NHTSA Complaint #10303349 — 1997 MERCURY COUGAR

I UNDERSTAND THERE WAS A CLASS ACTION SUIT DUE TO A FAULTY INTAKE MANIFOLD ON MANY FORD CARS WITH A 4.6 LITER ENGINE. I OR MY KIDS HAVE OWNED A 1997 MERCURY COUGAR SINCE NEW. RECENTLY THIS CAR WHICH HAD BEEN IN STORAGE FOR SEVERAL YEARS WAS GIVEN TO MY SON WHO IS LAID OFF AND ATTEMPTING TO COMPLETE HIS BACHELORS DEGREE. I SPENT MONEY TO REPAIR SENSOR, FREEZEPLUG AND HE PUT NEW TIRES ON THIS CAR. I AM WRITING BECAUSE I CONTACTED FORD ABOUT THIS DEFECTIVE INTAKE MANIFOLD PROBLEM AND WAS TOLD I WAS TOO LATE BECAUSE THE CLASS ACTION INVOLVING THE FAULTY PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD EXPIRED IN 2007 OR AT 75,000 MILES. THE CAR IN QUESTION HAS SLIGHTLY MORE THAN 75,000 MILES. HOW COULD I HAVE TAKEN PART IN REPAIRING OR REIMBURSEMENT OF OVER $800 I HAD TO PAY TO GET THE PLASTIC INTAKE MANIFOLD REPLACED. I THEN FOUND ON THE INTERNET THAT MANY INDIVIDUALS ARE IN THE SAME POSITION I AM IN. I FOUND THE FOLLOWING LINK ON THE INTERNET VERY INFORMATIVE AND GIVES SEVERAL EXAMPLES OF PEOPLE WITH THIS PROBLEM AND EXPLAINS SOME SAFETY ISSUES CONCERNING THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE STILL DRIVING THESE CARS POSSIBLY NOT KNOWING THE ENGINE COULD BLOW UP AT ANY TIME IN ANY PLACE INCLUDING TRAFFIC. SEE LINK BELOW HTTP://PUBLIC.FOTKI.COM/TRSI/FORD_SUCKS/FORD_INTAKE_RECALL/MANIFOLD2.HTML CAN OR WILL YOU HELP WITH THIS PROBLEM. AT THE LEAST PEOPLE SHOULD BE MADE AWARE THAT THEIR CAR WITH THIS PLASTIC MANIFOLD COULD LEAVE THEM STRANDED IN A DANGEROUS SITUATION. THE LINK I INCLUDED DOES GIVE EXAMPLES OF WHY THIS COULD BE DANGEROUS AND INDICATES MANY PEOPLE MAY STILL BE UNAWARE THAT THIS PLASTIC MANIFOLD PROBLEM EVEN EXIST. THIS IS IMPORTANT AS AN OWNER AND TO PROSPECTIVE BUYERS OF THESE CARS AS WELL. PLEASE HELP! I JUST THINK IT IS OBVIOUS THE INTAKE MANIFOLD IS AND WAS FAULTY AND WRONG THAT THE ACTIONS WAS SETTLED AND I DID NOT EVEN KNOW ABOUT IT. I DO HAVE THE DEFECTIVE INTAKE MANIFOLD WHICH IS CRACKED AT BOTH ENDS OF THE MANIFOLD. WATER IN ENGINE BOOM! SAFETY DANGER! *TR