Marauder Bugs?

[Romo53]

I HAVE NOT POSTED IN QUITE SOME TIME, AND I DO HATE TO START WITH A POTENTIONALLY NEGATIVE QUESTION. HAS ANYONE HAD THE FOLLOWING PROBLEMS WITH THEIR MM: ADJUSTABLE PEDAL FAULURE, WINDOW SEAL FAILURE, GUAGE PANEL FAILURE, FUEL SENDING UNIT FAILURE, POOR QUALITY PAINT, AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, HEADLIGHT FOGGING? IF I DIDNT LIKE THE DAMN THING SO MUCH I WOULD HAVE DRIVEN IT THROUGH THE DEALERSHIP WINDOW BY NOW.

[MapleLeafMerc]

Let me be the first to empathize! I have the same problem with paint and headlights, among other things...If looks could kill the last service manager I spoke to would be doing the great dirt nap by now. Sounds like you'll have to start searching for a dealer who cares. Lucky for you, you have many guys in your area (like our esteemed host) who can help.

Welcome back!

[Bigdogjim]

Paint issues are all too common:bs:

Headlight fogging has been reported also.

[RCSignals]

Paint issues and headlight fogging are fairly common.
The other stuff not so much

It might make you feel better to look at the paint on a new GMC or Chev truck. Very bad stuff.

[Macon Marauder]

I have none of these. Although the dealer did scuff up the paint some when "detailing" it before I took delivery.

I had the starter replaced at 900 miles and an O2 sensor shortly after. That's it.

[Ross]

If by window seal failure you mean a lot of wind noise inside the car, I have complained about that.

[LincMercLover]

I've got the broken fuel gauge.

[dwasson]

What about water leaks in the cockpit? Tuesday it poured here and I was parked roughly facing into the (very high and gusty) wind. When I left work in the afternoon there was a 1/4 inch of water in the driver side footwell. I removed the mat and used my dust towel to soak up a lot of the water. I am still driving without the mat to let both it and the carpet dry. I have a call in to the local Merc dealer to take it in next week. (Don't make me drive the mini-van. It hurts)

[Ross]

I don't recall any complaints about that kind of water leak into the cabin on this board.

[yorks]

I've got the paint problem, luckily not the headlight problem as so many did here. As for the other 4, I've never heard mention of them here unless.....
Guage panel failure - Do you mean flickering dash lights under dim lighting conditions?
Fuel sending unit failure - Do you mean the gas guage not reading true?
These are both conditions that many on this site have, that are considered minor in themselves, but just add to the PITA factor when added to everything else.

Edited for PS
PS: dwasson, the water leak IMO is a MAJOR issue and needs immediate dealer attention. I've never heard of the MMs watertight integrity being compromised before. Anybody who knows what I used to do for a living, will know that I am anal about watertight integrity!

[TripleTransAm]

Guess I'm lucky with not having suffered any headlight issues or paint defects besides a 'drip' of clearcoat hanging below the passenger's side door corner (detectable only by touch, thankfully). Ironically, the fact that this 'drip' is there would normally imply gobs of clearcoat on the paint, yet I do suffer from the "weak paint" issue like everyone else...

(just yesterday, a few stray daylight photons hit my MM in just the wrong way and WHAMMO there's a new chip in the paint...)

[Dr Caleb]

My Headlights fog when I power wash my car. As well, my paint chips if you look at it wrong and seems to scratch if I leave it in the light of the full moon.

[sailsmen]

Only thing I have is the paint is soft/thin. I am happy with the application, no orange peel or runs.

[Romo53]

Here are more specific details for those of you who asked. I rolled down the pass. side window one night and the weatherstrip came off the door...completely. Fuel sending unit and guage problems: fuel guage read a little above 1/4, car was actually out of fuel and stranded my sorry but (and my 4mo old)in one of the busiest intersections in Dallas. As far as the paint, there is primer showing under the hood lip near the front, and drips and runs along the fenders both front and rear. I painted my resto/custom chevy truck in a home-made paint booth and got a better quality job than what is on my MM. Don't get me wrong folks...I love the car, it will just be the next vehicle on my list to paint.

[marauder307]

My fuel guage has always been kinda questionable...reads about 2 needle widths below full when actually full, and the low fuel light hits at 2 needle widths b-lo 1/4 tank remaining. At least it's consistent. Took it in for rear brake work, subwoofer soundproofing deletion (had to cut out the soundproofing where it had been mistakenly laid in above the woofer, causing rear package tray rattle) and had the PCM reflashed as per the SSM 16428. Other than that, runs like a champ, even for the fact that I drive over lousy roads and run it through a commercial carwash which has left microscratches in the paint...

I think you'll love it when you get into it. I'm highly motivated to take care of mine as it's my only car, and I hate loaners. But that doesn't mean I haven't seen the high side of the century mark on the speedo...If you have the capability, put it up during the winter to keep it away from the snow and road crud. I don't, and I dread the coming of the St. Louis winter.

The assorted comments about the paint are pretty much true. Mine's not great, but remember what I said about carwashes...Mercury can't be held accountable for self-inflicted injuries...

And DEFINITELY BUY THE SILVER!!!! I wish I'd found one...

[cyled]

I'm not impressed with the paint, but I have been able to get mine pretty decent shape with some TLC...

I have had headlight fogging (if you are talking about a haze over the lens, not condensation behind it) due to taking to the car wash and washing.. seems some checmicals and/or soaps cause it. I bought some Blue Coral plastic cleaner and it cleared it right up. Looks like new.

[Silver_04]

marauder307-How did you find out sound proofing material was over the sub? I think I may have the same problem with my car. The rear shelf rattles something fierce when the sub hits certain notes.

[marauder307]

To Silver '04---

There's been a few threads on this site about the sub. I went and researched 'em, then took the car to the dealer. Took 'em, from start to finish, about an hour. While the salespeople at my particular dealership don't seem to know anything about the car, the service techs sure do, and they found it real quick.

I actually kept the pieces that were cut out...there's two of 'em.
One is a thin, carpet backing-like material; the other is an inch-thick foamy type of material that's cut out in the shape of the sub opening. I've been meaning to get a photo of 'em and post it here so folks can see what I'm talking about...I'm a lousy procrastinator...I'll try to have it in a couple of days.

Only problem is that now my back seat squeaks something fierce.
The tech had to lift the lower half of the seat out, and I don't think he got it back in correctly. Someday I'll get tired of listening to it and get it fixed. Right now I'm just glad to have a car at all...paychecks not going too well.

[Bigdogjim]

Romo53: I hear ya on the paint issues.

I think a kid out of paint shop could have painted better.

Hope your dealer is more receptive than mine.


I am one step away from calling on the lawyers

[AFSP13]

I have the paint problem.

[AFSP13]

I have the paint problem.

[CRUZTAKER]

Whatever you do....DON'T QUIT!! We can get thru this. Your unique issues will shed lite for posterity. As far as paint, ALL TO COMMON amongst us. Headlamps, ALL TO COMMON to ALL Ford L/M products for YEARS. A leaky window, unusual, but a very easy fix. The weatherstrip is likely mis-placed. As far as the unique issues, YOU are actually enlightening us.

Stay strong, and don't threaten to sell it, and fall to the ricer side!

Now if I could only find and upload "freebird"

[Romo53]

I actually showed the primer spots to my dealer rep. Should have seen the look on his face. Then the dancing started. We are still dancing, only I'm not his partner anymore. It will get fixed. I am NOT selling the car, however. We are actually buying another vehicle so we won't pile on the miles on the mm. Gonna baby the hell out of her. I cannot justify selling a two year "limited" production vehicle over some sappy dealer mumbo jumbo.

[frdwrnch]

There is an improved fuel sending unit for early cars. The symptom for this repair is that when the guage reads empty you would still have 5 gallons of fuel in the tank (in other words you wouldn't run out of fuel, but the guage would drop rapidly enough for you to question fuel economy). I just put one in my MM but have yet to run a full tank of gas through it to "guage" its effectiveness. I'll post a new thread if it works. Same 'ol thing on headlamps, there is supposed to be an improved part but then Ford came out w/ a service message to reseal and not replace them. Sounds like they are tightening up the purse strings.

[Black Terror]

I had mine replaced and it works correctly. I have 2 gallons left when light comes on. That wasn't the case before change.
The original unit was over 1\8 tank off.

[bugsys03]

Knock on wood i havent had any of these problems. My MM is black, beautiful,shiny and dry. I do have the right spoke steering wheel issue not mentioned here but a common problem. I will live with that until i really need to take her in for something serious, hopefully never.

[2003Marauder]

15 Months and 20,000 Miles and just a couple of issues that are not even worth mentioning.
ALL cars will have from 3 to 16 minor problems, but the measure of a good car manufacturer is how they handle fixing the problems. I do garage my car every night that it's at home. And I've always kept it clean. I have taken the MM to the Gas Station car wash a few times, brushless, and three times to the Simoniz detail place last winter--it's where they pull it through the wash and it had brushes. I do have some swirl marks but so does every car that I look at in the parking lots.
The math on 5,000 vehicles with 99% quality results in 50 poorly built vehicles. Even 99.9% quality results in 5 poorly built vehicles. Manufactures know it's easier to fix those at the dealership or easier to replace the 5 that may have major defects. There is no such thing as a perfectly built vehicle.
I put computer automation systems in more than 100 auto dealerships of every brand of vehicle and later managed dealerships operations for a dealer group that sold at least 15 makes of foreign and domestic models.
I heard many horror stories about poorly built vehicles of all makes and models and had to deal with the customer and the manufacturer on several occasions. Nothing, posted so far is what I would call a major defect. That is not to take away from anyone's problems as problems are very annoying. Just be persistent in getting Mercury to fix your car.

[RCSignals]

Is there a Service message for this new fuel guage sending unit, and a part number?

[duhtroll]

My paint failed too - about 3 weeks after I brought it home.

But with some remedial work and some after-school tutoring it's back to a passing mark.

:lol:

Actually, I have been very happy with my paint job - of course mine was built 2/03 and was in the showroom from dealer delivery to my own delivery, and it's garaged whenever possible.

I have no doubt it is thin and soft from what I have read here, but thankfully I have no real scratches to contend with -- yet.

-A

[BUCKWHEAT]

Romo53, I'm just up the street from you. Bot mine at Village L/M in Irving in June,02. Knock on plastic, the car, with 16k on it, has never been back for any warranty work. Go figure. Paint is fine & everything else seems to work OK. Logan can tell you whether you would be better off to take the car to John Eagle L/M in Dallas for the warranty work. Good luck.