NHTSA Complaint #10348070 — 2006 MERCURY MONTEGO

TRANSMISSION-ENGINE INTERFACE / PROGRAM ON MY 2006 MERCURY MONTEGO IS 'WACKY' -- TO USE A TECHNICAL TERM..... PURCHASED THE VEHICLE NEW IN JULY 2006 AND IMMEDIATELY EXPERIENCED THE BIG PROBLEM. IT NOW HAS ABOUT 28,000 MILES. DEALER THINKS I'M WACKY FOR REPORTING IT AND SUPPOSEDLY CHANGED THE PROGRAM THE SECOND OR THIRD TIME I REPORTED THE PROBLEM BUT IT STILL EXISTS. THE PROBLEM: WITH ALL PREVIOUS CARS I'VE DRIVEN, TO GO FASTER YOU PUSH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL DOWN. TO SPEED UP A LITTLE YOU PRESS A LITTLE; TO SPEED UP A LOT YOU PRESS HARDER. WITH THIS CAR YOU PRESS A LITTLE: NOTHING HAPPENS. YOU PRESS A LITTLE HARDER: NOTHING HAPPENS. YOU PRESS A LITTLE HARDER: NOTHING HAPPENS. SUDDENLY AFTER A FEW SECONDS THE CAR DOWNSHIFTS TWO OR THREE GEARS AND JUMPS FORWARD -- WITH TREMENDOUS TORQUE STEER. FORTUNATELY, THE TORQUE STEER IS TO THE RIGHT, SO I HAVE NOT AS YET VEERED INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. I'VE BEEN ABLE TO ANTICIPATE THE PROBLEM AND CONTROL THE VEHICLE SO FAR, BUT I FEAR THAT I OR ANOTHER DRIVER MAY NOT ALWAYS BE SO ATTENTIVE. ITS POTENTIALLY EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TO ME AND OTHERS ON OR NEAR ROADS..... *TR