NHTSA Complaint #10226636 — 2002 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER

MY 2002 MOUNTAINEER HAS HAD TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS SINCE WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN NEW IN LATE 2001. IT HAS ALWAYS HAD A VERY HARD SHIFT FROM 2ND TO 3RD GEAR. WE HAVE COMPLAINED TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT DURING THE WARRANTY PERIOD AND THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. AT 57,734 MILES WE HAD TO REPLACE THE TORQUE CONVERTER AND SOLENOID ASSEMBLY FOR A TOTAL BILL OF $1,438.00. MY CAR NOW HAS 90,000 MILES. ON MAY 2 2008 I WAS DRIVING TO TOWN TO PICK UP MY CHILDREN AND SUDDENLY MY CAR WOULD NOT SHIFT FROM 2ND TO 3RD GEAR. THE OVERDRIVE LIGHT WENT CRAZY AND MY CHECK TRANSMISSION LIGHT CAME ON. I BROUGHT MY CAR TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPORTED THAT MY VEHICLE WILL NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION FOR A COST OF $3,200. THIS PROBLEM POSES SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUES. MY VEHICLE MALFUNCTIONED ON A ROAD WITH A SPEED LIMIT OF 55 MPH. I COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED BY ANOTHER CAR SINCE MY CAR COULD NOT MOVE MORE THAN 25 MPH WHEN IT MALFUNCTIONED. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED AND IS ONLY USED TO TRANSPORT MYSELF AND MY CHILDREN AROUND TOWN. WE HAVE OWEN MANY OTHER VEHICLES WITH MORE THAN 200,000 MILES ON THEM AND HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED ANY PROBLEMS LIKE THIS. *TR