NHTSA Complaint #10637899 — 2006 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER

2006 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO FAILURE OF THE WATER MANIFOLD HOUSING. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED HE WAS DRIVING 70 MPH, WHEN THE ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO OVERHEAT AND STEAM WAS COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE WATER MANIFOLD HOUSING HAD COME APART, ALLOWING WATER TO BOIL OUT. THE HOUSING WAS PLASTIC AND MADE OF TWO PARTS. THE TOP AND BOTTOM WERE GLUED TOGETHER AND WITHIN THE TOTAL CIRCUMFERENCE OF ABOUT 18 INCHES, THERE WERE ONLY THREE BOLTS BETWEEN THE TOP AND BOTTOM HOUSINGS TO SECURE THE TWO PARTS TOGETHER, EXCEPT THE GLUE. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE CONSTRUCTION WAS NOT ENOUGH TO KEEP THEM FROM SEPARATING UNDER PRESSURE. IT APPEARED, THE DESIGN CREATED A TENDENCY FOR THE TOP PLATE TO PULL AWAY FROM THE LOWER HOUSING. THE CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO INSTALL A NEW HOUSING, BUT HE DISCOVERED THE ENGINE WAS MISFIRING, SO THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALER, WHERE THE LONG BLOCK ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED.*JB