NHTSA Complaint #736555 — 1998 MERCURY MYSTIQUE

LIGHTING---- 12 SECOND LIGHT WAS NOT WORKING WHEN DOOR WAS OPENED. WENT TO CHECK TO MAKE SURE BULB WAS NOT BURNED OUT BY TURNING ON SWITCH WHEN LIGHT FIXTURE ASSEMBLY BROKE AND SWUNG DOWN ALMOST HITTING ME IN HEAD. DEALERSHIP CLAIMS THIS IS OUR FAULT NOT MANUFACTURER DEFECT. AGAIN. ENGINE--- DRIVING APPROX. 30 MPH WHEN CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. WENT TO DEALERSHIP AND AFTER TESTING SAID THE ENGINE HAD NOT BEEN GETTING ADEQUATE AMOUNT OF OIL FOR UNKNOWN AMOUNT OF TIME. COMPLETE ENGINE REPLACENMENT. ARGUED ABOUT WHO WAS TO PAY FOR RENTAL CAR. WAITED.... STILL NO DECISION ON RENTAL CAR AFTER TWO WEEKS. AFTER ONE MONTH FOUND OUT COMPANY THAT MAKES THIS TYPE OF ENGINE FOR FORD HAD BROKEN ITS CONTRACT. NOW NO SUPPLIER WAS AVAILABLE. WAITED. HAD TO ORDER EACH INDIVIDUAL PART FOR ENGINE REPLACEMENT. AFTER OVER TWO MONTHS. CAR WAS FIXED.... SUPPOSEDLY. AFTER ONE WEEK CAR WAS IN SHOP FOR OIL AND ANTIFREEZE LEAKS, BROKEN LIGHTING FIXTURE, AND GAS MILEAGE THAT HAS NOW BEEN CUT IN HALF. WAS TOLD BREAK IN PERIOD WAS REASON FOR POOR GAS MILEAGE. YET, EVERY MANUAL CLAIMS NO BREAK IN PERIOD IS NECESSARY. CAR STILL IN SHOP AFTER 5 DAYS.*AK