NHTSA Complaint #742227 — 1996 MERCURY MYSTIQUE

THE MORNING OF 12/12/00 I DROVE 25 MILES TO A MEETING, MET FOR 2 HOURS, RETURNED TO THE CAR. IT STARTED FINE, WARMED UP, AND DEFROSTED THE WINDOWS. WHEN I PUT IT IN REVERSE TO BACK OUT, EVERYTHING STOPPED. THERE WAS NO IGNITION CLICKING WHEN I TRIED TO START IT AGAIN, JUST NOTHING. INTERIOR LIGHTS AND DOOR "BELLS" (FOR KEY IN THE IGNITION) WORKED, BUT EVERYTHING ELSE WAS JUST DEAD. HAD THE CAR TOWED TO NEAREST DEALERSHIP (DEAN BROS IN LINCOLN, NE), NOT WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR. THEY SAID THAT BATTERY ACID HAD EATEN AWAY THE CONNECTIONS OF THE WIRE HARNESS. IF THE PLACEMENT OF THE BATTERY IN RELATION TO THE WIRE HARNESS IS A DEFECT IN MANUFACTURE OR DESIGN, I'D LIKE SOME REIMBURSEMENT OF THE REPAIR BILL.