NHTSA Complaint #10493094 — 2004 MERCURY MONTEREY

1ST - RADIO STARTED FLASHING ON AND OFF RANDOMLY - TOOK TO FORD DEALER - NO ERROR CODE, NO ANSWER. 2ND - HEATED SEAT ON DRIVERS SIDE QUIT WORKING - TOOK TO FORD DEALER - NO ERROR CODE, NO ANSWER. TOOK TO PRIVATE REPAIR SHOP - ERROR CODE OF LOW VOLTAGE BATTERY - REPLACED BATTERY FOR $125 3RD - AUTOMATIC LIGHTS QUIT WORKING, DASHBOARD CONTROL WENT BLANK - TOOK TO FORD DEALER - SAME LOW VOLTAGE ERROR CODE - DESPITE NEW BATTERY. NO OTHER ANSWERS. 4TH - AUTOMATIC SEATS STARTED MOVING WHEN USING CODE TO OPEN DOOR - TOOK TO FORD - FOUND THAT ALL PROBLEMS TRACED TO ONE RELAY BOX - REPLACED RELAY BOX FOR $650. 5TH - ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON ONE WEEK LATER - NO PROBLEMS STARTING/RUNNING, MADE APPOINTMENT TO TAKE TO DEALER IN 3 DAYS. 6TH - ENGINE DIED NEXT DAY, WOULD RESTART AND THEN DIE AGAIN AFTER 5 FEET, TOWED TO FORD DEALER, TOW TRUCK DRIVER NOTED ENGINE WOULD NOT GO INTO GEAR- REPEATEDLY GAVE NO CODE. ASKED THEM TO HAVE TECH TAKE CAR HOME AND DRIVE IT. FINALLY FOUND CORRODED AND WET PCM. QUOTED $1400 FOR THE REPAIR. I LOOKED UP PCM ON MERC. MONTEREY/FORD FREESTAR - AS THESE ARE ESSENTIALLY THE SAME VEHICLE. FOUND TONS OF SAME COMPLAINT. POOR DESIGN FROM FORD ALLOWING WATER TO DRIP ONTO MAIN COMPUTER/ELECTRICAL SUPPLY CAUSING THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OF REPAIRS TO OWNERS. THE BATTERY WAS LIKELY JUST FINE, THE RELAY BOX LIKELY JUST FINE. I AM WORKING WITH DEALER TO PAY LESS FOR THE PCM SINCE THEY SHOULD HAVE FOUND THIS FROM THE FIRST OR SECOND ELECTRICAL COMPLAINT. CAR STILL AT DEALER, I WILL NOT PAY $1400 TO GET IT REPAIRED. *TR