NHTSA Complaint #10416985 — 2004 MERCURY MONTEREY

ON SATURDAY JULY 2, 2011 WE WERE DRIVING OUR 2004 MERCURY MONTEREY FROM THE UPPER PENINSULA OF MICHIGAN TO OUR HOME IN OHIO. MY WIFE, THREE CHILDREN, AND I THOUGHT WE HAD A DAY OF DRIVING AHEAD OF US AND THEN THE VACATION WOULD BE OVER. SUDDENLY, WITHOUT ANY WARNING, ON THE HIGHWAY NEAR GAYLORD MICHIGAN THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN BUT THE CAR WAS NOT BEING PULLED FORWARD. ALL WE COULD DO WAS COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. OUR VAN HAS ONLY 67,000 MILES ON IT AND HAS NEVER HAD ANY KIND OF TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. THERE WERE NO CHECK ENGINE OR ANY OTHER WARNING LIGHTS. WE HAD THE VAN TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP, AND THEY TOLD US THE TRANSMISSION WAS BAD AND THAT THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THIS FORD MERCURY MONTEREY. SINCE IT WAS SATURDAY JULY 2 WE HAD TO WAIT THREE DAYS (SINCE MONDAY WAS JULY4TH) TO EVEN GET A QUOTE ON A REBUILT TRANSMISSION. ALL THE RENTAL CAR COMPANIES WERE ALSO CLOSED UNTIL TUESDAY. WE FINALLY GOT THE CAR BACK ON FRIDAY JULY 8TH WITH A REBUILT JASPER BRAND TRANSMISSION IN IT FOR A COST OF $3,422 PLUS A HOTEL, TOW, RENTAL CAR, ETC. THROUGH RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET I HAVE FOUND THAT MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM WITH FORD FREESTAR AND MERCURY MONTEREY MINIVANS. *KB