1994 Mercury Sable complaints

I HAVE EXPERIENCED NUMEROUS RECENT FAILURES WITH THIS VEHICLE THAT I BELIEVE ARE DUE TO DEFECTIVE DESIGN, MATERIALS, AND WORKMANSHIP BY FORD. SOME OF THESE CAN RESULT IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT IF NOT ADDRESSED. I HAVE LEARNED THAT THE HEAD GASKET, TIMING COVER GASKET, ENGINE MOUNTS, AND A/C FAILURES ARE QUITE COMMON ON THIS VEHICLE. THIS TENDS TO SUPPORT THE NEED FOR AN INVESTIGATION BY YOUR OFFICE AND SUBSEQUENT RECALL OF THESE VEHICLES. THE COST TO REPAIR ALL OF THESE ITEMS IS APPROXIMATELY $3500. I HAVE CONTACTED FORD WHO IN TURN OFFERED ME A MERE $500. TOWARDS THE HEAD GASKET REPAIR. FORD HAD INSTITUTED AN "INTERNAL RECALL" ON THESE HEAD GASKETS (ESSENTIALLY ADMITTING THAT THEY ARE DEFECTIVE), BUT MY VEHICLE IS NOW NOT COVERED UNDER THIS PROGRAM. PLEASE INVESTIGATE AND FORCE A RECALL ON THESE OBVIOUSLY DEFECTIVE VEHICLES. PLEASE CONTACT ME IF YOU NEED FURTHER INFORMATION. THANK YOU, JOHN MACIEL.

HEAD GASKET FAILED PRIOR TO RECALL NOTICE (97V-019). MJS

I BELIEVE THAT THE FORD COMPANY SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR REPLACING THE TRANSMISSION. MY CAR HAS 84,000 MILES AND HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED. I AM WELL AWARE OF THE FACT THAT TRASMISSIONS FOR THE FORD TAURES AND MERCURY SABLE CARS ARE BEING RELACED BEFORE T

I BOUGHT BRAND NEW MERCURY SABLE (1994) .WITHIN THREE YEARS, THE SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE BECAME ERRATIC. WHILE DOING 55-60 MILES PER HOUR, THE NEEDLE OR INDICATOR SHOWED VARIABLE SPEED OF

ABS SENSOR LIGHT WOULD COME ON. WHENEVER THIS OCCURRED IT CAUSED FRONT WHEELS, EXCPEPT ONE ON RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE, TO LOCK UP. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND NOTHING COULD BE FOUND. SEEKING HELP NHTSA IN THIS MATTER. *AK

FORD ISSUED A NOTICE, NOT A RECALL AS I FEEL THEY SHOULD HAVE DONE, BECAUSE OF THE PREMATURE FAILURE OF THE HEAD GASKETS. THE FAILURE COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A SAFETY CONCERN FOR MY FAMILY IF THEY FAILED AT A TIME OR PLACE THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN DANGEROUS. IN THE NOTICE FORD SAID THEY WOULD PROVIDE COVERAGE NO CHARGE COVERAGE FOR 5 YEARS OR 60,000 MILES. NO MENTION WAS MADE ABOUT "WHICHEVER COMES FIRST." IT WAS A CLEAR STATEMENT OF 5 YEARS OR 60,000 MILES. I FEEL FORD IS TRYING TO TAKE THE EASY & CHEAP WAY OUT AND NOT ACTING IN A RESPONSIBLE MANNER AS A MANUFACTURER SHOULD.

NO SUMMARY

POOR DESIGN OF TRANSMISSION , EXPERIENCED FAILURE. *YC

TRANSMISSION PISTON IS MADE OF ALUMINUM INSTEAD OF HARD METAL, AND IS SPLITTING. VEHICLE GETS HOT & FLIUID GETS THIN. VEHICLE ALSO GETS STUCK IN NEUTRAL. *AK

I HAVE HAD OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THIS CAR FEUL PUMP REPLACED , NEW HEAD PUT ON CAR, TRANSMISSION SCREEN AND FILTER REPLACED BECAUSE OF LEAKAGE, BRAKES REPLACED ROTORS TURNED, BROKEN MOTOR MOUNT, REAR AXLE LOOSE. SQUEALING NOISE ON PASSANGER SIDE WHEN TURNING OR GOING AROUND A CURVE. THE TRANSMISSION ON THIS CAR ALSO I THINK HAS A PROBLEM IT HESITATES WHEN YOU FIRST CRANK UP THE CAR IT WON' T GO IT ACTS LIKE YOU ARE IN NEUTRAL FOR A FEW SECONDS THEN IT GOES. I HAVE ALSO HAD SOME TYPE OF COLLANT RING AROUND THE TIMING CHAIN REPLACED THE ENGINE WOULD GET HOT AND START SMOKING IT SMELLED LIKE ANTI-FREEZE . MOST OF THE REPAIR WORK HAS BEEN DONE UNDER THE EXTENDED WARRENTY BUT THIS CAR DOES HAVE PROBLEMS.

MOTOR MOUNTS AND TRANSMISSION MOUNTS FAILED CAUSING NOISE, PRIOR TO RECALL NOTICE OF THE SUB-FRAME MOUNTS (26-FEB-99) (98S36). MJS

FORWARD PISTON CRACKED IN THE TRANSMISSION. DEALER CONTACTED AND IS AWARE OF PROBLEM. REPAIRWORK DONE AT OWNERS EXPENSE. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THERE IS A POWER SHORTAGE WITHIN THE TRANSMISSION WHICH CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO SLOW DOWN OR STOP. *AK *YC

RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE (97V025000) & CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP. THE MECHANIC REFUSED TO REPAIR THE THROTTLE UNDER RECALL. DEALER HAD NO PARTS AVAILABLE FROM THE MANUFACTURER TO REPAIR THE THROTTLE & ALSO STATED THAT RECALL DID NOT AFFECT THE VEHICLE. *AK *YC

WAS TAKING VEHICLE OFF ROAD & NOTICED THE INFLUCUATION OF HEAT. HAD THE THERMOSTAT CHANGED & FLUCUATION HEAT STILL EXISTED. TOOK VEHICLE TO LOT TO BE SOLD & THE MECHANIC INFORMED OWNER THE HEAD GASKETS HAD BLOWN. THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE SOLD. MANUFACTURER INFORMED OWNER THE TSB ON HEAD GASKETS HAD EXPIRED. *AK

HEADGASKET BLEW OUT, CAUSING VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT. ALSO, TEMPERATURE GAUGE FLUCTUATED BETWEEN ON/OFF. *AK

FUEL PUMP IS DAMAGED FROM WITHIN INSIDE. *AK

RECALL # 98V32300 FORD/SUBFRAME CORROSION; AFTER HAVING RECALL WORK PERFORMED OWNER BEGAN TO HAVE A NUMBER OF PROBLEMSIWTH VEHICLE, SUCH AS LOUD CLUNKING NOISE. ALSO,TRANSMISSION WAS FALLING FROM UNDER THE CAR. VEHICLE SEEMED AS THOUGH IT WAS CHANGING GEARS WHILE DRIVING. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURHTER DETAILS. *AK

NO SUMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK

THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECTIVE PART THAT FORD REFUSES TO FIX ON THE 3.8L ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM. *AK

FUEL PUMP FAILED WHILE OPERATING. VERY NEARLY CAUSED ACCIDENT. REPLACED WITH A REBUILT VS NEW. *AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKET IS LEAKING, CAUSING VEHICLE TO IDLE REALLY ROUGH. IN ADDITION, REPLACED DEFECTIVE MOTOR MOUNTS/ REBUILT TRANSMISSION, AND REPLACED DEFECTIVE STARTER. *AK

THE FRONT AND REAR MOTOR MOUNTS BROKE AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. YEAR OF VEHICLE DOES NOT FALL INTO THE RECALL. *AK

WHEN VEHICLE MAKES A TURN THE WIHNDSHIELD WIPERS STOP. ONCE TURN IS COMPLETE THEY WILL RESUME. MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHILE STOPPED AT AN INTERSECTION. NLM

MOTOR MOUNTS BROKE WHILE DRIVING , CAUSING VEHICLE TO JERK. VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED BY PRIVATE MECHANIC. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

WHEN PULLING OUT OF A PARKING LOT DRIVING 5 MPH, VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON CRASH THERE WAS NO DEPLOYMENT OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG. ANOTHER VEHICLE SPEED WAS ABOUT 40 MPH. CRASH WAS REPORTED TO INSURANCE COMPANY. THE VEHICLE IS BEING REPAIRED.

CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR THE BODY MOUNTS, AFTER DEALERSHIP REPAIRED RECALL, AT THE RETURN OF VEHICLE TO OWNER, THE LEFT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE WAS MAKING A CLUMPING AND RATTLING NOISE. *AK

WHEN PUT VEHICLE INTO DRIVE TO PARK WITH BRAKES FIRMLY APPLIED, VEHICLE WILL LUNGE FOWARD, AND DRIVING OVER 40 MPH THE VEHICLE WILL BEGIN TO VIBRATE. *AK *ML

RECALL WORK INCOMPLETE DUE TO DEALERSHIP PROBLEM (98V-323). MJS

DURING VEHICLE OPERATION TRANSMISSION INTERMITTENTLY WILL SLIP OUT OF GEAR AND DROP BACK INTO GEAR WITH SUDDEN ACCELERATION. UPON INSPECTION SEALS AND PINS HAVE MALFUNCTIONED AND IS ATTRIBUTED TO USE OF ALUMINUM. REPLACEMENT OF BOTH PARTS NECESSARY TO ALLOW SAFE OPERATION OF VEHICLE. *AK

WHILE PULLING OUT OF AN PARKING LOT VEHICLE SUDDENLY SURGED FROM 5 MPH TO 15 MPH WHILE CONSUMER HAD THE BRAKES APPLIED. IT HAD TO BE SNATCHED OUT OF GEAR TO BE STOPPED. THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED TWICE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK *ML

CAR ACCELERATED UNCONTROLLABLY, BRAKES APPLIED, BUT COULD NOT STOP VEHICLE; HAD TO PUT CAR IN NEUTRAL TO STOP VEHICLE. *AK

HEAD GASKET HAS ALSO CAUSED $800 IN OTHER DAMAGE. PROBLEM IS WELL KNOWN ON THIS ENGINE, SEE '95 WINDSTAR ISSUES. *AK

RADIATOR FAILED RESULTING IN LEAKAGE, REPLACEMENT LEAKED DUE TO FAULTY RADIATOR CAP. MJS

I CONTACTED THE FORD COMPANY TO FIND OUT IF THIS WAS A RECALLED ITEM. THEIR RESPONSE WAS THAT THEY HAD PUT AN EXTENED WARRANTY ON THE HEAD GASKETS WHICH EXPIRED ON 12/31/98. BUT SINCE IT WAS PAST THAT DATEWHEN I CONTACTED THEM THEY WOULD NOT COVER THE REPAIRS. WHILE FINDING OUT THIS IMFORMATION I ALSO FOUND OUT THAT THEY HAD NEVER SENT ME THE WARRANTY INFORMATION BECAUSE THEY STILL HAD THE PREVIOS OWNERS NAME IN THEIR FILES ( 2 YEARS AFTER WE PURCHASED THE CAR). SINCE I HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM I HAVE TALKED TO 6 OTHER OWNERS OF THIS SAME CAR ( MAKE MODEL AND YEAR) THAT HAVE HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM! AND THOSE ARE ONLY A FEW I KNOW IN THIS SMALL COMMUNITY! *AK

WHEN BUTTON DEPRESS FOR THE ELECTRIC SEAT THE SEAT WILL GO FORWARD AND BACKWARD BUT NOT UP OR DOWN. NLM

RECEIVED LETTER FROM FORD VEHICLE SERVICE AND PROGRAMS DATED JUNE, 1998 ABOUT A PREMATURE HEAD GASKET FAILURE TO OWNERS WITH MY MAKE AND MODEL: SERVICE PROGRAM NUMBER 98MO1. THE LETTER STATED THAT THE HEAD GASKET FAILURE COULD CAUSE ENGINE OVERHEATING AND ENGINE FAILURE. THE PROGRAM HAD A FIX AT NO CHARGE TILL DEC. 31, 1998. I HAD SOME ENGINE OVERHEATING PROBLEMS THAT THE DEALER COULD FIND NO CAUSE FOR BEFORE THE EXPIRATION OF THIS PROGRAM AND NOW, FIVE MONTHS AFTER EXPIRATION, AN ENGINE FAILURE AS A RESULT OF THE HEAD GASKET FAILURE OF WHICH FORD SAYS I WILL JUST HAVE TO PAY FOR: $1228! MY COMPLAINT IS THAT IF THIS WAS A DEFAULT FORD ADMITTED AND WAS WILLING TO REPAIR THEN WHAT ABOUT THOSE OF US THAT DIDN'T HAVE PROBLEMS UNTIL AFTER THE EXPIRATION OF THEIR PROGRAM? THERE WAS ALSO A 5 YR. OR 60,000 MILES LIMIT ON IT, I AM STILL IN THE 5 YR. BUT DUE TO A HIGHWAY COMMUTE OF 100 MILES PER DAY, I AM OVER THE 60,000 MILE PERIMETER THAT WAS SET FOR THE PROGRAM. WHAT CAN I DO?

SPEEDOMETER MALFUNCTIONED, THE VEHICLE WONT GO INTO GEAR/ REV UP, AND WONT GO WHEN SLOWING DOWN, IT WILL LUNGE FORWARD WHICH MAY RESULT IN A CRASH. WHEN THE SPEEDOMETER IS WORKING, THERE IS NO PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NO SUMMARY

WHILE DRIVING THE SPEEDOMETER BOUNCES AND MAKES A STRANGE NOISES. THE DEALER REPLACED THE SPEEDOMETER AT 30K MILES. MANUFACTURER WILL BE CONTACTED. *AK

1,WHEN VEHICLE IDLES THERE IS A THUMPING NOISE COMMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND THE SMELL OF GASOLINE IN THE RADIATOR . 2. THE ABS SYSTEM BOUNCES EXTREMELY VIOLENTLY WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. 3. CRUISE CONTROL WORKS ONLY WHEN IT WANTS TO, AS IF SHORTING. 4. A/C DIED AND WILL NOT TAKE A CHARGE. *AK

INSUFFICIENT HEADLIGHT DISTANCE LIGHTING, HIGH AND LOW BEAMS. *AK

THE ENGINE MOUNTS WOULD MAKE LOUD NOISES & WOULD NOT STAY IN PLACE. THE FRONT WOULD VIBRATE. CAN HAPPEN WHEN THE GEARS ARE BEING SHIFTED. TOOK TO DEALER & INFORMED BY MECHANIC THE ENGINE MOUNTS NEEDED REPLACING. *AK

ASSOCIATED PRESS REPORTS NHTSA RECEIVEING 25 COMPLAINTS ABOUT FORD TAURUS AND MERCURY SABLE WINDSHIELD WIPER SYSTEM FAILING. BOTH OF OUR CARS HAVE HAD PROBLEMS AND WE HAVE HAD ONE REPLACED WIPER MOTOR. THE SABLE HAS HAD TWO SPEEDOMETERS INSTALLED BY THE DEALER. NOW A THIRD ONE IS REQUIRED. FORD HAS BEEN CONTACTED BUT I KEEP GETTING THE "CANN'T DO ANYTHING" FOR YOU STORY LINE.

RECALL NOTICE NOT RECIEVED FOR HEAD GASKET FAILURE.

I HAVE HEARD THAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE RECEIVED RECALL LETTERS FOR THE ITEMS I'VE LISTED HOWEVER I NEVER DID,IN CALLING THE DEALER, I RECEIVED NO SATISFACTION, I EVEN BROUGHT MY CAR IN TO DEALER FOR MOTOR MOUNTS AND LEFT IT FOR A DAY, THEY WOULDN'T LOOK AT IT. PLEASE HELP. *AK

CONSUMER BEGAN EXPERIENCING SHORT CIRCUITS IN 1996 WHICH CAUSED HEADLIGHTS TO SHUT DOWN AT DIFFERENT TIMES AND DISTANCES. *AK

MOTOR MOUNTS FAILED CAUSING ENGINE VIBRATION / MOVEMENT. *YC

WHILE DRIVING ENGINE HEAD GASKET FAILED, CAUSING ENGINE TO OVERHEAT. VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO GARAGE FOR MECHANIC'S INSPECTION, MECHANIC MENTIONED HEAD GASKET LEAKEAGE AND NOT PROPERLY OPERATING. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK