NHTSA Complaint #708141 — 1995 MERCURY MYSTIQUE

AT AROUND 38000 MILES, THE STARTER GEAR SPLIT IN HALF, CAUSING STARTER FAILURE. THE COMPONENT WAS INSPECTED BY BOTH AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND A FORD SERVICE TECHNICIAN, AND BOTH AGREED THAT THE PART FAILED BECAUSE OF A DEFECT. AFTER DRIVING THE VEHICLE ABOUT 2000 MILES, APPARENTLY A PIECE OF THE BROKEN STARTER ENTERED THE TRANSMISSION HOUSING AND DESTROYED THE CLUTCH AND RING GEAR, AND PUNCHED A HOLE IN THE TRANSMISSION HOUSING. I BELIEVE THIS TO BE A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE THE TECHNICIAN TOLD ME THAT THE PROBLEM WAS SEVERE ENOUGH THAT IT COULD HAVE CAUSED TRANSMISSION OR CLUTCH PARTS TO ACTUALLY BREAK OFF AT ROAD SPEED, POSSIBLY ENTERING THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT OF THE VEHICLE. *AK