I had to have the alternator replaced after having the battery replaced and various other checks run on the car. It is just one in a long line of problems I have had with this car, even though I have been meticulous with maintenance and oil changes. I very strongly dislike this vehicle and have grown accustom to calling it the "Mercury Mistake". I know now why Mercury stopped producing this car. It is a monsterous pain in the ass. This year alone I have spent over $1000 in repairs. I am looking now to buy a new vehicle and am strongly leaning towards going foreign. I will never buy another Ford/Mercury product.