NHTSA Complaint #741945 — 1995 MERCURY MYSTIQUE

VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE MERCURY DEALER AT 45396 AND 56249 MILES DUE TO FREQUENTLY RUNNING AT THE FARTHEST SIDE OF NORNAL ON ENGINE TEMPERATURE GAUGE (ALMOST IN THE RED DANGER ZONE) ESPECIALLY WHEN ON HILLS OR IN THE MOUNTAINS. WE WERE TOLD "THE CAR IS MEANT TO RUN HOT." NO REMEDY WAS SUGGESTED BY THE DEALER EITHER TIME. AT 53486 MILES, A TECHNICIAN AT AN INDEPENDENT SMOG STATION SAID HE HAD NEVER SEEN A CAR RUN SO HOT. HE RAN A FAN ON THE ENGINE DURING THE SMOG TEST. THIS IS WHY THE CAR WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER FOR A CHECK OF THE ENGINE RUNNING HOT AT 56249 MILES. ON 10/17/99, THE CAR LOST POWER WHILE ON THE FREEWAY AND CAME TO A HALT AT THE SIDE OF THE ROAD., STEAM WAS COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE CAR DID NOT RESTRART. DIAGNOSIS AT A NEARBY INDEPENDENT STATION REVEALED: VEHICLE HAD BEEN SEVERELY OVERHEATED. ALL SPARK PLUGS ARE CONTAMINATED WITH COOLANT, AND ALL CYLINDERS ARE FILLED WITH COOLANT. A TEAR DOWN OF THE CYLINDER HEAD REVEALED THAT CYLINDER HEAD IS SEVERELY WARPED.