Tailgate problems of the 2003 Mercury Mountaineer

The contact owns a 2003 Mercury Mountaineer. The contact stated that the fiberglass on the tailgate cracked and detached from the vehicle. The vehicle has not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the problem. The approximate failure mileage was 120,000.

The hasn't been an accident. I wanted to report that I have a cracked tailgate on my vehicle. The crack appeared one morning - I wasn't even driving the vehicle. The cracked begins at the top of the tailgate, around the emblem part of the lift gate, then down towards the tailgate lift handle. I called my local Ford dealer, citrus Ford, ontario, CA, but was informed there wasn't a recall and the issue had to deal with water leaking into the locking mechanism and cracking because its plastic and not metal. At least the dealership didn't accuse me of being in an accident, but no efforts were made to repair the cracked tailgate at no cost to me, the customer. Can NHTSA push Ford to recall this matter?.

I have 2003 Mercury Mountaineer and I have had it since February 2007. I have had numerous problems with it and the last problems was the breaking point. I have three more years to pay for this vehicle and I want something to be done about the problems with this vehcile. Ford should be held responsible for this vehicle and fixing the problems associated with it. I purchased this vehicle from community Ford in new albany, ms in February 2007 with 45,000 miles on it. I couldn't get an extended warranty or any warranty with the vehicle I was told. After a year, I had to replace the front end and it was $500. 00 at george's tire services. I took it in due to this noise coming from the front and I was advised that if I didn't have the work did it would lock up on me while I am driving and cause and accident. I noticed that my structure body:hatchback/tailgate has cracked completely. My seat belt on the driver side in the back don't work. My engine cooling system aircompressor has went out and I have electrical problems where my oil gauge is constantly saying it's low. I have my oil change every 3000 miles. I am hearing this noise in the rear of the vehicle and I don't know what it is and can't afford to get going to Ford to see what it is. I have been smelling this burning coming from the under the hood and I don't know what it is either. My lastest problem is my transmission is going out and I have had this vehicle for two years and I have three more years of payment on this vehicle. My transmission cost me around $3500 and I don't have any warranty on it. This is a lemon I have purchased and I think something should be done about it.

On the tailgate of the Mountaineer, due to heat/cold a crack started from the windshield and went down past the "Mercury" emblem down to the next panel.

I have a 2003 Mercury Mountaineer and it has a crack on the liftgate that starts at the top in the middle, goes around the Mercury emblem and continues down to the bottom of the liftgate. I am worried that the glass will fall out or break one day when I hit a bump or close the tailgate. Or will the glass shatter when I hit a bump or close it?.

The failure is for a 2003 Mercury Mountaineer. The failure is a crack in the lift gate that occurs right alongside the Mercury emblem or logo on the back of the tailgate or lift gate. This crack has been reported numerous times here and in online forums. To me seems like a deficiency or a defect in the material that makes up this panel that is a part of the lift gate glass and the tailgate as a unit. . I would also like to add that the 2002-2006 Mercury Mountaineers and the Ford explorer share this same tailgate with the same problem. Mercury and Ford are solely to blame for producing this faulty part of the tailgate or lift gate and should step up and recall them. . I noticed my failure or crack in June of 2008 with less than 60k miles on it. I am an original owner since 2003. A big concern is safety, someone walking by the SUV and getting cut on the sharp plastic, just looking at the crack is disturbing. Here in southern CA. Fairway Ford wants $425. 00 and cerritos Ford Lincoln Mercury wants $625. 00 to fix the same problem. . I was made aware of this problem in 2004. We were picking up the SUV after having the rear glass hinges replaced per the recall. At that time the service writer at villa Ford told me, try not to push on the emblem to close the glass, the panel will crack in time. . (1. ) I wonder how many of these panels were replaced under warranty due to the crack? (2. ) why Ford or Mercury never disclosed the problem? I did call Mercury, they took the complaint and said they would put it on the NHTSA web site, but they never did.