2000 Mercury Mercury Truck

I OWN(ED) A 2000 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER, 8 CYLINDER, WHICH I HAVE OWNED SINCE IT WAS NEW. THE CAR HAS BEEN METICULOUSLY MAINTAINED AND HAS NEVER BEEN INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. I WAS DRIVING THE CAR TODAY (FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES). AS I WAS SITTING IN LINE AT THE DRIVE-THRU AT A LOCAL BANK, SMOKE STARTED COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I THOUGHT MAYBE IT WAS OVERHEATING (ALTHOUGH THERE WAS NO REASON IT SHOULD). WITHIN SECONDS PEOPLE STARTED SCREAMING AT ME TO GET OUT OF THE CAR BECAUSE THERE WERE FLAMES SHOOTING OUT FROM THE WHEEL WELLS. I PULLED OUT OF LINE AND GOT OUT OF THE CAR. THE CAR'S ENGINE WAS ON FIRE, THE FREEHOLD POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS WERE CALLED AND THE CAR CONTINUED TO BURN FOR A GOOD 20 MINUTES BEFORE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT COULD PUT OUT THE FIRE. THE ENTIRE ENGINE ASSEMBLY BURNED AND MELTED INCLUDING THE GRILL OF THE CAR. THE FIRE MARSHALL HAD NO IDEA WHAT MAY HAVE CAUSED THIS. HAVE YOU HAD ANY OTHER SUCH COMPLAINTS? *JB

2000 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER, IN DECEMBER IT BECAME VERY COLD AND I WAS HAVING TROUBLE STARTING MY CAR, IT WOULD DIE CONSTANTLY. I WOULD HAVE TO SIT IN THE CAR DEPRESSING THE GAS PEDAL IN ORDER TO KEEP IT RUNNING. I TOOK IT TO THE SHOP FOR A TUNE UP. I GOT IT BACK AND THE PROBLEMS CONTINUED. I RETURNED IT TO THE SHOP AND THEY RAN SOME TESTS AND FOUND A PART THEY THOUGHT WAS BAD AND REPLACED IT. ONCE AGAIN I GOT THE CAR BACK AND HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS. EACH TIME IT WOULD TRIGGER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO COME ON AND STAY ON. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE SHOP. THEY THEN DECIDED IT WAS THE O2 SENSORS IN BAY 1 AND BAY 2. THEY REPLACED THEM AND RETURNED MY CAR. AGAIN I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. IT IS IN THE SHOP AGAIN. IT HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP MORE THAN IT HAS BEEN WITH ME. THEY STILL CAN NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. I HAVE SPENT A TON OF MONEY AND STILL HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH MY CAR. I CAN SAY THAT I HAD ONE WARM DAY HERE IN ILLINOIS AND ON THAT DAY I HAD NO TROUBLE STARTING MY CAR. IT SEEMS AS THOUGH IT ONLY HAPPENS WHEN THE TEMPATURE DROPS BELOW 32 DEGREES. I ALSO HAVE NOTICED A LOUD NOISE THAT COMES FROM THE BACK END OF THE TRUCK WHEN I TURN IT OFF. THE DEALERSHIP TELLS ME THAT IT IS THE AUTO SHUT OFF FOR THE GAS TANK AND IS NORMAL BUT I HAVE NEVER HERD THIS ON ANY OTHER TRUCK LIKE MINE OR ANY OTHER MODEL. I WAS ALSO TOLD BY MY MECHANIC THAT HE HAS ANOTHER COUSOMER WITH THE SAME MODEL TRUCK AS MINE AND THAT THEY ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT IS CAUSING MY CAR TO NOT RUN WHEN IT IS COLD BUT WILL RUN WHEN IT IS WARM!*AK