1999 Mercury Mystique

CONSUMER CALLED THE DEALER ABOUT RECALL# 99V060000 CONCERNING VEHICLES WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WHICH UTILIZE A PARK/LOCK SOLENOID. IF IT IS POSSIBLE TO ROTATE THE IGNITION KEY TO LOCK POSITION AND REMOVE KEY WITHOUT SHIFT LEVER BEING IN PARK, THESE VEHICLES DO NOT COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 114 CONCERNING "THEFT PROTECTION." THEREFORE, VEHICLES THAT COME WITH IGNITION KEY REMOVABLE IN GEAR POSITION OTHER THAN PARK, WILL HAVE STEERING COLUMN REPLACED. DEALER STATED THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL, BUT HAD TO MANY MILES TO PERFORM RECALL REPAIRS. *AK

I OWN BOTH A 1998 AND 1999 MERCURY MYSTIQUE WITH THE 2.5L V6 ENGINE. WHEN TRAVELING THROUGH STANDING WATER OR EVEN IN A HEAVY RAINSTORM THE POWER STEERING WILL FAIL, THE GENERATOR FAILURE LIGHT WILL LIGHT, AND THE SERPENTINE BELT WILL WHINE. THIS CAN LAST FROM 30 SEC TO A FEW MINUTES, AND REQUIRES ONE TO STOP DRIVING AS THE CAR IS NO LONGER STEERABLE. I HAVE TAKEN MY 1998 TO THE DEALER TWICE FOR THIS AND THEY HAVE REPLACED THE BELT AND TENSIONER TWICE. THIS HAS NOT CHANGED THE PROBLEM, AND THE DEALER CALLED THE MANUFACTURER FOR HELP AND THEY HAD NO FURTHER INFORMATION OR SUGGESTIONS. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A DESIGN FLAW FOR THIS SPECIFIC ENGINE WHICH COULD RESULT IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT IF EVASIVE MANEUVERS WERE REQUIRED WHILE DRIVING THRU STANDING WATER. I NOTE TWO OTHER SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON YOUR WEBSITE. FORD SHOULD DESIGN A FIX FOR THIS IMPORTANT SAFETY ISSUE.*AK

FIRST INCIDENTS OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES BETWEEN 9,000 AND 25,000 MILES WHILE PULLING INTO DRIVEWAY AT LOW SPEED WHERE THERE CAN BE STANDING WATER WHEN IT RAINS. POWER STEERING FAILED FROM BELT SLIPPAGE. ON 7-3-2001 WHILE DRIVING ON A CITY STREET THROUGH REASONABLE CURB-SIDE WATER ON A RAINY AFTERNOON THE POWER STEERING FAILED AT N INTERSECTION. THIS IS A SERIOUS DESIGN FLAW. THE BELT PULLIES ARE LOCATED IN SUCH A PLACE THAT THE TIRES SPLASHING THROUGH SHALLOW STANDING WATER CAUSES THE BELTS TO SLIP AND STEERING AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEM TO FAIL (ALTERNATOR) *AK

POWER STEERING IS LOST WHEN DRIVING THRU PUDDLES OR WET STREET. DOES NOT HAPPEN ALL THE TIME. BATTERY LIGHT REMAINS ON FOR SHORT DISTANCE AND BRAKES BECOME VERY NOISEY. CANNOT CONTROL CAR AT THIS POINT AND MUST STOP UNTIL POWER STEERING COMES BACK. ALMOST WENT OFF ROAD AND INTO BANK WHEN TURNING AND THIS HAPPENED. DEALERSHIP HAS NOT FIXED THIS PROBLEM YET, AND WILL BE TAKING THE CAR INTO THE SHOP TODAY BECAUSE THIS PROBLEM CONTINUES. 9/15/00. IT HAPPENS DURING RAIN, OF IF PUDDLES ARE IN PARKING LOT.