NHTSA Complaint #10145653 — 2006 MERCURY MONTEGO

I PURCHASED A NEW MERCURY MONTEGO PREMIER WITH A 6 SPEED ELECTRONIC AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. IT IS AN EXCELLENT VEHICLE WITH THE EXCEPTION THAT WHILE TRAVELING DOWN STEEP GRADES THERE IS NO WAY TO DOWNSHIFT TO A LOWER GEAR TO SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN. I HAVE TO RELY ON THE BRAKES ONLY AND THEY OVERHEAT ON LONG MOUNTAINOUS GRADES. SOME ARE 7% TO 9.5% GRADES IN WEATERN N.C. ,NORTHERN GA. , AND EASTERN TN. WITH NO WAY OF GOING TO A LOWER GEAR TO HELP SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN , THE BRAKES TAKE EXTREME ABUSE AND COULD FAIL FROM OVERHEATING. I CAN ONLY IMAGINE LIVING IN THE WESTERN STATES AND HAVING THIS PROBLEM. ON A RECENT TRIP, MY SPOKE ALUMINUM WHEELS WERE BLACK WITH RESIDUE FROM BRAKE DUST. I FEEL THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT ACCUSTOMED TO DRIVING IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN COULD HAVE A HUGE PROBLEM WHERE I LIVE AND TRAVEL A LOT. THANKS FOR YOUR TIME. *JB