NHTSA Complaint #10141999 — 1998 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER

FORD MOTOR COMPANY MR. MIKE MCMULLIN DISTRICT MANAGER AUGUST 29,2005 DEAR SIR, I PURCHASED A 1998 MERCURY 5.0L MOUNTAINEER IN JULY 1999 AND IT CURRENTLY HAS SOME 85,000 MILES ON IT. LONG BEFORE THE 36-MONTH/36K MILES WARRANTY RAN OUT, I COMPLAINED TO MY FORD DEALER THAT I HEARD AN ENGINE NOISE THAT SOUNDS SOMETHING LIKE A HYDRAULIC VALVE LIFTER STICKING. IN TAKING MY CAR INTO AN INDEPENDENT SERVICE CENTER LATELY FOR SOME NON-WARRANTY MINOR SERVICE WORK, THE MECHANIC THERE ASKED ME HOW LONG I HAD BEEN EXPERIENCING THE ENGINE NOISE THAT HIS TRAINED EAR WAS HEARING. I INFORMED HIM THAT IT HAD BEEN CLICKING LIKE THAT FOR A GOOD LONG TIME. JUST FOR CURIOSITY HE CHECKED THE NHTSA WEB SITE FOR TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS (TSBS). HE FOUND TO MY AMAZEMENT AND DISGUST THAT THE NHTSA SHOWED TSB #14489, ISSUED NOVEMBER 01,2000, CONTAINED THE FOLLOWING: ??SOME 1998-1999 EXPLORER/MOUNTAINEER VEHICLES BUILT THROUGH 01/1999 AND EQUIPPED WITH A 5.0L ENGINE MAY EXHIBIT A COLD START OR HOT ENGINE DECELERATION NOISE COMING FROM THE #5 CYLINDER. ONE POSSIBLE CAUSE HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS THE LEFT A/C COMPRESSOR BRACKET COMING IN CONTACT WITH THE ENGINE BLOCK. THE BRACKET CAN APPLY PRESSURE ONTO THE CYLINDER WALL AND OVERTIME CAUSE THE CYLINDER WALL TO DISTORT RESULTING A NOISE DESCRIBED AS PISTON OR LIFTER NOISE. THE NOISE WILL BE WORSE ON COLD STARTS AND HOT DECELERATION, BUT WILL BE LESS SEVERE AT OPERATING TEMPERATURES. IF THE VEHICLE HAS OVER 12,000 MILES PLEASE REPLACE THE BRACKET WITH F87Z-3C511-CA AND INSTALL A FAR ENGINE REPLACEMENT (F77Z-6006??ARM FOR 1998 M/Y VEHICLES, XL2Z-6006-AARM FOR 1999 M/Y VEHICLES) FROM YOUR LOCAL SUPPLIER. THE BRACKET AND THE ENGINE MUST BE INSTALLED AT THE SAME TIME.?? I CONCLUDE THAT THE REPAIRS FOR THIS PROBLEM WHICH HAS BEEN ESTIMATED AT $4,828, SHOULD NOT BE BORN BY ME. I FEEL THAT EQUAL COST SHARING IN THIS MATTER WOULD BE A FAIR AND EQUITABLE TREATMENT. SINCERELY, PAUL G. BARBOZA. *NM