2004 MERCURY MONTEREY Steering Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCURY MONTEREY. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN, THE STEERING ABILITY BECAME VERY HARD. THE FAILURE BEGAN TWENTY DAYS AGO AND WORSENED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 127,320. THE VIN WAS INVALID. CONTACT REPORTS THAT STEERING BALLJOINT WAS HEAVILY AND CORRODED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. *TT

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCURY MONTEREY. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THERE WAS A LEAK IN THE VEHICLE THAT CAUSED A BURNING ODOR. IN ADDITION, THE STEERING WHEEL SQUEALED WHEN TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BE REPAIRED AT STIVERS FORD LINCOLN IN WAUKEE, IOWA. THE DIAGNOSIS WAS NOT CONFIRMED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 03V457000 (STEERING). THE CONTACT WAS REFERRED TO NHTSA. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 60,000.

STEERING IN VAN BECAME VERY HARD TO STEER.HAD TO REPLACE POWER STEERING PUMP AND RACK AND PINION AND NEW BELT..STILL DIFFICULT TO STEER.SITTING STILL OR GOING AROUND TURNS.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCURY MONTEREY. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE POWER STEERING FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME STUCK AND CAUSED THE CONTACT TO VEER INTO ANOTHER LANE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE DEALER (LANDMARK FORD) OFFERED TO PERFORM A DIAGNOSTIC TEST ON THE VEHICLE FOR $100. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 111,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCURY MONTEREY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE STEERING PUMP WAS LEAKING FLUID. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 100,000. THE VIN INFORMATION WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, THE ENGINE DIED WITHOUT WARNING, NO POWER. IT HAD NO POWER STEERING, IT HAD SHUT OFF COMPLETELY. IT WAS HARD TO RESTART AND THEN AFTER GOING AGAIN IT DIED AGAIN AS I WAS TRYING TO PULL OVER. *TR

DROVE VEHICLE APPROXIMATELY 5 MILES AND PARKED IT. GOT BACK IN TO MOVE IT, STARTED VEHICLE, HEARD A LOUD POP AND THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN... NO ELECTRICAL, WOULD NOT RESTART. TOW TRUCK CALLED, JUMPED BATTERY, WHEN IT STARTED UP IT WAS PUT IT IN DRIVE AND TURNED THE WHEEL TO THE RIGHT AND HEARD A HISSING SOUND AND SAW FLUID SQUIRTING OUT. EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER STEERING. SHOP SAID STEERING RACK HAD GONE OUT, REPLACED STEERING RACK. *TR

THERE IS CURRENTLY A RECALL ON THE MERCURY MONTEREY ID 03V457000. THIS RECALL SAYS THE POWERSTEERING PRESSURE LINE MAY BECOME DISCONNECTED FROM THE PINION GEAR CAUSING POTENTIAL FOR THE DRIPPING FLUID TO COME IN CONTACT WITH THE EXHAUST CAUSING A FIRE. RECENTLY, WE BY A FORD DEALER SERVICE CENTER THAT ALTHOUGH THE PRESSURE LINE IN OUR MONTEREY HAS NOT BECOME SEPARATED IS DOES HAVE A LEAK AND IS ALSO A POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD. WE HAVE THREE SMALL CHILDREN AND KNOW OUR CONCERNS ARE VALID. OUR VIN IS NOT ONE OF THE CARS COVERED IN THE RECALL OF OVER 23000 VANS. MY HUSBAND AND I ARE QUITE SURE THIS PROBLEM IS RELATED TO THE RECALL. THIS RECALL SHOULD PROBABLY COVER THE DEFECT OF THE WHOLE POWER STEERING PRESSURE LINE AND SHOULD BE INCLUDED FOR OTHERS SAFETY AS WELL AS OUR OWN. *TR