NHTSA Complaint #10289976 — 2005 MERCURY MONTEGO

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCURY MONTEGO. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WENT FROM NORMAL TO ZERO AND THEN BACK UP TO NORMAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE WIRE THAT CAUSED THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE TO MALFUNCTION WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE COULD CAUSE HIGH VOLTAGE IN THE ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT, WHICH COULD HAVE LEAD TO A FIRE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 57,080. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 54,956. UPDATED 11/13/09.*LJ THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AS WELL. THE MECHANIC FOUND THREE CODES STORED FOR THE ENGINE COOLANT TEMPERATURE CIRCUIT. THEY INDICATED AN INTERMITTENT HIGH VOLTAGE IN THE ECT CIRCUIT. THE FREEZE FRAME DATE SHOWED 40 DEGREES INDICATING THE CIRCUIT WAS OPEN AT SOME POINT. EXTENSIVE TESTING WAS DONE OF THE COOLANT SENSOR AND RELATED WIRING AND IT WAS FINALLY DISCOVERED THAT A BAD SPOT IN THE SENSOR ORANGE WIRE INSIDE THE HARNESS AT THE BACK OF THE MOTOR WHERE IT TAKES A SHARP BEND. THE HARNESS WAS PULLED APART AND THE FAULTY SECTION WIRE WAS REPAIRED. UPDATED 11/17/09.*JB THE CONSUMER WANTS TO KNOW THE RESULT OF HIS COMPLAINT. UPDATED 01/21/10.*JB