NHTSA Complaint #10537604 — 2009 MERCURY MARINER

THE FIRST SIGN OF A PROBLEM WITH MY 2009 MERCURY MARINER (39,000 MILES) WAS THREE DAYS AGO WHEN IT STALLED AT A STOP LIGHT. TODAY WAS A BIT MORE DRAMATIC. AT 70 MPH IN HEAVY TRAFFIC THE VEHICLE RPM SUDDENLY DROPPED DOWN TO 900 AND THE ACCELERATOR WAS NONE RESPONSIVE. FORTUNATELY, I WAS ABLE TO COAST ACROSS SEVERAL LANES ONTO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. AS I SLOWED TO A STOP THE VEHICLE BEGAN SURGING AND BUCKING. I NOTICED THE WRENCH LIGHT WAS ON. THEN I TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE. IT RESTARTED FINE A FEW MINUTES LATER AND RAN NORMALLY (NO WARNING LIGHTS) OVER TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP. AFTER LISTENING TO MY STORY, THE FORD SERVICE MAN TOLD ME THAT HE WAS NEARLY CERTAIN THE THROTTLE BODY NEEDED REPLACEMENT. HE WENT ON TO SAY THAT HE WAS QUITE FAMILIAR WITH THE ISSUE SINCE FOR YEARS HE'S BEEN DEALING WITH - ON AVERAGE - THREE OF THESE CASES PER WEEK. THAT'S ONE SERVICE MAN AT ONE DEALERSHIP. DO THE MATH! I ASKED IF THERE WAS A RECALL OR IF FORD WOULD GIVE ME A BREAK ON THE REPAIR. HE SAID "NO", BUT AGREED THAT THE THROTTLE BODY SHOULD NOT FAIL AFTER ONLY 39,000 MILES. HE ALSO SAID IT WOULD BE A WASTE OF TIME FILING A COMPLAINT TO FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE. SO, I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO MY LOCAL MECHANIC TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT. THEY FOUND NO ERROR CODES REGISTERED AND FOR THEIR TEST DRIVE IT RAN FINE. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO NEXT. BY THE WAY, THERE WAS AN EARLIER RECALL FOR OUR VEHICLE. IN SEPTEMBER 2010, THEY REPROGRAMMED THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE AND REPLACED THE PLM, WHATEVER THAT MEANS. *TR