2001 MERCURY SABLE Complaints

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH AND TRYING TO AVOID A DEER, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A POLE DAMAGING THE GRILL, HOOD, RADIATOR, FRONT BUMPER AND POSSIBLY THE FRAME. THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT WAS INJURED AND EXPERIENCED WHIP LASH AND NECK INJURIES. THE POLICE WAS NOT ALERTED OF THE INCIDENT.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE BRAKES FAILED, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO A ROAD SIGN. TWO OCCUPANTS INCURRED MINOR INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN AT THE SCENE OF THE CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER, WHERE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM WAS UNABLE TO BE DETERMINED.

2001 SABLE (PURCHASED NEW 10/20/2001) HAD FOUR NEW GOODYEAR TIRES INSTALLED ON 3/24/2006 AT 25,998 MILES. AFTER SEVERAL WEEKS OF LISTENING TO MY SON, THE DRIVER OF THE CAR, COMPLAIN THAT THE REAR WAS VERY LOW TO THE GROUND, I TOOK IT INTO THE GOODYEAR DEALER ON 9/4/2006 WITH 29,255 MILES. THEY DISCOVERED THE CAUSE WAS FRACTURED REAR COIL SPRINGS ON BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDES OF THE VEHICLE. THE KNIFE SHARP FRACTURED ENDS OF THE BROKEN SPRINGS WERE EXTENDING DOWN BELOW THE SPRING SEATS AND RESTING UP AGAINST THE TIRES MAKING SLIGHT CONTACT WITH THE INSIDE WALLS OF BOTH REAR TIRES. THE SERVICE MECHANIC ADVISED THAT IT WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. BEING LABOR DAY AND WITH NO MERCURY DEALERSHIPS OPEN, I HAD THEM REPLACE THE FRACTURED SPRINGS WITH MONROE QUICK STRUTS AT A TOTAL COST OF $740.92. SINCE THE SERVICE TECH ADVISED ME THAT THIS WAS A COMMON OCCURRENCE ON THE TAURUS AND SABLE MODELS, I DECIDED I SHOULD CHECK FOR RECALLS. I SEE THAT THERE IS AN INVESTIGATION UNDERWAY ON THESE REAR SPRINGS AND FELT COMPELLED TO VOICE MY COMPLAINT AFTER READING FORD'S UNACCEPTABLE RESPONSE TO THE NHTSA INITIAL INQUIRY. I SAVED THE ORIGINAL SPRINGS/STRUTS WHICH SHOW MULTIPLE FRACTURES IN EACH SPRING IN CASE SOMEONE WANTED TO CHECK THE METALLURGICAL PROPERTIES OF THE STEEL. BOTH OF THESE SPRINGS HAVE FAILED WITHIN 5 MONTHS OF EACH OTHER. THESE SHOULD BE RECALLED BEFORE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY INJURED. I CONSIDER MYSELF FORTUNATE TO DISCOVER THESE DEFECTIVE SPRINGS BEFORE THEY PUNCTURED THE SIDE WALLS OF THE TIRES. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE REAR COIL SPRINGS FRACTURED. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DETERMINED THE REAR COIL SPRINGS FRACTURED DURING A ROUTINE TIRE CHECK TO HAVE THE TIRES ROTATED. THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO THE TIRE ROTATION. UPDATED 09/21/06. *JB

COOLANT LEAKS FOR BOTTOM I HAVE A 2001 MERCURY SABLE LS IT HAS THE 3.0 LITER MOTOR NOT 24 VALVE. I HAVE TALKED WITH THREE OTHER PEOPLE AND THEY HAVE ALL FORD TAURUS'S AND THEY HAD TO REPLACE COOLANT BOTTLE BECAUSE THEY ALL CRACKED ON THE BOTTOM OF THE BOTTLE. ITS ODD THAT FOUR PEOPLE THAT I KNOW WE ALL HAVE TO CHANGE THE BOTTLE WITHIN A YEAR OF EACH OTHER. COULD THERE BE FAULTY BOTTLES MADE AND WILL THE ANTIFREEZE DAMAGE OTHER PARTS ON MY CAR. I ONLY HAVE 78,000 MILES ON THE CAR. *JB

I WAS STARTING TO DRIVE HOME AFTER VISITING A FRIEND, AND I HEARD A VERY STRANGE NOISE COMING FROM UNDER THE CAR. I HAD MY FRIEND LISTEN AND HE DETERMINED I SHOULD GO HOME AND CALL RIGHT AWAY TO MY CAR DEALER/REPAIR SHOP. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH., ON A CLEAR DRY DAY, THE REAR DRIVER SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT. WHEN THE TIRE WAS CHANGED, THE INTERIOR SIDE WALL WAS OBSERVED TO BE WORN AWAY AND HAD BEEN PUNCTURED BY A FRACTURED COIL. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER SERVICE FOR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALSO ALERT.

NO REAL SIGNS OF DISTRESS UNTIL THE MAIN BEARINGS FAILED. AT 33,000 MILES, PROOF OF SERVICE AND OIL CHANGES COVERING THE FIRST 29,000 MILES. VEHICLE DEVELOPED A BAD KNOCK. HAD IT TOWED TO A FORD DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION. TOLD ME THAT THE MAIN BEARINGS ON THE CAM WENT BAD. ONE FORD DEALERSHIP TELLS ME FORD WILL HELP WITH THE COST OF TOTAL ENGINE REPLACEMENT, UNFORTUNATELY, NOT THE DEALERSHIP THE CAR IS AT. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH, A LOUD INDESCRIBABLE NOISE WAS HEARD FROM THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. UPON INVESTIGATION, THE SOURCE OF THE NOISE WAS UNDETECTABLE. THE NOISE CONTINUED WHEN TRAVEL RESUMED. AN INDEPENDENT SERVICE MECHANIC INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE COIL WAS FRACTURED AND SHREDDED THE INSIDE SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE. THE TIRE AND BOTH REAR COILS WERE REPLACED. UPDATED 10/25/06. *JB

DRIVER SIDE REAR COIL SPRING BROKE AND GROOVED TIRE. STRUT,TIRE, SPRING AND ALIGNMENT ARE REQUIRED FOR REPAIR. *JB