2001 MERCURY SABLE Complaints

REAR COIL SPRING FRACTURE / PASSENGER SIDE- 2001 MERCURY SABLE - RESULTING IN MINOR ADDITIONAL DAMAGE TO TIRE.

I HAVE EXPERIENCED A REAR COIL SPRING FAILURE AS DESCRIBED IN COMPLAINT EA06-002. WHILE BACKING MY CAR OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY I HEARD A GRINDING NOISE THAT GOT LOUDER THE FASTER I WENT. I STOPPED AND LOOKED UNDER THE CAR AND NOTICED A BLACK RING ON THE INSIDE OF THE PASSENGER REAR TIRE. I REMOVED THE WHEEL AND NOTICED THAT A GOUGE HAD BEEN DUG INTO THE INSIDE OF THE TIRE BY A SPRING THAT LOOKS TO HAVE BEEN WELDED TO THE STRUT. IT APPEARS THAT THE WELD FAILED CAUSING THE SPRING TO DETACH. I CONSIDER MYSELF LUCKY BECAUSE THIS DID NOT HAPPEN WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THIS FAILURE COULD HAVE CAUSED A CRASH THAT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN INJURY OR EVEN DEATH. COINCIDENTLY I RECENTLY RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE IN THE MAIL STATING THAT THIS EXACT FAILURE COULD HAPPEN TO THE FRONT STRUTS AND THAT I SHOULD BRING THE CAR TO A LINCOLN/MERCURY DEALER TO HAVE THEM FIXED. I WAS GOING TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT TO DO SO, BUT THIS HAS HAPPENED. IT SEEMS AS THOUGH THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THE REAR STRUT ASSEMBLIES AS WELL. FORD/LINCOLN/MERCURY PERFORMED THE RECALL REPAIR ON THE FRONT COIL/STRUT ASSEMBLIES. THEY OFFERED TO REPAIR THE REAR COIL/STRUT ASSEMBLIES FOR APPROXIMATELY $850.00. (BOTH REAR COIL/STRUT ASSEMBLIES, REAR ALIGNMENT, AND A TIRE) THEY STATED THAT BOTH REAR COIL/STRUT ASSEMBLIES SHOULD BE REPLACED BECAUSE THEY EXPECT THAT THE DRIVERS REAR WILL FAIL SOON ALSO. MOST DISTURBING IS THAT FORD/LINCOLN/MERCURY SAID THAT THEY WOULD BE REPLACING THE FAILED COIL/STRUT ASSEMBLIES WITH THE SAME PARTS. PARTS THAT WILL FAIL IN THIS MANNER IN THE FUTURE! THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL ON THE REAR COIL/STRUT ASSEMBLIES IN ADDITION TO THE FRONT. THEY HAVE THE SAME DESIGN DEFECT AND SOMEONE WILL EVENTUALLY DIE IN A CRASH CAUSED BY THE COIL PIERCING A TIRE AT DRIVING SPEED. I HAVE NOT REPAIRED MY CAR YET, BUT I PLAN TO HAVE IT REPAIRED SOON. I WOULD WELCOME AN INSPECTION. *NM

TL* - THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCURY SABLE SEDAN . THE CONTACT RECEIVED SAFETY RECALL NOTICE, #NUMBER 04V332000. THE CONTACTS SAFETY REPAIR WAS BEING PERFORMED. HOWEVER ,THE SPECIAL SERVICE SUPPORT CENTER HAS DENIED REPAIR TO ASSOCIATED DAMAGED CAUSED BY THE FRACTURED COIL SPRING. THERE WAS DAMAGE TO THE FRONT TIRES. THE DRIVER SIDE TIRE HAS A GROOVE AND THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE HAS A PUNCTURE. THE CONTACT WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE TIRES REPLACED UNDER THE SAFETY RECALL.*AK

TL* - THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCURY SABLE. THE REAR COIL SPRINGS CRACKED ON THE VEHICLE THE CONTACT STATED THE TIRES WERE LEAKING AIR, AND THE REAR DRIVER AND PASSENGER TIRES WERE RESEALED. WHILE REPAIRING THE TIRE THE MECHANIC NOTICED THE REAR COIL SPRINGS WERE CRACKED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD WILL NOT TURN ON UNTIL 20 MINUTES AFTER THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN STARTED. HE WAS UNABLE TO VIEW THE SPEED ON THE SPEEDOMETER AND OTHER GAUGES. *AK UPDATED 02/27/07. *JB

EMERGENCY BRAKE DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHT FAILURE. THE DASHBOARD BRAKE WARNING LIGHT IS NOT TURNING ON WHEN THE EMERGENCY BRAKE IS APPLIED. THE DASHBOARD LIGHT DOES TEST OK WHEN THE CAR IS STARTED. BECAUSE I WAS UNAWARE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS ON I TRAVELED 10 MILES HOME ON THE FREEWAY. NEAR MY HOUSE THE BRAKES FAILED, WITH THE PEDAL GOING TO THE FLOOR. I QUICKLY PUMPED THE BRAKES AND WAS ABLE TO STOP. THERE WAS A BURNING SMELL AS WELL, WHICH I ASSUME WAS THE PADS, SO I WILL MARK THE FIRE QUESTION AS YES SINCE "WHERE THERE'S SMOKE THERE'S FIRE." BRAKE FUNCTION RETURNED THE NEXT DAY BUT THE PEDAL IS NOW SOFT. *NM

MY MERCURY SABLE 2001 LS WAGON TRANSMISSION FAILED IN MAY 2002 (25 K MILES). AT THAT TIME FORD VOIDED MY WARRANTY SAYING I HAD ABUSED THE CAR (DRAG RACING). I HAD THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED BY A TRANSMISSION SPECIALTY SHOP, COST $3,000). THAT TRANSMISSION FAILED IN MAY 2004 (52K MILES) AND WAS REBUILT BY AAMCO TRANSMISSIONS (COST $2,200). THAT TRANSMISSION FAILED DECEMBER 2006 (78K MILES). IT IS CURRENTLY IN THE SHOP FOR TRANSMISSION REPAIR. IN JULY 2002 I HAD INITIATED AN INDEPENDENT REPORT DONE ON THE CAR, THERE IS A SERIOUS DEFECT IN THE TRANSMISSION DESIGN. MY COST FOR TRANSMISSION REPAIRS IS IN EXCESS OF $5,000 PRIOR TO THIS LATEST TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH UNDER NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. THERE WERE NO WARNINGS PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SERVICE DEALER, WHO COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM.

2001 SABLE ACCELERATOR CABLE COME OUT OF THE HOUSING, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO DECELERATE. *TS *JB

2001 MERCURY SABLE LS RIGHT REAR SPRING BROKE WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE. A PIECE OF THE SPRING PROTRUDED AND GOUGED THE INSIDE SIDEWALL OF THE RIGHT REAR TIRE DOWN TO THE TIRES METAL CORE. THE CAR WAS BEING OPERATED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS IN HEAVY TRAFFIC IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE INCIDENT. TIRE FAIL IS IMMINENT. HAD THIS OCCURRED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING OPERATED LOSS OF CONTROL AND A COLLISION WOULD BE VERY LIKELY. *NM

REAR LEFT COIL SPRING REPORTED BROKEN BY MY FORD DEALER ON MY 2001 MERCURY SABLE. SPRING WILL BE REPLACED. *NM