET THE COMPUTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RECALL REPAIR WAS PERFORMED FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 14V284000 (STEERING). THE DEALER UPDATED THE PSCM BUT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER MODULE WAS NOT REPLACED. THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR FURTHER INSPECTION, DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86,000.

MY TEENAGE SON WAS DRIVING THIS VEHICLE HIS 2008 MERCURY MARINER WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL FROZE WITHOUT WARNING. IT TOOK ALL MY STRENGTH BUT HE MANAGE TO GET TO HIS GRANDPARENTS AND PULLED OVER. HIS DASHBOARD INDICATED IT WAS "POWER STEERING ASSIST FAIL." THE POWER STEERING FAILURE WAS THE #1 TRENDING COMPLAINT ON CARCOMPLAINTS.COM IN APRIL, 2014 AND IS A KNOWN PROBLEM. PRIOR TO CONTACTING THE DEALERSHIP, I RESEARCH IT AND FOUND THAT FORD ISSUED SAFETY RECALLS FOR APPROXIMATELY 1.1 MILLION CARS IN NORTH AMERICA. THE FIRST RECALL AFFECTED ESCAPE AND MERCURY FROM 2008-2011. HOWEVER, I DID NOT RECEIVE A RECALL NOTICE AND WHEN THE DEALERSHIP WAS CALLED WE WERE INFORMED THE RECALL HAD EXPIRED. SAFETY RECALLS SHOULD NOT EXPIRED, ESPECIALLY FOR KNOWN ISSUES LIKE THIS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCURY MARINER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 14V284000 (STEERING) WAS RECEIVED IN MAY 2014. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER IN AUGUST 2014 AND THE POWER STEERING SOFTWARE UPDATE REMEDY WAS PERFORMED. ON JANUARY 16, 2014 WHILE DRIVING THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO VIBRATE AND ERRONEOUSLY TURN BEFORE EVENTUALLY MALFUNCTIONING COMPLETELY MAKING THE STEERING WHEEL VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT DUE TO THE PREVIOUS SOFTWARE UPDATES THE VEHICLE WAS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY TO REPLACE THE AFFECTED PARTS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD EXPERIENCED THE SAME FAILURE LISTED IN THE RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 114,000.

WHEN TAKING THIS VEHICLE IN FOR RECALL SERVICE FORD # 14S05 (NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V284000), THE REPROGRAMMING OF THE ELECTRONIC POWER ASSIST STEERING WAS DONE, BUT WAS TOLD THE STEERING SHAFT AND LOWER U-JOINT WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DESCRIPTION OF THE RECALL INDICATES FAILED COMPONENTS WILL BE REPLACED, BUT UPON INQUIRY AT THE DEALER (BRONDES, TOLEDO, OHIO) I WAS TOLD IT ONLY APPLIED TO ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS--NOT MECHANICAL ONES. THE WEAR ON THESE COMPONENTS IS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE TORQUE SENSING DEVICE IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. THIS SEEMS TO BE ME TO BE FORD NOT WANTING TO MEET ITS FINANCIAL OBLIGATION TO FIX THIS ENTIRE RECALL. THIS WAS A NEW DESIGN INTRODUCED IN THIS MODEL YEAR AND IT IS ONLY NOW STARTING TO FAIL. I ASKED THE DEALER ABOUT ASSISTANCE WITH THE REPAIR AND WAS DENIED; AND I CALLED THE FORD HOTLINE AND WAS SIMILARLY DENIED ASSISTANCE WITH THE REPAIR, BUT ADVISED TO RETAIN MY RECEIPTS IN CASE THERE WAS FURTHER ACTION ON THIS RECALL. THE INTERNET HAS SEVERAL REFERENCES TO THIS TYPE OF FAILURE/REPAIR. I THINK THEY ARE DIRECTLY LINKED. *TR

TL- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCURY MARINER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE FAILURE CAUSED THE CONTACT TO USE EXCESSIVE FORCE TO MANEUVER THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 87,810. DJR

STARTED VEHICLE. DASH MESSAGE READ "POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILURE." NO POWER STEERING. AFTER DOING ONLINE RESEARCH (IT DIDN'T TAKE LONG TO FIND SIMILAR TO IDENTICAL COMPLAINTS), I FOUND THAT THERE WAS A STEERING RELATED RECALL PERTAINING TO THE VEHICLE (7/2014). TOOK VEHICLE TO LINCOLN-MERCURY DEALERSHIP FROM WHICH IT WAS PURCHASED NEW. THE DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT INFORMED ME THAT THE RECALL WORK HAD BEEN DONE THE LAST TIME WE HAD OUR OIL CHANGED OVER THE SUMMER, AND THAT THE RECALL HAD BEEN "CLOSED OUT".... WE WEREN'T INFORMED OF EITHER THE FACT THAT THERE WAS A RECALL IN THE FIRST PLACE, OR THAT THEY HAD "TAKEN CARE" OF IT. THE RECALL WORK WAS APPARENTLY TO "REPROGRAM" SOME "MODULE" TO SIMPLY MAKE THE DRIVER AWARE THAT SOMETHING HAS GONE AWRY WITH THE POWER STEERING (NO KIDDING). THE ULTIMATE DIAGNOSIS: THE VEHICLE NEEDS A NEW STEERING COLUMN AT A COST OF NEARLY $1,300.00 AS THE "TORQUE SENSOR" HAS FAILED. IT IS APPARENT TO ME AND MANY OTHERS THAT THE RECALL HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH REPAIR OF THE FAILED COMPONENT, WHICH IS NOT SUCH AN "UNLIKELY EVENT"....ALSO, THE FAILURE OF THE COMPONENT IS NOT A MATTER OF IMPROPER MAINTENANCE AS COULD BE THE CASE WITH TYPICAL POWER STEERING SYSTEMS...IT JUST FAILS. THE FAILURE OF THE COMPONENT(S) IS HOWEVER A PRETTY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE I WOULD THINK. I WILL MAKE THE DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT AWARE OF THIS, AND CONTINUE TO FIND OUT WHY THESE REPAIRS SHOULD NOT BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE MANUFACTURER. BY THE WAY, MILEAGE WAS 87,810 WHEN THIS HAPPENED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCURY MARINER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE STEERING WHEEL WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE TECHNICIAN RESET THE STEERING CODE TO REMEDY THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.