1996 Mercury Sable complaints

WHILE SHIFTING FROM "DRIVE" TO "REVERSE" IN A PARKING LOT, THE TRANSMISSION "JUST FELL APART" ACCORDING TO THE SERVICE MANAGER AT WHITTEN LINCOLN/MERCURY IN RICHMOND, VA. I CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED HAD THE VEHICLE BEEN MOVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY WHEN THE TRANSMISSION "FELL APART". PLEASE NOTE THE TRANSMISSION UNDERWENT REPAIR FOR A "PARK PAWL" DEFECT A YEAR EARLIER AND HAD THE REGULAR TRANSMISSION SERVICE ONLY A FEW MONTHS BEFORE THE FAILURE.

THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON SO THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO CHECK IT OUT ON NOVEMBER OF 1998. THE DEALER SAID IT WAS A BAD SHIFT SOLINOID THAT WOULD NOT EFFECT THE CAR VERY MUCH BUT, SHOULD BE REPLACED SOMETIMES. ON FEB. 4, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START SO IT WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL GARAGE, THEY SAID THAT IT NEEDED TO GO TO A DEALER BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE PROPER COMPUTER TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. THE CAR WAS THEN TOWED TO BOB HASTINGS FORD, EAST ROCHESTER NY, WHERE THEY FOUND THAT A FUEL SENSOR WAS MISSSING. I CONTEND THAT THE SENSOR WAS NEVER THERE TO START WITH BUT, HAVING NO WAY TO PROVE IT COULD NOT GET THEM TO WARRANTY IT. TWO WEEKS LATER THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO SLIP SO I DROVE IT TO EMPIRE TRANSMISSION, WEBSTER NY, WHERE I WAS TOLD I NEEDED TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REBUILT. I CONTACTED FORD TO SEE IF THEY WOULD COVER PART OF THE WORK, BUT I WAS TOLD THAT SINCE I DIDN'T HAVE AN EXTENDED SERVICE PLAN THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. I THINK THIS IS PREMATURE FAILURE FOR A TRANSMISSION NOT USED FOR TOWING OR OFF ROAD. *AK

ANYTIME THE WEATHER GETS UNDER 32 DEGREES OUTSIDE DOOR HANDLES FREEZE UP. THE DEALER HAS TRIED TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM FOUR TIMES. DOOR HANDLES CONTINUE TO FREEZE UP, REPLACEMENT OF THE INNER DOOR SWITCH MECHANISM NECESSARY TO COMPLETE REPAIR, DESIGN OF THE PLUNGER THAT IS METAL RESULTS IN FREEZING, REPLACEMENT OF THE PLUNGER WITH PLASTIC RECTIFIED SITUATION. *AK

DRIVER'S SIDE SHOULDER SEAT BELT ISN'T WORKING DUE TO THE LATCH THAT COME ACROSS THE CONSUMER'S CHEST WON'T COME OUT. *AK

CRACKED TRANSMISSION CASE DUE TO INTERNAL DISINTEGRATION OF PIN

I WAS TRAVELING ON A HIGHWAY WITH CRUISE CONTROL SET AT 65. THERE WAS A SUDDEN HIGH PITCHED WHIRRING SOUND. I TAPPED THE BRAKE TO DISENGAGE THE CRUISE CONTROL. WHEN I ACCELERATED, THERE WAS NO GEAR. I PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND DETERMINED THAT I COULD NOT GO FORWARD OR BACKWARD, OR USE ANY GEAR. I WAS TOWED 26 MILES TO THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP. 75% OF THE MILES ARE HIWAY MILES. THERE WAS NO PRIOR WARNING OR MALFUNCTION.

WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED A FIRE STARTED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT ON THE LEFT SIDE OF FIREWALL, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

AM SECTION OF RADIO EMITS LOUD STATIC WHEN DRIVING THEN CLEARS UP AND AFTER A PERIOD OF SEVERAL DAYS/WEEKS PROBLEM STARTS OVER AGAIN - IF ROAD SURFACE IS VERY SMOOTH , RADIO APPEARS OK - FM AND CASETTE WORK OK - DEALER DOES NOT APPEAR INTERESTED IN FIXING PROBLEM

WHEN MAKING A HARD TURN LOUD NOISE LIKE BANGING OCCURS IN THE STEERING. DEALER IS NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM YET. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

WHEN IT RAINS THE OUTSIDE DOOR HANDLES FAIL. THIS ONLY HAPPENS WHEN IT RAINS. THIS PROBLEM DOESN'T ALLOW THE CONSUMER TO GET INTO THE VEHICLE WHEN IT RAINS. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING THE SUN REFLECTS OFF WINDSHIELD AND REDUCES VISIBILITY. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

RADIATOR CORRODED & RUSTED; CAUSING VEHICLE TEMPERTURE TO FLUCTUATE WHILE DRIVING. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

FUEL VAPOR IS LEAKING INTO VEHICLE. ALSO, VAPORS ARE SO STRONG THAT CONSUMER CAN EVEN SMELL IT WHILE BEING OUT OF THE CAR. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

TRANSMISSION CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO JERK WHENEVER VEHICLE STARTS FROM A STOPPING POSITION. VEHICLE IN DEALER SHOP AT THIS TIME. *AK

WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE VEHICLE STARTS TO VIBRATE, AND THE ACID CONTENT IN THE VEHICLE IS TOO HIGH. THE VEHICLE SMELLS LIKE IT IS OVERHEATING, BUT THERE ISN'T ANY LEAKAGE. CONTACTED DEALER, AND TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE TO FOR THE HEATER CORE. *AK

OUTSIDE DOOR HANDLES FAILED. ALSO, WINDOWS STEAM UP WHEN DEFROSTER IS FIRST STRATED, CANNOT SEE OUTSIDE OF WINDOW.

ENGINE CONTINUALLY OVERHEATS. CONSUMER HAS HAD NUMEROUS REPAIRS DONE TO VEHICLE AND THE PROBLEM REOCCURS. EVERY TIME CONSUMER TAKES VEHICLE TO DEALER , DEALER WOULD ALWAYS SAY SOMETHING ELSE NEEDED TO BE DONE. THE COST KEPT ADDING UP, BUT CONDITION STILL REMAINED THE SAME. *AK

BRAKE ROTORS WARPED CAUSING VIBRATION.

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED.

SEAT BELT LATCH CAME APART.

DRIVER NOTICED PULSATION/VIBRATION WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES AT HIGHWAY SPEED. DEALER INFORMED THE OWNER THAT THE FRONT ROTORS WERE SO BADLY WARPED THAT HAD TO BE REPLACED.

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING ON DRY PAVEMENT THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN NO STEERING, WHICH ALMOST RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT. *AK

CAR FILLS WITH GAS FUMES AND THEN STALLS.

ERRATICALLY THE TRANSMISSION DOES NOT SHIFT INTO GEAR. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

INTERMITTENTLY THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO INTO DRIVE . ULTIMATELY VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO INTO GEAR. THE MANUFACTURER HAS PAID HALF THE COST OF THE REPAIR. *AK

SENSOR AND EGR VALVE FAILED CAUSING STALLING.

RACK AND PINION FAILED, WAS REPLACED AND THE REPLACEMENT FAILED THREE MONTHS LATER.

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE ENGINE BLEW. CAUSE UNKNOWN. OWNER NOTES PROBLEM MAY BE INTERNAL. *AK

POWER STEERING RACK GEAR ASSEMBLY FAILED.

TRANSMISSION JUMPED OUT OF GEAR, CAUSING INJURY TO CONSUMER.

CLUNKING AND POPPING NOISE FROM POWER STEERING UNIT DURING RIGHT TURNS, AT ANY SPEED.

WHEN DRIVING THE SABLE IN HOT WEATHER CONDITIONS AND DECELERATING THE VEHICLE SEEMS DIE WHEN DOWN TO 10-15 MPH. THE DEALER WILL NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM FREE OF CHARGE. THERE IS A SERVICE BULLETIN ON THIS PROBLEM. *AK

NO SUMMARY

WHEN THE GEAR SHIFT INDICATES THE VEHICLE IS IN DRIVE, REVERSE OR OVERDRIVE THE POWER STEERING ALMOST GOES COMPLETELY OUT AND THE VEHICLE LOSES ALL ELECTRICAL POWER/ WINDOWS/RADIO, ETC. THE VEHICLE WILL BE CHECKED BY DEALER. *AK

THE CUP HOLDER RELEASES CUP WHENEVER COMING TO A STOP. FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE LUCRETIA-- AND SUPERVISOR ESTER-- STATE THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO UNDER FORD POLICY. CONSUMER LOOKED AT THE 97 AND 98 MERCURY SABLES, AND THE CONSOLE CUP HOLDERS ARE NEWLY DESIGNED SO THEY WOULD NOT HAVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

WHEN DRIVING OVER PUDDLES WATER WILL GET INTO SERPENTINE BELT, CAUSING POWER STEERING TO GO OUT MOMENTARILY, AND LOSS OF CONTROL. *AK

SUDDEN ACCELERATION TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING.

DROVE THROUGH PUDDLE OF WATER. THIS CAUSED MAIN BELT TO SLIP, RESULTING IN THE DRIVER LOSING CONTROL OF VEHICLE. HAPPENS EVERY TIME VEHICLE IS DRIVEN THROUGH WATER. MECHANIC CANNOT LOCATE THE REASON BELTS WOULD SLIP. *AK

CRANKSHAFT PULLEY FAILED WHILE DRIVING IN RAINSTORM.

DRIVER LOSES ABILITY TO CONTROL VEHICLE SPEED. VEHICLE GOES 40 MPH WITHOUT DEPRESSING THE GAS PEDAL, LURCHES AFTER STOPS AND IDLES OVER 2000 RPMS. DEALER REPLACED THE THROTTLE CONTROL CABLE AND VALVE-AIR BY PASS. (PARTS NUMBER 9715, 9F715)

DRIVER LOSES ABILITY TO CONTROL VEHICLE SPEED. VEHICLE GOES 40 MPH WITHOUT DEPRESSING THE GAS PEDAL, LURCHES AFTER STOPS AND IDLES OVER 2000 RPMS. DEALER REPLACED THE THROTTLE CONTROL CABLE AND VALVE-AIR BY PASS. (PARTS NUMBER 9715, 9F715)

DRIVER LOSES ABILITY TO CONTROL VEHICLE SPEED. VEHICLE GOES 40 MPH WITHOUT DEPRESSING THE GAS PEDAL, LURCHES AFTER STOPS AND IDLES OVER 2000 RPMS. DEALER REPLACED THE THROTTLE CONTROL CABLE AND VALVE-AIR BY PASS. (PARTS NUMBER 9715, 9F715)

IN THE RAIN DRIVING 35 MPH THE VEHICLE'S DEFECTIVE ABS SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE WHICH ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. *AK

WHEN WINDSHIELD WIPERS ARE USED, THE WINDSHIELD DEVELOPS A FILM THAT GREATLY REDUCES DRIVING VISIBILTY WHEN RAINING.

WIND NOISE OCCURS BY THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE WINDSHIELD WHEN VEHICLE IS TRAVELING AT 65 MPH AND ABOVE.

VEHICLE JUMPS AND LURCHES OUT OF GEARS WHILE IN MOTION. *AK

WIPER FLUID BOTTLE HAS NO CHECK POINT TO SEE THE LEVEL OF WASHER FLUID IN BOTTLE.

ENGINE FAILS TO START.

WHEN IT RAINS AND WATER GETS INTO THE ENGINE THE BATTERY LIGHT COMES ON AND EXPERIENCES LOSS OF POWER STEERING. THE DEALER SAID THAT THIS WAS A COMMON OCCURRENCE, AND ADVISED THE OWNER NOT TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE WHEN IT RAINS. OWNER ALSO NOTIFIED THE MANUFACTURER BY MAIL OF THIS PROBLEM. *AK

WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PARKED AND TRANSMISSION IS IN THE PARK POSITION, IT WILL SOMETIMES ALLOW THE VEHICLE TO ROLL.