2008 Mercury Mariner Hybrid

WE BOUGHT VEHICLE IN JAN, 2018 FROM A PRIVATE PARTY, AS A WORK VEHICLE FOR MY HUSBAND, WHO IS A USPS RURAL ROUTE CARRIER. TWO WEEKS AFTER PURCHASE, THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE LIGHT WENT ON, AND THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP WHEN IT WAS SUPPOSED TO, WHICH WAS VERY DANGEROUS IN WINTER. WE BELIEVE THE PRIOR OWNER KNEW ABOUT THIS. THE LIGHT WOULD JUST GO ON & OFF WITH NO PATTERN. ABOUT 1 1/2 MONTHS LATER, HE WAS DRIVING ON A 2 LANE HGWY (55 MPH) DELIVERING MAIL. HE WENT TO PULL FORWARD BUT THE CAR MADE A BRIEF NOISE AND THEN EVERYTHING JUST STOPPED WORKING. THE CAR WOULDN'T START, NO ELECTRICAL OR LIGHTS, HE COULD NOT EVEN ROLL THE VEHICLE BY HIMSELF TO A SAFE PLACE W/OUT HELP. THE ELECTRICAL AND PROPULSION SIMPLY STOPPED WORKING; PERIOD. WE ENDED UP DRAGGING IT HOME. DEALERSHIP GAVE EST. AMT OF REPAIRS AROUND $18K. I FOUND THE RECALL IN 2014 (14S19) FOR THE SAME THING. THE MEC PUMP WAS REPLACED IN 2014, WITH A "SUPPLEMENTAL" FIX IN 2015 SAME ISSUE. THIS IS THE EXACT SAME ISSUE AS THE PREVIOUS RECALL, WHICH NEITHER MERCURY OR ANY DEALERSHIP WANTS TO HONOR. I'M GUESSING THERE ARE MORE HYBRID MARINERS W/ SIMILAR ISSUES, BUT NOT ENOUGH TO ISSUE A FOLLOW-UP RECALL. SO HERE WE ARE STUCK IN CAR REPAIR PURGATORY. I DO BELIEVE THEY SHOULD HONOR THE RECALL NOW AND FIX THE PUMP AND REPLACE THE HYBRID BATTERY. NOT SURE ABOUT THE BRAKES, BUT I HAVE SEEN A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THEM AS WELL - AGAIN, NOT ENOUGH FOR A RECALL, WHICH AGAIN. PURGATORY. MY HUSBAND WAS VERY LUCKY. HAD IT BEEN A DIFF TIME OF DAY THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH MORE CAR & SEMI-TRUCK TRAFFIC ON THE HWY (SPEED LIMIT IS 55) AND WITH HIM LITERALLY JUST STOPPED DEAD IN HIS TRACKS, THERE SURELY WOULD HAVE AN IMMINENT RISK OF A SERIOUS REAR-END COLLISON, WITH POTENTIALLY DEADLY INJURIES. I AM LOOKING FOR HELP, ASSISTANCE, GUIDANCE AND ANYTHING ELSE FROM ANY SOURCE POSSIBLE TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE. WE ARE AT OUR WITTS END!!

STOP SAFELY NOW CHIMES AND DISPLAYED ON DASH FOLLOWED BY NO ACCELERATION UNTIL VEHICLE STALLS AND STOPS.STARTS RIGHT BACK UP BUT CONTINUES TO HAPPEN ESPECIALLY IN LA RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. VERY DANGEROUS! HAD RECALL WORK DONE ON THE MECS 3YRS AGO BUT PROBLEM HAS CONTINUED. THIS HAPPENS WHILE IN MOTION ON THE 110 FREEWAY IN DOWNTOWN LOS ANGLELES, CA. COULD BE THE ELECTRIC THROTTLE BODY OR REAR ACTUATOR. OR ANY OTHER COMPONENT THAT WORKS WITH THE ELECTRIC MOTOR AND BATTERY.

CAR HAS BEEN ROCK SOLID RELIABLE UP UNTIL 3 WEEKS AGO. DRIVING NORMALLY ON CITY STREETS THE CAR ABRUPTLY SHUT DOWN THE HYBRID AND ICE PROPULSION UNITS. STEERING FROZE UP AND IT WAS LIKE PUTTING THE BRAKES ON IT STRANDED ME IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC CAUSING DELAYS FOR OTHER DRIVERS AND A DANGEROUS OBSTRUCTION. THE CAR HAS NO LIMP MODE TO ALLOW FOR SAFELY GETTING OUT OF TRAFFIC. IT HAD TO BE TOWED. FORD DEALER HAS HAD CAR FOR 3 WEEKS AND ARE STILL UNCERTAIN AS TO WHAT CAUSED THE UNSAFE SHUTDOWN.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCURY MARINER HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STOP SAFETY NOW WARNING MESSAGE ILLUMINATED AND AN UNKNOWN WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT WHEN THE DEFROSTER WAS ACTIVATED, THE WARNING LIGHTS NO LONGER ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V526000 (HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM). THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V284000 (STEERING). THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO CONFIRM WHEN THE PARTS WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE TO SCHEDULE THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

RETURNING FROM FLORIDA TO GEORGIA AND PASSED A VEHICLE AT ABOUT 70MPH AND RELEASED THE ACCELERATOR BUT VEHICLE KEPT ACCELERATING. I PRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL BUT VEHICLE KEPT ACCELERATING. I PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR AGAIN AND VEHICLE FINALLY STOPPED ACCELERATING. ADDITIONALLY, "STOP SAFELY NOW" MESSAGE INTERMITTENTLY OCCURS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND AROUND TOWN IN TRAFFIC AND SLOWS THE VEHICLE TO PERHAPS 10-15MPH AND TELLS ME TO PULL OVER. THIS HAS HAPPENED RANDOMLY AT UNSPECIFIC TIMES AND IN HEAVY TRAFFIC WHICH COULD BE DANGEROUS. I HAVE CONCERNS THAT THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL FROM FORD SINCE A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE ISSUE FROM FORUMS ONLINE AND IT COULD RESULT IN WRECKS AND MAYBE EVEN FATALITIES.

EXPERIENCED THE SECOND OF TWO IN-TRAFFIC DRIVE-TRAIN SHUT-DOWNS AS DANGEROUS AS THE G.M. IGNITION SWITCH MALFUNCTIONS (SEE ODI#: 10683675) OUR INITIAL STOPPING PLACE - IN A "REVERSE GORE-POINT" BETWEEN THE N/B FREEWAY LANES OF THE I-405 FREEWAY IN SANTA ANA, CA AND AN OUTSIDE TRANSITION ROAD WAS UNSAFE IN THE FULL-DARKNESS OF A NON-ILLUMINATED HIGH-SPEED INTERSECTION; WITH TRAFFIC ZOOMING BY ON BOTH SIDES, WITH THE FLASHERS STILL ACTIVE, I RES-STARTED THE ENGINE -- ALL DASH WARNINGS CYCLED ON THEN OFF NORMALLY; ON A DISTINCT UP-GRADE, I REVV'D THE ENGINE AGAINST THE SERVICE BRAKES, AND WATCHED FOR A SUITABLE GAP IN TRAFFIC OVER-TAKING US ON OUR RIGHT SIDE. SEEING SUCH A GAP, I RELEASED THE SERVICE BRAKES AND ACCELERATED TO 30 MPH TOWARDS THE OUTER SHOULDER...BUT ONLY MADE IT PART-WAY ACROSS THE 2 LANES WHEN THE SECOND SHUT-DOWN OCCURRED...THE SAME "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT...THE SAME SQUEALING ENUNCIATOR TONE... THE SAME WORTHLESS "STOP SAFELY NOW" MESSAGE AND AGAIN, THANKS TO COURTEOUS AND ALERT OVER-TAKING DRIVERS, I WAS ABLE TO COAST TO A RELATIVELY BROAD SHOULDER SECTION BESIDE A `DISAPPEARING' RIGHT TRAVEL LANE. IT WAS NOW 7:55PM. WE WERE ON OUR CELL PHONE TO THE AAA WHEN A HIGHWAY PATROL OFFICER STOPPED BEHIND US TO CHECK OUR SITUATION, AND PROVIDE ADDITIONAL PROTECTION UNTIL A TOW-TRUCK COULD ARRIVE ON-SCENE. THIS IS THE SECOND OF OUR FAMILY'S FOMOCO HYBRIDS TO EXPERIENCE SUCH IN-USE DRIVE-TRAIN SHUT-DOWNS THAT PROVIDE THE DRIVER WITH NO USABLE WARNINGS OF IMPENDING DOOM - NOT EVEN "LIMP-AWAY POWER" ... THE "AFTER-IT'S-TOO-LATE" MESSAGE-PANEL MIGHT AS WELL DISPLAY "KISS YOUR A$$ GOODBYE". THE IDIOT FOMOCO ENGINEERS WHO DECIDED TO "PROTECT" THE HYBRID BATTERY BY "STALLING" THE VEHICLE ON THE FREEWAY OBVIOUSLY NEVER CONSIDERED WHAT A FREEWAY-SPEED REAR-END IMPACT WOULD DO TO THEIR PRECIOUS BATTERY...OR TO THE "REPLACEABLE" LIVING OCCUPANTS OF THE VEHICLE. *TR

EXPERIENCED TWO IN-TRAFFIC DRIVE-TRAIN SHUT-DOWNS AS DANGEROUS AS THE G.M. IGNITION SWITCH MALFUNCTIONS... TRAVELING IN 60MPH-70MPH NIGHT-TIME VALENTINE'S NIGHT FREEWAY TRAFFIC ON THE I-405 IN SANTA ANA, CA. IN THE #3 LANE OF 5 LANES, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT SUDDENLY FLASHED ON - ACCOMPANIED BY THE `SCREECH' OF THE `CHECK GAUGES' TONE - AND THE DRIVE-TRAIN LOST ALL POWER -- ALONG WITH THE ABSOLUTELY WORTHLESS TEXT "STOP SAFELY NOW". WITH NO POWER STEERING, AND LIMITED BRAKE BOOSTER RESERVES, I ACTIVATED THE HAZARD FLASHERS - AND THANKS TO ALERT AND COURTEOUS TRAFFIC, WAS ABLE TO STOP IN A "REVERSE GORE-POINT" BETWEEN THE FREEWAY LANES AND AN OUTSIDE TRANSITION ROAD. THINGS COULD HAVE COME OUT FAR-WORSE IF OVERTAKING DRIVERS HAD BEEN INATTENTIVE - OR WE HAD TO CROSS THE PATH OF A BIG-RIG WITH LIMITED BRAKING- OR STEERING CAPABILITIES. AS AN ACCIDENT RECONSTRUCTIONIST, THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. THIS IS THE SECOND OF OUR FAMILY'S FOMOCO HYBRIDS TO EXPERIENCE SUCH IN-USE DRIVE-TRAIN SHUT-DOWNS THAT PROVIDE THE DRIVER WITH NO USABLE WARNINGS OF IMPENDING DOOM - NOT EVEN "LIMP-AWAY POWER" ... THE "AFTER-IT'S-TOO-LATE" MESSAGE-PANEL MIGHT AS WELL DISPLAY "KISS YOUR A$$ GOODBYE". THE IDIOT FOMOCO ENGINEERS WHO DECIDED TO "PROTECT" THE HYBRID BATTERY BY "STALLING" THE VEHICLE ON THE FREEWAY OBVIOUSLY NEVER CONSIDERED WHAT A FREEWAY-SPEED REAR-END IMPACT WOULD DO TO THEIR PRECIOUS BATTERY...OR TO THE "REPLACEABLE" LIVING OCCUPANTS OF THE VEHICLE. *TR

ENGINE SHUTS OFF AND DISPLAY SAYS TO PULL OFF ROAD. THIS HAS BEEN A ON GOING PROBLEM. THE DEALER REPLACED THE THROTTLE BODY AND IT STILL HAPPENS. IT IS VERY UNSAFE TO LOSE YOUR VEHICLE'S ACCELERATION AND HAVE THE ENGINE TURN OFF. I THINK IT MAY BE A COMPUTER CODE GLITCH BECAUSE BASED ON WHAT I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THE ENGINE SHUTS OFF BECAUSE A FUEL MIXTURE ISSUE DETECT THAT MAY EVEN BE A FALSE READING. THIS AUTOMATED ACTION WITHIN THE VEHICLE BRAIN DECISION PUTS MANY AT RISK AS I FOUND OUT WHEN I WAS IN THE FURTHEST LEFT LANE ABOUT A MILE BEFORE THE 55 FREEWAY TURN OFF WHILE TRAVELING SOUTH ON THE 91 FREEWAY WITH THE CAR SHUT OFF IT'S ENGINE. I LOST POWER AND NEEDED TO PULL OVER WHILE A CAR BEHIND ME WAS FLASHING THEIR HEADLIGHTS AND THE CAR TO MY RIGHT WAS SLOWLY PASSING ME UP. NEXT CAME A BIGGER CHALLENGE SINCE THERE WERE 2 BIG RIGS ON THE ROAD AND I HIT THE BRAKES A LITTLE WHILE SIGNALLING A LANE CHANGE WITH MY FLASHERS ON I MANAGED TO SQUEEZE BETWEEN THE TWO RIGS AND ALMOST CAUSED THE ONE BEHIND ME TO REAR END ME. THE BIG RIG IN TURN CAUSED THE CAR BEHIND TO BREAK AND THIS ALMOST LEAD TO A PILE UP. THAT INTERSECTION ON THE FREEWAY WHERE THE 55 FREEWAY BEGINS ON YOUR LEFT LANES AND THE 91 FREEWAYS CONTINUES ON THE RIGHT IS A VERY DANGEROUS PLACE TO HAVE TO NEGOTIATE A PULL OVER. IT IS COMPOUNDED WITH A ENTRY RAMP WITH CARS TRYING TO QUICKLY GET INTO THE LEFT 2 LANES IN ORDER TO GET ONTO THE 55 FREEWAY. I DO NOT SEE A REASON TO HAVE YOUR VEHICLE TURN ITSELF OF FOR ANY REASON OTHER THAN A FIRE OR A VERY SERIOUS SAFELY ISSUE. BASED ON WHAT I KNOW THE COMPUTER OF MY VEHICLE PUTS PEOPLE IN DANGER OVER A POSSIBLE ISSUE WITH THE SMOG POLLUTION BEING TOO EXCESSIVE FOR THE MOMENT. *TR

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE SHUTS OFF WITH A RED TRIANGLE AND THE DISPLAY SAYS TO PULL OFF SAFELY. THIS HAS HAPPENED ABOUT 6 TIMES ALREADY. I HAVE TAKEN IT BACK TO THE FORD DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE THROTTLE BODY BECAUSE THERE IS A SENSOR THAT FAILS IN THE UNIT AND THEY EXPLAINED THE FACTORY CALIBRATES THE WHOLE UNIT WITH A STEEP PRICE TAG. LUCKY I STILL HAVE 5000 MILES TILL WARRANTY EXPIRES. I GUESS A NUMBER OF TIMES IT WAS NOT A BIG DEAL TO PULL OVER ON THE SHOULDER AND RESTART THE VEHICLE AND CARRY ON. THIS LAST TIME WE HAD SERVICE DONE TO THE VEHICLE I INFORMED THE FORD SERVICE AGENT THAT WE WERE GOING ON A LONG TRIP AND IF WE SHOULD GET A RENTAL. HE WAS CONFIDENT THE WORK THEY PERFORMED WOULD RESOLVE THE SHUT DOWN ISSUE. WE LEFT LA AND WENT ON OUR WAY TO BISHOP FOR A GROUP HIKING TRIP. THE MARINER RAN FINE FOR 3/4 OF THE WAY AND AGAIN WHILE DRIVING ON A 2 LANE ROAD THE MARINER SHUTS OFF. I NEGOTIATED TO THE RIGHT AS MY SPEED WAS DECLINING AND A 18 WHEELER WAS PASSING ME UP ON THE RIGHT AND THE CAR BEHIND ME WAS GAINING ON MY REAR. IT WAS A BIT SCARY BUT WE MANAGED TO PULL OVER SAFELY. UPON TURNING OFF THE MARINER IGNITION AND RESTARTING WE CARRIED ON TO THE DESTINATION. IT WAS RAINING AND A ROAD CONDITIONS WERE NOT THE BEST BUT WE DID NOT WANT TO BE STRANDED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. ONCE AGAIN AFTER DRIVING FOR 10 MINUTES THE MARINER SHUT OFF AND WITH THE LOSS OF POWER. NOT A SAFE SITUATION TO HAVE YOUR ENGINE SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING IN A FREEWAY AT SPEED OF 65 AND TO SUDDENLY LOSS YOUR ENGINE WITH NO ABILITY TO ACCELERATE OUT OF A UNSAFE SITUATION. IT COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS IF WE WERE TRAVELING ON A WINDY SINGLE LANE ROAD WITHOUT A SHOULDER AS THERE ARE A BUNCH IN THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS WHERE WE HIKE. IT WOULD NOT BE SAFE TO STOP AND DEAL WITH THIS SITUATION AS CARS ARE COMING UP A HILL AND YOUR TRYING TO RESET THE IGNITION COMPUTER SYSTEM. *TR