2001 MERCURY SABLE Complaints

HAVE A 2001 MERCURY SABLE LS PREMIUM WITH ABOUT 70,000 MILES TODAY AFTER BACKING FROM THE GARAGE, I FOUND A BROKEN PIECE OF COIL SPRING ABOUT 6 INCHES LONG, LAYING OF GARAGE FLOOR. ONE END SHOWED A NEW BREAK, THE OTHER END SHOWED A RAGGED, RUSTED BREAK SHOWING THE SPRING HAD ALSO BROKEN AT LEAST ONCE BEFORE THIS DATE. THIS BROKEN SPRING WAS LAYING TOWARDS THE REAR OF THE CAR ABOUT WHERE THE REAR SUSPENSION IS. I SEE THERE IS A RECALL FOR FRONT SPRINGS BREAKING BUT NONE FOR REAR SPRINGS, ALTHOUGH I HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE REAR SPRINGS BREAKING TOO, BECAUSE OF SALT DAMAGE. MYCARSTATS.COM SHOWS AT LEAST 127 COMPLAINTS ON 2001 SABLE REAR SPRING BREAKAGE, THAT ALSO CAUSE INSTANT TIRE DEFLATION. I HAVE BEEN A FORD CUSTOMER SINCE 1955 AND I THINK THEY ARE WRONG TO NOT COVER THIS FAULTY REAR SPRING PROBLEM AS THEY DO WITH THE FAULTY FRONT SPRINGS- I CAN'T HELP THAT SALT IS USED ON ROADS, AND IT IS THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SOMETHING AS HEAVY AND (SHOULD BE) AS STRONG AS A SPRING SHOULD BE, IN A RELIABLE MANNER. THIS JUST MIGHT END MY RELATIONSHIP WITH FORD PRODUCTS ALTHOUGH THEY HAVE ALWAYS BEEN RELIABLE FOR ME IN THE PAST-JD MYERS. *TR

MY 2001 MERCURY SABLE REAR COIL SPRING BROKE AS MY WIFE WAS BACKING OUT OF THE GARAGE AND A PIECE OF THE COIL SPRING FELL TO THE FLOOR. IF SHE WERE OUT ON THE HIGHWAY, SHE COULD HAVE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER SAID MERCURY WILL REPLACE THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS FREE OF CHARGE, SINCE THEY ADMITTED TO A PROBLEM WITH THE QUALITY OF THE SPRINGS. BUT THE REAR COIL SPRINGS, EVEN THOUGH THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON THIS MODEL, THEY WILL NOT STAND BEHIND. THIS CAR ONLY HAS 68,000 MILES ON IT. I HAVE OWNED MANY CARS AND PUT WELL OVER 100,000 MILES ON THEM AND NEVER HAVE HAD A COIL SPRING BREAK. FORD AND MERCURY KNOW THEY HAVE A PROBLEM AND WILL NOT HELP THE CONSUMER. HOW MANY TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS AND DEATHS DOES IT TAKE FOR ACTION TO BE TAKEN? WHAT CAN YOU DO FOR THE OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES? *TR

REAR OF MY 2001 MERCURY SABLE HAD BEEN SAGGING FOR SOME TIME, TO THE POINT I WAS AFRAID THAT THE TOP OF THE WHEEL WELL WOULD HIT THE TOP OF THE TIRE, (ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS THE REAR END DID BOTTOM OUT ON SLIGHTLY STEEP INCLINES). I FINALLY TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC, WHO SAID THAT BOTH REAR SPRINGS HAD FAILED (BROKE), AND FROM THE RUST ACCUMULATED ON THE BRAKE AREAS, IT HAD BEEN BROKEN FOR SOMETIME. I CALLED THE LOCAL FORD DEALER IN QUINCY WHO SAID THAT THIS WASN'T AN ISSUE. I HAD ANOTHER MECHANIC, (MY BROTHER DUE TO THE HIGH COST), REPLACE THE REAR SPRINGS AND SHOCKS. I KNOW THAT THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL ON THE FRONT SPRINGS (ROAD SALT CORROSION), BUT I WOULD BE CURIOUS TO FIND OUT HOW MANY OTHER SABLES/TAURUS'S HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

THE REAR COIL SPRINGS IN MY 2001 MERCURY SABLE HAVE FAILED. THIS IS A WIDE SPREAD PROBLEM WITH THESE CARS AND WELL KNOWN. IT IS NOT A QUESTION IF YOUR SABLE/TAURUS SPRINGS WILL FAIL BUT WHEN THEY WILL FAIL. YOU SHOULD HEAD OUT OF WERE EVER IT IS AND GET FORD TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS. *TR

HAD TO REPLACE RIGHT REAR COIL SPRING, WHICH BROKE AND WAS SCRAPING THE TIRE, WHICH WAS A VERY HAZARDOUS CONDITION. THE FRONT COIL SPRINGS WERE REPLACED IN A FORD RECALL ABOUT 3 YEARS AGO, THE LEFT REAR COIL SPRING ALSO BROKE IN 2005 AND I HAD TO HAVE IT REPAIRED PRIVATELY AS THERE WAS AND STILL IS NO RECALL FOR THE REAR SPRINGS. (FILED A DOT COMPLAINT AT THAT TIME ALSO -- 3/9/05). *TR

MY FRONT SPRING ON MERCURY SABLE 2001 GS JUST BROKE. IT TORE MY FRONT TIRE AND NOW THE CAR IS NOT IN DRIVING CONDITION. I PUT THE SPARE TIRE AND IT TORE IT APART AS WELL. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCURY SABLE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO HAVE MAINTENANCE WORK PERFORMED, AND LEARNED THAT THE REAR SPRINGS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE VEHICLE FAILED. THE COST TO REPLACE THE STRUTS AND SPRINGS WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY $600. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 86,000. UPDATED 02-14-08. *KB

IN EARLY 2007 THE PAINT ON MY 2001 MERCURY SABLE LS STARTED TO BUBBLE/BLISTER UP ON THE ROOF NEXT TO THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR WINDOW TRIM. SHORTLY AFTER I STARTED TO NOTICE THAT BOTH REAR WHEEL HOUSINGS ALSO HAD BUBBLES/BLISTERS IN THE PAINT AND ARE NOW SHOWING RUST. I FIGURED IT WAS JUST BAD LUCK AND WAS STUCK BECAUSE THE WARRANTY EXPIRED BUT THEN LAST WEEKEND I WAS PARKED IN FRONT OF ANOTHER 2001 SABLE LS AND WALKING BY IT I NOTICED THAT STRANGELY IT HAD THE VERY SAME PAINT BLISTERING AND RUSTING IN THE EXACT SAME PLACES AS MY CAR. I SUDDENLY REALIZED THAT THIS HAS TO BE A DEFECT AND ITS NOT JUST MY CAR. I WENT ON THE INTERNET AND ON WWW.LEMONLAW.COM THERE'S ALOT OF INFORMATION ABOUT THIS VERY PROBLEM MY CAR AND MANY OTHERS ARE EXPERIENCING DUE TO ALUMINUM CORROSION CAUSED BY IRON PARTICLES WORKING THEIR WAY INTO THE ALUMINUM BODY PART PRIOR TO IT BEING PAINTED. NOW KNOWING THIS IS NOT AGE OR "NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR" OR LACK OF PROPER CARE I EXPECT FORDDLINCOLN MERCURY TO FIX MY CAR AT NO EXPENSE TO ME. *TR

PASSENGER SIDE; REAR SPRING AND STRUT OF 2001 MERCURY SABLE FAILED CAUSING AN ABRUPT STOP AND MINOR LOSS OF CONTROL. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO REPAIR SHOP WHERE BOTH REAR SPRINGS AND STRUTS HAD TO BE REPLACED. PASSENGER SIDE REAR STRUT WAS BENT. REPAIR COST OVER $700. WAS TOLD FRONT SPRINGS UNDER RECALL BUT NOT REAR. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCURY SABLE. THE REAR SPRINGS CONTINUE TO FAIL. THE FAILURE HAS OCCURRED TWICE AND PUNCTURED THE TIRES ON BOTH OCCASIONS. THE CONTACT PAID $237 FOR BOTH REPAIRS. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE NOT OFFERED ANY ASSISTANCE. FORD MOTOR COMPANY TOOK A COMPLAINT ON HIS BEHALF (CLAIM NUMBER 1529113467). HE STATED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V332000) FOR THE FRONT SPRINGS, BUT NOT FOR THE REAR COIL SPRINGS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 75,000. UPDATED 01/02/08 *BF UPDATED *JB