Rear Suspension Springs Problems of Mercury Mountaineer

I had noticed the stance of the vehicle had change and during a routine new york state inspection it was determined that the rear springs on my 2002 Mercury Mountaineer had broken. The rear spring defect also cause the rear shocks to prematurely wear out and need replacement. The springs were cracked entirely in half. It appears as if there were a defect relating to the metallurgical properties of the metal used or possibly a defect in the manufacture of the springs. At no time was this vehicle driven off road or used to tow anything. The vehicle simply was used by my wife to drive back and forth to work( 20 mile round trip on the highway) the car was out of warranty by about 2 years and had about 50,000 miles on it. A Ford representative told me to take it to the dealer for them to inspect it, there conclusion was the same. Two rear broken springs, as well as 2 rear shocks that required replacement . Their cost . . . . Over $1000. 00. There is no way this item should break. . . God forbid it happens on the highway at a high speed, . . . . A spring break at highway speed would cause the vehicle to become extremely unstable and possibly cause a high speed crash. Springs actually support the weight of the vehicle and when there broken. . . . . There is a sudden and unforeseen unsettling of the vehicle. . . . . Which in my opinion is a major safety issue. I brought this to the attention of Ford via their 800 telephone # - (800-392-3673). . . Their response was. . . "we are under no legal responsibility to fix this problem. The car is out of warranty and it was my responsibility to fix the car. . . . . " I believe Ford has a responsibility, not only me, but to all it's customers who own this vehicle or its cousin the Ford explorer. I expected more from a large company such as Ford. I'm sure they have a protocol to document this incident, but I wonder if they just swept this incident under the Ford carpet. I feel I have a responsibility to let others know. . . This is why I made this complaint.

See all problems of the 2002 Mercury Mountaineer 🔎.

Noticed slight roaring noise in rear suspension. Figured it was a wheel bearing that was worn, which is what it was, but in looking at that issue saw that rear passenger coil spring was broken. Vehicle stance did not indicate a broken spring. Checked the driver side to be safe and noted that rear spring was broken in two places and looked as if it was to come off the bottom spring/strut cushion. As a result of this mechanic indicated broken springs had created premature wear of rear toe links. I am currently looking for replacement parts. This vehicle has seen no off-road use or been used to carry heavy cargo loads. Lady driven only.

During brake inspection mechanic discovered both rear coil springs were broken at the same location on each coil spring. I have never used this vehicle for towing, off-road use, or heavy hauling. I firmly believe this is not normal wear and tear.