1999 MERCURY SABLE Complaints

I OWN A 1999 MERCURY SABLE. WHILE I AM DRIVING, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS TURN ON BY THEMSELVES. THIS IS A RECURRING PROBLEM THAT STARTED SOMETIME LAST FALL. TO TURN THEM OFF, I HAVE TO TURN THEM ON AND OFF SEVERAL TIMES.*AK

MY CAR WILL ONLY START SOMETIMES. IT DOES NOT GET FUEL TO THE FUEL BAR. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES. IT NEVER QUITS WHILE RUNNING. SOMETIMES IF YOU GO BACK A HALF HOUR LATER IT STARTS. *CB

HESITATION IN TRANSMISSION. EXCESSIVE LEAK IN TRANS FLUID, MADE A LARGE PUDDLE. HAD A WOBBLE AS VEHICLE ACCELERATED. HAD FRONT TRANS SEAL AND AXLE SEALS REPLACE, AS WELL AS ONE AXLE

I PURCHASED THE USED VEHICLE APRIL 03. EARLY AUGUST, I WENT OUT TO LUNCH WITH A FRIEND-WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO PUT ON THE VEHICLE SEAT BELT IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT IT WOULD NOT WORK. WE DROVE HIS CAR INSTEAD. I THOUGHT IT WAS A FLUKE. I DECIDED TO CHECK THE INTERNET AND LOCATED THIS PROBLEM AS A MANUFACTURER RECALL AND FIGURED IT WOULD BE NO PROBLEM FOR THE DEALER TO TAKE CARE OF IT. THIS PROBLEM CONTINUED TO HAPPEN BUT BECAUSE OF MY WORK SCHEDULE I WAS UNABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER BECAUSE OF THE HOURS OF THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT. FROM AUGUST TO DATE NO ONE HAS BEEN ABLE TO RIDE IN THE FRONT SEAT. I WAS ON VACATION AND I CONTACTED THE DEALER TO SCHEDULE A SERVICE APPOINTMENT. I TOOK THE CAR IN ON 12/30/03 AND WAS TOLD THAT I NEEDED TO PAY A $75 DIAGNOSTIC FEE AS NO INFORMATION CAME UP FOR THIS VEHICLE INDICATING A RECALL OR A WARRANTY. THE WARRANTY SITUATION WAS CORRECTED BUT I RECEIVED A MESSAGE FROM TONIA COOPER (SERVICE DEPARTMENT) AFTER I FAXED OVER THE RECALL INFORMATION FROM NHTSA THAT MY VEHICLE WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER THE RECALL. I THOUGHT THIS WAS ABSURD; I AM EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM THAT IS NOTED ON ALL OF THE DOCUMENTATION OF THE RECALL BUT BECAUSE FORD NEGLECTED TO INCLUDE MY VIN NUMBER NO ONE WOULD HELP ME. WHAT'S WORSE IS THAT I CALLED FORDS' CUSTOMER RELATIONS ON 12/30/03 AND SPOKE WITH SYED WHO REFUSED TO GIVE ME A LAST NAME OR AN ID# AND HE TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING I COULD DO AND NO ONE OUTSIDE OF CUSTOMER RELATIONS AT THE DEALERSHIP THAT I COULD CONTACT TO GET THIS MATTER RESOLVED. I FIND IT MOST IRRITATIONG THAT NO ONE COULD CONCEIVE THE NOTION THAT THIS VIN# (& PERHAPS OTHERS) WERE ERRONEOUSLY OMITTED FROM THE RECALL. I LOOKED AT THE 3 COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER OWNERS & ONE HAS A VIN# VERY SIMILIAR TO MINE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE IN THIS MATTER, I ONLY WISH THAT I COULD HAVE RESOLVED THIS MATTER WITH FORD DIRECTLY. PASSENGER SAFETY & MICHIGAN'S "CLICK IT OR TICKET IT" LAW HAS MAKES THIS AN EXTREMEMLY IMPORTANT ISSUE!*AK

PROBLEM FIRST NOTICED AS ENGINE OVERHEATED AND A COOLANT LEAK OCCURRED... DEBRIS IN COOLING SYSTEM CREATES A BLOCKAGE AND HEATER WORKS INTERMITTENTLY. STILL OVERHEATS AFTER RADIATOR FLUSHES TO CLEAN SYSTEM. I HAVE BEEN ADVISED BY THE MECHANIC TO EITHER SELL THE CAR OR REPLACE THE ENTIRE COOLING SYSTEM. *LA

PROBLEMS WITH SAFETY BELT BECOMING UNDONE AFTER BEING SECURED. *MR WHEN THE SEAT BELT LATCH WAS PUSHED INTO THE SOCKET FIRMLY IT OCCASIONALLY POPPED OUT. IT HAD TO BE PUSHED INTO POSITION THEN JUGGLED IN ORDER FOR IT TO LATCH CORRECTLY. THE BELT WOULD ALSO TIGHTEN SO SNUGLY ON THE OCCUPANT THAT THEY COULD NOT LEAN FORWARD TO ADJUST THE DASH CONTROLS OR SEE THROUGH THE MIRRORS. *SCC *NLM

WHILE DRIVING AT 5 MPH CONSUMER HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER PUT VEHICLE IN REVERSE AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. CONSUMER MADE CONTACT WITH THE DEALER. *AK

ON SUNDAY AUG. 17TH I DROVE ONTO A STEEP EXIT FROM A 4 LANE HIGHWAY TO A FIVELINE HIGHWAY. I HAD NO BRAKES. THE LIGHT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE RAMP STAYED GREEN (THERE WERE ABOUT 40 CARS WAITING TO ENTER THE INTERSECTION)--I CROSSED ALL FIVE LANES AND CRASHED MY CAR INTO A DIRT BANK. I HAD NO BRAKES --THE MAN FOLLOWING ME SAID (AND TOLD THE POLICE) THAT HE SMELLED A BURNING ORDOR OR BRAKE SMELL AND HAD COMMENTED TO HIS WIFE THAT HE THOUGHT SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH MY BRAKES BEFORE THE INCIDENT. HE ADVISED THE POLICE. THE POLICE CHECKED THE BRAKES AND THE PEDAL WAS ON THE FLOOR. I WAS ADVISED YESTERDAY (8/19) THAT STATE FARM IS TOTALLING THE CAR--THAT THEY CAN FIND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE BRAKES. NOW THERE IS NO WAY THAT SOMETHING DID NOT GO WRONG WITH THOSE BRAKES--MY FATHER AND I WERE ALMOST KILLED. I WANT TO KNOW IF OTHER FORD SABLES OR TAURUS--1999 MODELS HAVE HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM?*AK

PROBLEMS WITH ABS. *MR THE VEHICLE WAS IN TWO ACCIDENTS DUE TO THE INABILITY TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE DURING NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS, WHERE THE ABS DID NOT WORK. THE VEHICLE WAS IN FOR REPAIR 7 TIMES. THE FOLLOWING ARE REPAIRS AND OR PROBLEMS THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED: TORQUE CONVERTER REPLACED AFTER TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS FOUND LOW, EXHAUST LEAK FIXED, WASHER FLUID WOULD SPRAY WHEN THE TURN SIGNAL AND LIGHTS WERE ON, SHAKING WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED/RESURFACED ROTORS, TRUNK LEAKED WATER, REPLACED MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH TO FIX WASHER FLUID PROBLEM, ABS NOT WORKING WHEN THERE WAS A PANIC STOP, LEFT AND RIGHT SPINDLE ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED, FRONT END ROTORS WERE REPLACED AGAIN, WHEEL ALIGNMENT, THE ABS DID NOT ENGAGE AND CAUSED AN ACCIDENT, AND REPLACED LEFT SIDE OUTER TIE ROD END. *SCC *JB

CONSUMER EXPERIENCED A FLAT ON THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE. THE CONSUMER CHANGED TIRE TO AN UNUSED SPARE AND ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE TO SERVICE STATION. WHILE DRIVING, THE SPARE BLEW OUT. UPON INSPECTION BY DEALER, IT WAS DISCOVERED THE COIL SPRING HAD BROKEN AND PIERCED BOTH TIRES, AND CAUSED DAMAGE. *AK FOUND THE ROTORS OUT OF ROUND. THE FRONT BRAKE ROTOR WERE MACHINED AND THE PADS HALF WORN. *SCC *JB