1994 MERCURY SABLE Complaints

WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 75 IN ATLANTA GEORGIA THE CAR OVERHEATED AND STALLED. A WRECKER SERVICE WAS CALLED AND AUTO WAS TOWED TO PEP BOYS FOR REPAIR. SINCE IT WAS AFTER 5:00 PM THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO COMPLETE ANY WORK ON THE AUTO.MOBILE, OVERNIGHT STAY WAS REQUIRED. WAS CONTACTED THE NEXT MORNING BY PEP BOYS AND TOLD THAT THE CAR HAD A BLOWN HEAD GASKET AND THEY DID NOT DO THIS TYPE OF REPAIR. WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS PART OF A RECALL. HAD CAR TOWED TO DEALERSHIP FOR ESTIMATE/REPAIR. WAS TOLD THAT DUE TO THE MILEAGE THAT THIS WOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED UNDER THE RECALL. HAD SERVICE WORK DONE AND PAID $1,250 AND HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WHEN TRAVELING HOME TO JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA. WAS FORCED TO STOP THREE TIMES TO COOL ENGINE AND REFILL RADIATOR. CAR IS NOT REPAIRED. HAVE CONTACTED BOTH THE REPAIR PROVIDER IN ATLANTA AND THE PURCHASING DEALER IN JACKSONVILLE. I FEEL THAT I SHOULD HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED OF A POTENTIAL PROBLEM, BUT HAVE BEEN TOLD BY FORD THAT THEY STAND BEHIND THEIR POLICIES.*AK

WHILE VEHICLE WAS BEING CHECKED FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE SERVICE TECHNICIAN FOUND A MELTED HEAD LAMP SWITCH. THE SWITCH WAS REPLACED AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. THERE IS A SERVICE BULLETIN/ RECALL ABOUT THE HEAD LAMP SWITCH, HOWEVER VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO DATE MANUFACTURED. *AK.ET.

A BROKEN ENGINE MOUNT CAUSED ERRATIC OPERATION OF VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK *ML

TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY REFUSED TO SHIFT - WOULD ONLY GO INTO REVERSE OR FIRST GEAR - REQUIRED FULL REBUILT OF TRANSMISSION AND TORQUE CONVERTER - ALTHOUGH MAINTAINED ON SCHEDULE BY MERCURY DEALER. ENGINE MOUNTS DISCOVERED FAILED AT THIS TIME - A CONSTANT PROBLEM WITH THIS TYPE VEHICLE THAT PREVIOUSLY FORD WOULD PAY TO REPAIR BUT NOT NOW. POOR QUALITY VEHICLE.

AFTER THE HEAD GASKET WAS REPLACED IN 01-98, THE CRANKSHAFT AND RADIATOR NEEDED REPLACING DUE TO THE HEAD GASKET BEING REPLACED.IN 02-98 THE CRANKSHAFT WAS REPLACED ALONG WITH THE TIMING COVER BECAUSE OF EXCESSIVE WEAR. IN 12-98 THE HEAD GASKET WAS REPLACED DUE TO A RECALL. THE TIMING CHAIN COVER GASKET WAS REPLACED AT THE FOLLOWING MILEAGES-44832,45520,67205. ACCORDING TO THE RECEIPTS GIVEN TO ME AT THE TIME, THE TRANSMISSION OIL PAN GASKET WAS REPLACED TWICE UNDER THE SAME DAY. IT IS OBVIOUS THAT BY DOING THAT, THEY COMBINED THREE DIFFERENT WORK ORDERS INTO ONE. THE NEXT TIME IT WAS REPLACED WAS AT 71387. THE CRANK WAS REPLACED AT 45520 MILES, THE SEALS WERE REPLACED AT 46942 , 67205, 68523 AND 67205. FORD MOTOR COMPANY , THROUGH PROGRAM #00M09 , IS ADMITTING A PROBLEM WITH THE 3.8 L ENGINE WITH REGARD TO THE HEAD GASKET. THIS PROGRAM IS ALLOWING FOR A REFUND ON OUT OF POCKET TO THE CONSUMER FOR REPLACING THE HEAD GASKET OR A REBATE ON A NEW FORD OR MERCURY VEHICLE. I AM NOT ELIGIBLE FOR EITHER OF THOSE BECAUSE MY EXTENDED WARRANTY , WHICH WAS PURCHASED THROUGH FORD, WAS BOUGHT WITH A $0 DEDUCTIBLE. I FEEL I AM BEING PUNISHED BECAUSE OF AN OPTION THAT WAS THE MOST FINANCIALLY SOUND AT THE TIME.

UNDERSTAND THIS IS ONGOING PROBLEM WITH 3.8L - CONTACTED FORD CUST ASSIST # - UNDERSTAND THEY HAVE JUST ANNOUNCED 7YR/100,000MI "EXT WARRANTY" - PRIVATE MECHANIC REPAIRED, WILL TAKE RECEIPT TO DEALER...WILL SEE IF THEY REIMBURSE. NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONED IN THE SUMMARY. *AK

I WILL FAX TO YOUR (202) 366-7882 NUMBER THE LETTER I SENT TO JAC NASSER CEO, FORD MOTOR COMPANY, THEIR LETTER (WHICH I DIDN'T RECEIVE IN THE MAIL) INDICATING POSSIBLE PREMATURE FAILURE OF HEAD GASKETS, THE FORM LETTER THAT THEY SENT ME IN RESPONSE. I FEEL THAT IF THEY KNEW THAT THEY HAD INSTALLED DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKETS THAT THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL. THE TOTAL ENGINE FAILURE WHICH I EXPERIENCED WAS A SERIOUS AND DANGEROUS SITUATION. *AK

WHILE DRIVING IN A SNOW STORM WENT TO TURN WINDSHIELD WIPERS ON, AND THEY DIDN'T RESPOND AT ANY SPEED.WINDSHIELD WIPERS WENT OUT WITHOUT WARNING. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK

RECALL REPAIR ON HEAD GASKET WAS DENIED, UNIT WAS NOT EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS AT THE TIME OF RECALL NOTICE, HOWEVER FAILED LATER AND DENIED REPAIR. *MJS

TEMPERATURE GAUGE RISES, NO WARNING LIGHTS, CONSUMER STOPS CAR AND RELEASES THE CAP ON THE RADIATOR TO RELEASE SOME OF THE PRESSURE. CONSUMER FEELS THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE CONSUMER IS ON THE INTERSTATE, AND HAS TO QUICKLY GET OFF OF THE INTERSTATE. *AK