NHTSA Complaint #10555380 — 2011 MERCURY MARINER

WAS ON A VERY BUSY FOUR-LANE ROAD DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MILES PER HOUR; IT WAS DARK AND RAINING. THE CAR SUDDENLY SLOWED TO ALMOST NO MOVEMENT, BUT THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING. WAS ABLE TO DRIFT INTO A LOWE'S PARKING LOT SAFELY OFF THE HIGHWAY. THE ENGINE LIGHT AND A WRENCH SYMBOL APPEARED; I CUT THE ENGINE OFF AND WAITED ABOUT 10 MINUTES AND RESTARTED. VEHICLE GOT ME TO THE HOTEL WHERE I WAS STAYING ABOUT A 1/2 MILE AWAY. NEXT MORNING, I HAD SOMEONE FOLLOW ME SO THAT I COULD ATTEMPT TO GET IT TO THE FORD DEALER IN PRINCETON, WEST VIRGINIA. CAR STALLED ON 5 OCCASIONS; RESTARTED IT, GO A MILE OR SO AND HAD TO RESTART AGAIN. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT WAS EXCELLENT - THEY IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE CAR IN (I WAS IN TOWN FOR A FUNERAL); TECH DISCOVERED IT WAS THE THROTTLE BODY. IT WAS REPLACED, BUT AT A COST OF $594.85. THIS WAS THE SECOND INCIDENCE IN LESS THAN 4 DAYS WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM. ON DECEMBER 2, I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE LOCAL FORD GARAGE IN GREENEVILLE, TENNESSEE, WHERE I LIVE. THE ENGINE LIGHT HAD COME ON AND I WAS CONCERNED SINCE THE MANUAL SAID TO SEE THE DEALER IMMEDIATELY. LOCAL FORD GARAGE CLEANED OUT THE FUEL LINE AND SAID I SHOULD NOT HAVE ANY MORE PROBLEMS. ENGINE LIGHT WAS OFF AND I THOUGHT THE CAR WAS OKAY. THEN ON DECEMBER 5, DROVE TO PRINCETON, WEST VIRGINIA, AND THE NIGHTMARE BEGAN. IT APPEARS THAT THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM SINCE SO MANY OWNERS HAVE COMPLAINED. THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL AND THE PROBLEM RESOLVED. IT IS EXTREMELY UNSAFE TO BE ON THE INTERSTATE OR ANY ROAD WHERE TRAFFIC MOVES FAST WHEN YOUR CAR GOES TO A BASIC IDLE AND WILL NOT ACCELERATE. *TR