NHTSA Complaint #741050 — 1998 MERCURY TRACER

MANY TIMES CAR IN SHOP FOR SQUEALING STEERING WHEEL NOISE WHEN TURNING A FAR RIGHT, RATTLING NOISE, GRINDING NOISE FROM ENGINE, RALLTING NOISE FROM DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR JAM, GAS-PIL/EXHAUST SMELL COMING THRU WHEN AC/DEFROST ON, BRAKES SQUEALING EVEN AFTER NEW BRAKE PADS, MANY TIMES I WAS TOLD THAT SOMETHING MAYBE COMING LOOSE THAT I WOULD HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL IT BREAKS BEFORE THEY CAN FIX IT. JUST RECENTLY AS OF 2-6-01 FORD FACTORY GUY TOLD ME I WAS IMAGINING THINGS. HE ALONG WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME THAT THERE ISN'T A PROBLEM, AND WILL HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL IT BREAKS BEFORE THEY CAN FIX. WARRANTY EXPIRES APRIL 6, 2001. I CAN'T AFFORD TO WAIT UNTIL SOMETHING BREAKS, THIS IS MY ONLY MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION. SOMETIMES THE RATTLING NOISE ISN'T CONSTANT, OR VERY LOUD, BUT SOMETIMES IT IS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING THAT THEY CAN'T HEAR IT. MAYBE BEING AROUND ENGINES ALL THE TIME IT HAS AFFECTED THEIR HEARING. I DO KNOW THAT I AM NOT IMAGINING THINGS. JUST YESTERDAY THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED WHILE IN PARK, IT TOOK ME SEVERAL MINUTES TRYING TO MOVE TO THE STEERING WHEEL SO THAT I COULD TURN THE KEY IN THE IGNITION. THIS ISN'T CONSTANT BUT OCCASIONALLY, IT DOES HAPPEN HOWEVER. DURING OUR SUMMER, WITH TRIPLE DIGIT HEAT AND HEAT INDEX, KEY IN IGNITION GOT SO HOT THAT I BURNT MY HAND, THERE WAS ALSO A BURNING RUBBER SMELL. NO DEALER/REPAIR SHOPS WERE OPEN ON A SATURDAY, THE ONE PLACE I ATTEMPTED TO TAKE THE CAR TOO (FORD'S QUALITY CONTROL SHOP) TOLD ME THAT SINCE ITS UNDER WARRANTY, & THE DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN WORKING ON IT TO TAKE IT BACK THERE. WHICH I DID A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER, OF COURSE THE TEMPERATURE OUTSIDE WAS ALOT COOLER, SO THEY TOLD ME THEY COULDN'T DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. JUST RECENTLY I NOTICED DIFFERENCES IN THE TRANSMISSION. CAR NOT ALWAYS MOVING WHEN PRESS ON GAS PEDAL, SOMETIMES A JERKING MOTION WHEN SHIFT FROM PARK INTO REVERSE. A CRACKING SOUND FRONT DRIVERSIDE TIRE, I MADE A HARD LEFT TURN TO GET OUT OF PARKING SPOT. FORD DISPUTE BOARD CONTACTED