2002 Mercury Mountaineer: jerking or lurching

Filed Mar 25, 2012 · Transmission · 99,000 miles · MS

At 99,000 miles the transmission started to jump slightly as it shifted gears. Then the od light came on when I tried to go in reverse and it didn't want to move. Then, when it was put in drive it jerked violently. The vehicle has not been abused or hotrodded.

Filed Oct 22, 2010 · Transmission · 115,000 miles · WA

2002 mercury mountaineer - drove my daughter to school and parked the car. Came back a few minutes later to go home. Started the car and found that the SUV was stuck in park. Tried to push break and pull back gear shift to place car in drive and the gear shift broke in hand. Currently at shop. Told car will need entire new steering column. Also SUV has been having problems shifting. Major delay when placed into gear until it actually goes in gear. There is usually a pause and then car will jerk into place.

Filed Jun 11, 2010 · Brakes, Suspension · 87,000 miles · OH

2002 mercury mountaineer awd v8 - approximately january and may 2009 both rear hub bearings went bad at 87,000 and 90,000 miles , both sets of emergency brake shoes were disintegrated when taken off . Rear coil springs are broken . Front differential box has leaked for some time now . Rear end axle seal has been leaking for some time now . Going on 4th set of brakes on front . June 2010 at 109,000 miles transmission finally went out - after acting up from time of purchase at 37,000 miles - it would slip when put in drive at first morning startup and would jerk erratically at low speeds - we have never pulled anything with vehicle .

Filed Apr 20, 2010 · Transmission · TX

The problem was not noticeable at first. The SUV felt heavy when accelerating, it will jerk every now and then it was like this for a period of two days then the o/d light flashed rapidly and on the message center it displayed check transmission< the transmission constantly slips on every gear it revs without accelerating and when unexpected it catches itself and lunges jerks forward. It also makes a loud noise whenever the transmission shifts gears. This is everytime the vehicle is in use. I have no other means of transportaion . I took it to get diagnostics checked and they told me the transmission was faulty that there had been hundreds of complaints in my area dealing with the same make and model and year. I have not tried to correct the faulty tranny . I believe ford should consider the safety of it customers /consumers and should have a nationwide recall to repair such faulty transmission. I have been more close to crashing this year than all my years of driving. This faulty transmisssion is dangerous.

Filed Mar 26, 2010 · Transmission · 77,000 miles · NJ

Transmission problem. Less than 80,000 miles on vehicle. Maintenance kept up to date. I started the car and began to drive away when suddenly it would not pick up speed and it kept jerking. It was not driveable at especially on a highway. Everywhere I went told me it was the transmission. It cost me over $2,000.00 for another transmission. I am shocked to see so many others with transmission problems. I had no problems at all with this vehicle until this happened. I find it strange that I never had any other maintenance problems with this car and suddenly I lose a transmission. It sounds like a recall was due to myself as well as thousands of others with this same make and model. I was ready to make mercury my main choice of vehicle but after this, I don't think so. I would love to be included in a class action suit.

Filed Jan 25, 2009 · Transmission · 103,000 miles · NJ

As I was accelerating nothing happened. The transmission failed and didn't go anywhere and then it jerked just as a car was approaching, which made the other car swerve and it almost got into an accident. *tr 2002 mercury mountaineers are notorious for bad transmissions and they are a danger. Ford refuses to take any responsibility for their poorly built transmissions.

Filed Sep 2, 2008 · Transmission · 100,000 miles · OH

Major safety concern: 2002 mercury mountaineer awd, purchased with around 79000 miles, in 2007. A few days after purchase started shifting really hard into 3rd gear, called dealer and he said to have transmission fluid changed, changed that cost 100.00. Seemed to help some, now at 100,000 miles or so car will not go over 30mph. Driving vehicle in busy traffic and car only going up to 30 in a serious hazard. Ford needs to be held accountable for this. Too many 2002 are having exact same problem. Car jerks into reverse, o/d flashes, check transmission light comes on , hard jerks and shudders into 3rd gear....come on how many more people have to give up hard earned money to fix fords mistakes??? In process of trying to find a transmission shop to take this heap of junk to.

Filed Jul 17, 2005 · Fuel system, Transmission · 38,000 miles · IL

This is a 2002 mercury mountaineer with a v8 engine. The vehicle accelerates on its own with no driver input from a stop. It lurches both in drive and in reverse.

Filed Feb 1, 2005 · Transmission · 65,000 miles · AL

2002 mercury mountaineer drive train slips, causing sudden jumps and jerks from; starts, slow down / acceleration, reverse to drive. Bought car for wife for safe awd system for snow and slick roads, wife does not feel safe as lurching from stops almost caused her to cause a rear end accident. Car has 65,000 miles had trans and front rear diff oil changed helped for about a week. Is it possible to replace 2002 trans with 2005 trans as they seem to be rated better?

Filed Feb 26, 2004 · Transmission · 47,000 miles · KS

I bought a 2002 mercury mountaineer may 16th 2003 with approx 45,000 miles. About a week later we noticed that the shifting seemed to be jerky going from 2-3 gears. Took it back into the person I bought it from and he called our local ford dealer who he purchased it from 2 days prior for me. They stated there were not bulletins out on the transmission. We had the transmission fluid checked and it appeared to be ok. A couple of months went by and then a soft shudder started when going to the next gears. I took it to a local transmission place and the tech stated that he had seen 2 of these incidents in the last 6 months. Recommended I get rid of the vehicle as there was a flaw in the transmission design. In november of 2003 we had the transmission serviced (approx $250). Cleared up the problem for a couple of months but reappeared and then went into a hard shift going to each gear. Feb 2004 took it back to local ford dealer and they will charge me $2700 to replace my transmission with a rebuilt ford transmission. The real kicker is I bought this vehicle because my 2001 ford windstar's transmission went out and there was a service bulletin out on it too. I guess shame on me for continuing to buy ford.

Filed Sep 16, 2003 · Transmission · MA

The vehicle quickly shifts whenever you accelerate, it's rather jerky and startling. It seems as though the gears are changing incorrectly thus causing a jerky motion. I have notified the dealer and was told that this was a normal reaction, which I disagree. I most recently contacted the mercury home office, who suggested that I take it to the dealer for a diagnostics check. I saw similar complaints on this issue and thought that I should report my problem.

Filed Nov 27, 2001 · Transmission · LA

A violent jerk is present wheh shifting out of park. A noise can be heard on an intermittent basis before jerk occurs. Dealer has been contacted. *ak