NHTSA Complaint #769569 — 1995 MERCURY MYSTIQUE

WE HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE ALTERNATOR 4 TIMES IN THE LAST 3 YEARS, ALL AT OUR EXPENSES. OUR DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING ON I-90/94 IN WISCONSIN, AT 70 MPH, WHEN HER CAR LOST POWER AND SHE HAD TO GET OVER TO THE SHOULDER. FORD THINKS THEY HAVE SOLVED THE PROBLEM BY REPLACING SOME CIRCUIT BOARD COMPONENT. IN AUGUST, 2001 THE FRONT, RIGHT COIL SPRING BROKE AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. LATER WE FOUND THAT WE HAD NOT BEEN CONTACTED ABOUT THE RECALL ON IT. ONE YEAR LATER A REAR COIL SPRING ALSO BROKE RIGHT OFF AND HAD TO BE REPLACED BUT THE REAR COILS WERE NOT UNDER RECALL SO WE HAD TO PAY FOR THAT OURSELVES. WE BELIEVE IT WAS INFERIOR MATERIALS BECAUSE WE HAVE NEVER HAD A VEHICLE BEFORE, OF ANY MAKE OR MODEL WHERE THE COILS SPRINGS RUSTED AND BROKE OFF. DT